I come from your Spain/Portugal post. Your itinerary there looks quite unique to me, but this one is rather normal. I have thought of Barcelona-Madrid-Malaga-Lisbon-Porto for a start there.

Japan.

For gardens, I thought of Adachi garden, Ritsurin garden, Kenrokuen, and Hamarikyu. Yours covers the last two.

Food. Very different among the regions. I thought of Okinawa, Kagoshima, Miyazaki, Hakata, Hiroshima, Osaka, Kyoto, Nagoya, Tokyo, and Hakodate. At Nagoya, I would try Hitsumabushi, Misokatsu, Tenmusu, and Kishimen at least.

Culture. At first, I thought of Akihabara and Harajuku. Later, Matsuri (festivals) and Onsen (hot springs). Fukuji Onsen in Oku-Hida with the Shin-Hotaka ropeway for the Japan Alps appeals me.

The big three for history in Japan is Nara, Kyoto, and Kamakura.

I do not have any thoughts on arts. For architecture, Seto Ohashi (bridge), Seikan Tunnel, Abeno Harukas, and Tokyo Skytree.

For scenery in September, I thought of Okinawa and Hokkaido. In general, September is not the best for nature. It pasts the peak, but before the fall foliage in September in central Japan. September is a month of typhoons. A tight scheduling should be avoided.

Ise could be done between Osaka and Nagoya. Asuka, Muroji, and Hasedera are on the way.

Hikone is doable between Kanazawa and Kyoto as in your plan. Amanohashidate is on the west side of Kyoto.

# I have also done double posts before. The SUBMIT button here does not have a confirmation feature.