Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - Japan in September - Itinerary & travel recommendations please!

I keep meaning to post a report on the trip we took. It was a fantastic holiday, and we will definitely be returning to Japan. The itinerary was as previously posted. To recap:

Thought I would post an update on out itinerary which has changed direction somewhat from our original thoughts, but is now almost sorted...
Day 1 - arrive Tokyo
Day 2 - train & bus to Kamikochi (luggage forwarded to Takayama)
Day 3 - hiking in Kamikochi
Day 4 - hiking in Kamikochi
Day 5 - bus to Matsumoto, visit castle etc, pick up car and drive to Takayama
Day 6 - drive to Wakura onsen via Shirakawago
Day 7 - drive to Suzu/tip of Noto peninsula
Day 8 - coastal drive to Wajima
Day 9 - coastal drive to Kanazawa, drop off car
Day 10 - sightseeing Kanazawa
Day 11 - 7 day rail pass, train to Kyoto
Day 12 - Kyoto
Day 13 - day trip to Nara
Day 14 - Kyoto
Day 15 - train to Hiroshima, on to Miyajima, (luggage forwarded to Tokyo)
Day 16 - train to Tokyo via Hiroshima
Day 17 - fly home

Kamikochi was warm, humid and occasionally wet, but we enjoyed two god days of hiking in the mountains. Our hotel, the Alpen, was perfect. The food was really good, and my love of Japanese breakfasts began there.

We then took the bus and train back to Matsumoto (we had travelled from Tokyo via Matsumoto) and enjoyed a few hours exploring the town and its castle. We then picked up our car, plugged the telephone number of where we were heading into the SatNav and headed off.
In hindsight we should have picked up the car in Takayama as the car drive there re-traced quiet a lot of the bus journey we'd had from Kamikochi, and there are trains to Takayama. But never mind.
One night in Takayama, where we had our first of very many onsen experiences. We opted for the private room, just so we could practice the ritual of washing etc. We immediately regretted not having taken the plunge (if you pardon the pun) in Kamikochi. We were hooked on bathing from that moment. Before breakfast, after breakfast, before dinner & after dinner..
We then drove to Wakura onsen, via the historic town of Shirakawago with its beautiful thatched houses.
Oh, forgot to say. Luggage forwarding - the black cat. Took advantage of that on arrival in Tokyo. One bag sent to Kamikochi, the other to Takayama. It worked perfectly, leaving us to negotiate trains & buses with just a small backpack each.
Wakura onsen is located on a peninsula and has lovely views. We soon discovered that on the whole, westerners do not venture to the Noto peninsula and we were seen as intrepid explorers! Everywhere we stayed there was the one English speaker ready to meet us, including on the outskirts of Wajima a young chambermaid who looked as if she were just out of school, and you could almost see the cogs in her brain turn as she carefully digested what was said and translated it. Very sweet.
The food at Wakura was fabulous, as was our room, with private bath. We used the public baths too. Did I mention we were totally into this bathing business?
On to Suzu an Lamp no yado. What an onsen! Fantastic out of the way location, outside bathing looking out over the sea, waves crashing on to the rocks. A private onset with a sea view. And yet more fantastic food.
Between Suzu and Wakura there was a coastal road closure so we made a detour in land, to places where subsistence farming was the order of the day, and two western women in a car was a definite novelty. Terrific scenery, and a great close up walk to a wind turbine on a hill.
Wajima was very touristy compared to what we'd become used to!
On to Kanazawa, where we dropped off the car. Had a guide for the day to see the most of Kanazawa. I had no idea gold leaf was so interesting. Seriously. We generally avoid trips to see things that turn out usually to be a sales pitch but this wasn't. Watching the golf leaf being made - and then enjoying gold leaf tea - was absolutely fascinating.
Kanazawa station, with its huge Tsuzumi gate, is very attractive.

Onto the shinkansen and on to Kyoto, where we stayed at the station in the Granvia. A very impressive station. We had a guide the next day. If you'd have told me we were going to have a retired businessman as our guide I would have said thanks but… How wrong would I have been. One of the best guides I have ever had, he was absolutely brilliant. All three of us were totally up for whatever came our way and we had the most fantastic tour of Kyoto, using buses, underground, taxi, walking… At 5.30pm he was still going! I will dig out his name and post it as a recommendation.
The next day we went on a tour of the Royal palace that our guide had managed to get us in to the previous evening. More touring of Kyoto on foot. Wonderful. A fax from yesterday's guide came on our planned day-trip to Nara, with train times and a suggested route. This guy was brilliant. So, next day out to Nara by train. Took an early train, returned to Kyoto mid-afternoon. Walked our socks off. That night the rain came in. It was a typhoon coming from the west - where we were headed next. We took the train to Hiroshima and enjoyed the beautiful blue skies the typhoon leaves in its wake, leaving Kyoto to take a proper battering. There was much flooding.
We visited the museum and monument to the atom bomb, and then headed on to Miyajima in time to catch sunset. Which was partly ruined by a b***y tourist boat hogging the shrine that evening.
I lost my way back to the ryokan (the sun had gone down, shops were closed - it all looked different!) and in the end tapped on a window where four elderly guys were settling down to beer & cards. No English - but I knew the name of the Ryokan. One of them grabbed his car keys and indicated I should follow him, and gave me a lift back!
I was up for sunrise too - which was devoid of tourist boats, yay! We then took the gondola to the top of Miyajima - lovely views. Back down and went to check out. Slight problem Typhoon had flooded the train lines and the shinkansen was suspended.
How we got back to Tokyo that day (our flight was next morning) was an adventure in itself and I will post that next. But now I have to go out, but I really wanted to make sure I finally got something down on the forum.
To those of you that were doubtful about our plans: we had such a terrific and diverse trip. Mountain, quiet peninsula, coastal views, temples, cities, history… Don't stick to the main cities. Get out there and explore! And driving - it was a cinch!
To be continued….