Osaka-kyoto-Nara-Tokyo-karuizawa

Hi Chris,

Great itinerary! Personally I think Karuizawa is a great visit!

To answer your questions:
1.) Yes, all places can be reached with the JR-Pass!
2.) You can make unlimited stops along the way, in your 7-day period of use.
3.) Personally I don't think so! The town is not very large there are many great outdoor activities (inc hiking)
4.) Yes you will have a transfer in Tokyo in any event, so feel free to stay the night (or even two) there before heading on to Kyoto
5.) 3 days in Kyoto is a good amount of time to get a feel for the City but you could stay there for weeks and do something new every day. (Sorry I was unsure what you meant by ''your in Tokyo'')
6.) The same applies to Osaka but I can understand if you want to maximize your visit to Japan by seeing as much as possible. Other great day trips you could make from Osaka include Kobe, Himeiji and even Hiroshima.
7.) I think if you want to go on a day trip, Osaka is probably the best choice. As most trains pass there and Nara is not very big so you can see most of it in a day.
8.) You could but it is not necessary, it makes for a very good day trip from either Kyoto or Osaka. I found the town center to be very lovely after dark too and there are some great local restaurants, so you could stay for dinner and the night if you wish.

Hope this helps,
Daniel