JR pass for around Tokyo and to Shizuoka Japan?

Hi,
You are most likely correct in that you probably would not break even, if not traveling far. In your case, getting a (or 2, or 3) JR Kanto Area Passes would save you more money and serve you just fine. But it also depends on where exactly in Shizuoka you plan to go.

Best of luck.

If you do in fact go with the JR Kanto Area Pass, you could rack up some huge savings. Three days or so is generally enough to see a lot of the best of Tokyo anyways. Some other great places you could visit are some hot springs, and Kusatsu in Gunma is one popular place. Karuizawa is another great place to visit, as well as escape the crushing heat and humidity in August. The Izu Peninsula and Shimoda is another great area, and all 3 are easily reached and you can save a ton on rail fares.
Some other places to visit in the area are Yokohama, Kamakura/Enoshima, Mt. Takao, Nokogiriyama in Chiba, and Kawagoe.

In Tokyo a few of the best places to see are the Tsukiji Fish Market, plus the site that every last tourist goes to see, the Sensoji Temple. If you are in Tokyo on a Sunday afternoon, be sure to go visit Harajuku to see the youth with their wild fashions. Meiji Shrine and Yoyogi Park are next to it and well worth seeing also. And be sure not to miss the Shibuya Hachiko intersection especially on a weekend when it looks like half the city is crossing the street all at once.

If you can, try to find a little time to see the Japanese themselves. Go visit a Japanese supermarket and see what people typically eat. Look through a park and watch the Japanese kids play. Learn about the history of some of the places you visit before your departure - it will give your trip so much more meaning.