A few points of which bundi404 may be unaware.

- Hotels in Japan are usually priced "per person." A hotel room for under $100/night for me alone will not be the same rate as for 2 of you. I assume that when you say "two of us" you mean a couple who will share a double bed or perhaps use twin beds. If you opt for western-style accommodations with beds, that will be your choice. Japanese-style rooms will involve futons laid out on tatami mat floors instead of beds and likely include meals in the room.

- Narita airport is over an hour one-way by train from Tokyo and the train fares are not inconsiderable. Running back and forth each day just doesn't make sense.

- Where are you coming from and how? Depending on which airline and departure point, Kansai airport (KIX) outside of Osaka or Central Japan airport (NGO) outside of Nagoya might make better entry or exit points for your trip. The classic suggestion is to enter via NRT, spend a few days in and around Tokyo, then take the shinkansen "bullet train" to Kyoto/Osaka area, spend a few days and then exit via KIX.

- If you are making the trip between Tokyo and Kyoto or Osaka in only one direction, the Japan Rail Pass might not be economical. If you will be going both directions - for instance to both enter and exit Japan via NRT - then it will almost certainly pay off. The "ordinary" 7-day Rail Pass costs 28,300 yen per person. That is around $285.00 just in Rail Passes for each adult. Understand that you must purchase the Japan Rail Pass outside of Japan, before you travel there. If there is no JTB tourist agency near you, you can buy the Pass online.

- Lower cost hotels are plentiful in both Tokyo and Kyoto but they tend to book up quickly for the more popular seasons - like cherry blossoms in the spring and fall color in the November/December period. For the truly budget options, look at some of the previous suggestions above for hostels and such. I know nothing of them. For some mid-range options, consider "business" hotels. They tend to be comfortable, close to transportation hubs and close to reasonable restaurants. I like to check different areas on a couple of websites for ideas but make my selections on several criteria which may or may not result in actually booking through those sites. Take a look at the two following for an idea of what a 2-person accommodation might cost:

http://www.japanhotel.net/

http://travel.rakuten.co.jp/en/ .

Of course, if you have an allegience to a particular hotel brand, check their site. Almost all international hotel families have a presence in Tokyo and most are in Osaka or Kyoto, even the budget Choice/Comfort line.

- Please, please, please do some research. Pick up a good guidebook and look through your options. Frommer's, Insight Guides, Lonely Planet, Fodor's, etc. - all have good guides to Japan which will at least give you some idea of what you wish to see and do while in Japan.

- For most of the major tourist sites, Japanese is nice to have but not necessary. Many signs are bilingual and many people will speak some English. The farther you get out into the inaka (hinterlands) the less that is so but Tokyo and Kyoto will be no problem.

JR