tokyo to kyoto and return..

Hi there,

Here are some thoughts on your trip:

1. A 7 day Japan Rail Pass will become cost effective if you do 1 return journey between Tokyo & Kyoto with the Bullet train. All further JR travel is effectively free. Please note that although you cannot use the Nozomi services, there are always alternative Shinkansen bullet services (Sakura, Hikari and Kodama), which reach the same top speeds. The main difference is that these non-Nozomi services stop at more stations en route. The JR Pass covers both reserved and non-reserved seating free of charge, so in general you will be able to get a seat.

2. As you will be attending a conference in Kyoto, will you have accommodation covered while you are in Kyoto? If you do, you should arrive and depart from Kansai Airport, using Kyoto as your base. If you can do this, then depending on your conference schedule I recommend using a 7 day rail pass to visit Hiroshima/Miyajima in a day trip, and Tokyo with a 1 or 2 night stopover. The remainder of your time you can spend in the Osaka/Kyoto/Nara area.

3. Japan has a huge range of things to see and do - I recommend investing in a guidebook to get a feel for the sort of options available to you. Certainly if you follow the Kyoto,Hiroshima,Tokyo itinerary, there will be lots of options in each of these cities. As a good starting point I recommend looking at tripadvisor for the city your are looking into staying.

Hope this helps!