The KANSAI WIDE AREA PASS is ideal for traveling between cities such as Kyoto, Osaka, Himeji, Okayama, and Kurashiki. However, you should calculate your actual itinerary beforehand to determine whether it will save you money. On this trip, I traveled from Kyoto to Okayama and also visited Himeji and Kurashiki, so the pass did reduce my overall transportation costs.
The most confusing part is the Shinkansen coverage. The pass covers the Sanyo Shinkansen between Shin-Osaka and Okayama. However, the Tokaido Shinkansen between Kyoto and Shin-Osaka is operated by JR Central and is not included. To travel from Kyoto to Okayama, take a Special Rapid train on the JR Kyoto Line to Shin-Osaka, then transfer to the Sanyo Shinkansen.
There is another important point to keep in mind when visiting Kurashiki. Shin-Kurashiki Station is not the closest station to the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter, and the pass's Shinkansen coverage ends at Okayama. Traveling to Shin-Kurashiki requires paying the fare difference, followed by another transfer back to Kurashiki, so it is not any more convenient. The easiest option is to take the Shinkansen to Okayama, then transfer to the JR Sanyo Main Line for Kurashiki Station.
Overall, the pass offers an extensive travel area and access to the Sanyo Shinkansen. The downside is that the route restrictions are not as intuitive as they appear on the map. Once you understand that the Shinkansen between Kyoto and Shin-Osaka is excluded, as well as the difference between Shin-Kurashiki and Kurashiki stations, the pass is quite convenient to use.
