Hello,
Not really a question but just a general thank you note to everyone (especially Mari) for all the useful answers on this forum.
We just returned from a 18D/17N trip in which we used the 14-day rail pass. Our travels took us to Tokyo, Nagano (transit), Yudanaka, Matsumoto (transit), Takayama, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Nara (day trip from Kyoto), Osaka (evening trip from Nara on way back to Kyoto), Hiroshima (day trip from Miyajima), Miyajima and Kita Kamakura (day trip from Tokyo), and we loved every minute of it.
We used the Asama, Kodama, Sakura and Hikari shinkansen and loads of other express and local trains. Using the JR Pass was extremely easy, and riding the trains was a real treat.
Thanks again.
PS - The biggest tourist trap has got to be Shinjuku station. How the hell does one get out of it? :)