Narita, Tokyo, Kyoto, Tokyo, Narita

Hi there!

As you'll be travelling to and from the airport via Limo bus, for your stay in Tokyo I highly recommend you look into purchasing unlimited metro travel cards at Narita rather than the Suica card. The 2 day version of these cards are especially good value and work out at ¥490/day for unlimited travel and will allow you to go to all the areas you list via the extensive metro system. Please note that these passes can only be purchased at Narita airport at this price so be sure to purchase them when you land.

For Kyoto you'll probably want to invest in a city bus or subway pass which can be purchased from the tourist information counter at Kyoto station. Here is more information on municipal transport within Kyoto.

For tips to keep costs to a minimum while you are in Kyoto and Nara I recommend the following resources:

• Book free volunteer tour guides! (aka goodwill guides) (Japan has many kind people ready to give you a personal tour like the excellent [student operated tours in Nara] :))
• Learn with the great JNTO PDF guide books (especially check out the pamphlets on Kyoto walks and Nara walks. Also, be sure to check out the Japan for free guide.
• Check in with the tourist information center in Kyoto, and Nara to get the lastest information on any events happening in the cities while you are there.

From Kyoto to Hiroshima and Nara you'll want to use the JR Pass and Sakura bullet trains (Hiroshima) or normal JR lines (Nara). Here's a breakdown with suggested itinerary for you:

1. Tokyo > Kyoto: ¥13,420 (164mins, 513km)
2. Kyoto > Nara: ¥690 (44mins, 41km)
3. Nara > Kyoto: ¥690 (44mins, 41km)
4. Kyoto > Hiroshima: ¥10,990 (112mins, 380km)
5. Hiroshima > Kyoto: ¥10,990 (126mins, 380km)
6. Kyoto > Tokyo: ¥13,420 (161mins, 513km)

JR ticket cost: ¥50,200 for 6 legs

• 7 day Japan Rail Pass (¥28,300) saving: ¥21,900

Also, it's worth noting that the JR Pass is also valid for all the JR lines within Tokyo. Here's a map for reference.

Hope this helps!

Mari,
Thank you soooooo much for this info.
I've been reading so much about how to get around Tokyo, Kyoto, etc., that it became over-whelming!
I will follow all of your suggestions.
Mauigo57

Great!

It's hard to sort through all the information sometimes, so glad I could help :)

Have a fantastic trip, and don't hesitate to ask again if you have any further questions.