Tokyo - Osaka - Kyoto - Hiroshima - Fukuoka

Hi there,

A JR Pass would work out very well here! All travel is covered from Tokyo - Fukuoka, except for a small part to Koya which needs an additional fare. Activating your JR Pass the moment you leave Tokyo would indeed be the best option, as this way you can cover all of your long distance travel and make the most of the pass.

For your arrival consider buying a 1,500yen Narita Express ticket for travel into Tokyo. It's a very good deal, as a normal ticket is about double the price.

As for your itinerary, it looks very doable to me. On the 25/26th you may want to consider going to Nara as it is easier to get to from Kyoto and travel there is completely covered by the JR Pass. It is only 1H away by rail from Kyoto, so you could also stay in night in Kyoto and make a day trip to Nara, saving you the trouble of carrying your luggage around.

I hope this helps!
Daniel