Japan rail pass - pricing question
 

Hi,

The second week of Feburary, I'll embark on my first trip to Japan. My itinerary follows:

Day 1 - Tokyo
Day 2 - Tokyo
Day 3 - Tokyo
Day 4 - Tokyo and Nikko
Day 5 - Tokyo and Nagoya by nightfall
Day 6 - Nagoya and Inazawa City
Day 7 - Kyoto from Nagoya early morning
Day 8 - Kyoto
Day 9 - Kyoto and Hiroshima by close of night
Day 10 - Hiroshima
Day 11 - Matsuyama
Day 12 - Osaka via plane from Matsuyama
Day 13 - Osaka

Based on Hyperdia's pricings, it doesn't make sense for me to purchase a 7-day Japan rail pass if the pass still costs 28,300 yen and it's not possible to use it for Hiroshima-Matsuyama. The total cost of buying tickets individually for all train trips from Tokyo to Hiroshima would be 20,410 yen. Is this assessment correct? And if so, when should I purchase individual tickets?

I'm not quite sure what you mean it's not possible to use the pass for Hiroshima to Matsuyama....
If you start the pass on Day 5 and use it through Day 11, it seems to me you will be getting your money's worth as those trips look to cost more than ¥37000.

sorry I misread your itinerary and confused Matsuyama with another city.....

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3805.html

On the other hand, there is a way to get to Nikko using a JR train which costs about ¥10000 rt so maybe a JR Pass from Day 4 through 10 might work depending on how you want to access Nikko as there are cheaper and slower alternatives.....
Sorry for the earlier confusion.

Which Matsuyama ?. There are about five (5) in Japan.

Agree about using JR train to NIKKO. Have done it in the past,using my JR pass.

Check your calculations. Use Matsuyama(Ehime) with no spaces for Matsuyama city in hyperdia. Use total cost rather than fare only, as the fare only covers local trains. You need to pay the limited express fee to tide shinkansens and all but locals. Total includes this. Fare does not. Roughly Tokyo to Nagoya is ¥10,000, Nagoya to Kyto about ¥6,000. Kyoto to HIroshoma ¥10,000 and Hiroshima to Matsuyama ¥10,000. Do it in 7 days and you'll save a good amount using a JR Pass for 7 days.

Gee, now I'm really confused - I used the same Matsuyama KJ said when I did my calculations so I now stand by my original post. However, if OP wants to take the ferry from Hiroshima to Matsuyama - maybe that's what he means about not using the JR Pass from Hiroshima to Matsuyama...then he can go with my second suggestion...

Thank you, Mara and KimJapan!

Ehime is indeed my destination (for Dogo Onsen). I had been wondering about any hidden costs; clearly, I need to buy the 7-day pass.

Another question for the experts: If I do the Toyota Plant Tour between 10:30 and 1:00 on February 15th, will I be able to make it to Inazawa City in time for Hadaka Matsuri, which I believe begins at 3:00? I'll be getting around exclusively via mass transit.

The Toyota factory and Inazawa are probaly two hours apart including time to get to the stations. It looks to me, though, that February 16 is the more interesting day. Never been though. http://kikuko.web.infoseek.co.jp/eng...-festival.html