JR Japan Rail Pass - where can I use it?
 

Can I use it for train & subway rides within the city.

Roughly how much am I expected to spend with fares withing the city - let's say to visit 4 spot within the tourist attractions?

I'm still considering if it's going to be worth buying the pass - as I will only need it to 2-round trips from NRT to Tokyo downtown, a trip Tokyo-Kyoto and a trip Kyoto - Osaka airpot.

hank you!

As the neame implies, the pass is only valid on JR, not private or other municipal lines. While most long and medium-distance trains are run by JR, in and around major cities there are some private and non-JR lines. In Tokyo, for example, your pass will be valid on JR Yamanote loop line, but not on subways, which you will probably use most of all to get around. Average fare within a city is around 160 to 200 yen (distance-based, not flat-rate, except most buses), so a daily budget of around 700 yen (you can get a day pass for Tokyo Metro - bigger of two subway operators - for 710 yen). You will also probably use private lines to get to Nikko and Hakone, if you are heading that way.
Whether a 7-day pass is cost-effective or not depends on what side trips you do other than the ones you mentioned. I don't know why you need to RT between Narita and Tokyo (are you staying near airport? - I suggest you book your hotel in Tokyo). In round figures your itinerary will cost you: 6000 + 6000 + 13000 + 3500 = 28500 yen using the fastest means, but you can use Keisei line between Narita and Tokyo for 1000 yen a trip. Even then, one side trip from Kyoto to Himeji or Hiroshima will make the pass very worthwhile, as well as saving the need to buy individual tickets.
Remember your pass is valid for 7 consecutive days only, so if you start using it on a Monday, it will expire at the end of following Sunday.

Another drawback of JR Pass is that you won't be able to use it on Nozomi bullet trains, which make fewer stops and therefore faster way to travel between Tokyo and Osaka/Kyoto.

Hi

Check out my trip report from Tokyo on http://gardkarlsen.com/japan_tokyo.htm . I had a rail pass to be able to see a bit more of Japan. But the metro in Tokyo is not covered by the rail pass.

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

I don't understand your travel plan because you say "2-round trips from NRT to Tokyo". That is followed by Tokyo-Kyoto-KIX.

By 2-round trips do you mean that you are going NRT-Tokyo-NRT-Tokyo? (that is a round trip plus a one-way).

Thank you.

Oh yes. I'm sorry. I will actually need a one-way trip NRT-Tokyo and one round-trip NRT-Tokyo for I will have one night more in Tokyo once I arrive from Hong Kong.

You won't likely be able to use a one week pass if you are in Hong Kong and Vietnam between stays in Japan....it's good for 7 days in a row starting the day you activate it... and a two week one wouldn't be cost effective at all.

You don't need a JR Pass for your itinerary NRT-Tokyo-Tokyo local-Kyoto-KIX followed by NRT-Tokyo-NRT. If you were doing all of that in 7 days then maybe (if you wanted to keep the option of side-trips) but from Kim's post it sounds like your time in Japan is more than 7 days. In that case then a JR Pass would cost more than individual tickets (again assuming no side trips, say to Hiroshima).

braziliantraveller has posts asking about Hong Kong and Vietnam, and says here that he/she will be back in Tokyo after Hong Kong. Another post says they will be six days in Japan. Another one says 6 days in Vietnam. Then another post says 2 weeks in Kyoto. So, I don't know the length of stay, really, but it still seems to me that a JR Pass isn't worthwhile for the small amount of travel specified.

Kim Japan

You're right the pass will not be good for me. We're actually going to squeeze in Vietnam and Hong Kong in between our trip to Japan. So, it wouldn't be 7 days in a row. And, yes, we had to cut some days off of Japan in order to do so.

Thank you for your tips.