Japan trip itinerary + tips

Hi!

Could someone look at my itinerary and see if it's realistic. This will be my first trip ever to Japan and I plan to make it big. I will travel on my own and will have a budget on around 6000 USD (620507 yen), after paying for the flight tickets. But I hope that I won't need to use that much money during this trip, hehe!

I will start my trip in the beginning of November, so that I reach Kyoto in time for the autumn leaves season.

So my questions are:

- Does my itinerary look realistic? If not, what would you change?

- When should I start my 21 days rail pass? Is it worth bying both a 21 days rail pass and a 7 days rail pass?

- Will my budget be enough?


My itinerary:

Day 1: Fukuoka (Arrive in Fukuoka)
Day 2: Fukuoka
Day 3: Fukuoka – Takachiho
Day 4: Takachiho – Aso
Day 5: Aso
Day 6: Aso – Kurokawa Onsen
Day 7: Kurokawa Onsen – Yufuin
Day 8: Yufuin
Day 9: Yufuin – Beppu
Day 10: Beppu – Fukuoka
Day 11: Fukuoka – Hiroshima
Day 12: Hiroshima – Day trip to Miyajima island
Day 13: Hiroshima – Day trip to Okunoshima �hrabbit island�h.
Day 14: Hiroshima – Fukuyama
Day 15: Fukuyama – Day trip to Tomonoura
Day 16: Fukuyama – Kurashiki
Day 17: Kurashiki
Day 18: Kurashiki – Kobe
Day 19: Kobe
Day 20: Kobe – Mount Koya (Stay overnight in a temple)
Day 21: Mount Koya – Kyoto
Day 22: Kyoto
Day 23: Kyoto – Day trip to Nara
Day 24: Kyoto – Day trip to Arashiyama
Day 25: Kyoto – Day trip to Himeji
Day 26: Kyoto – Day trip to Kinosaki Onsen
Day 27: Kyoto – Hakone
Day 28: Hakone – Tokyo
Day 29: Tokyo
Day 30: Tokyo – Day trip to Nikko
Day 31: Tokyo – Day trip to Zao Fox Village
Day 32: Tokyo
Day 33: Tokyo – Nagano
Day 34: Nagano – Day trip to Jigokudani Yaenkoen
Day 35: Nagano –Takaragawa Onsen (through Tokyo)
Day 36: Takaragawa Onsen
Day 37: Takaragawa Onsen – Tokyo
Day 38: Tokyo – Going home


Thank you in advance!
I really need all the help I can get.

Well the trip offers a lot of variety, and is quite enviably long.

Given the length of the trip, you will not be moving that fast or far at a time, so a JR Pass might not be the best choice for you. Instead, a series of regional passes might serve you better.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2357.html

As for your budget, a lot depends on how much you want to splurge. You can eat a decent lunch or dinner for just 1000 yen. If you want less, you could make do with that, and if you want more, then naturally it'll cost more. Same thing with accommodations. There are hostels, business hotels, and swankier places. You know yourself better than anyone else.
For getting around, rail is not always a possibility, such as to Kurokawa or Takachiho. I hope you were aware of that. A Sun-Q bus pass might be worth looking at as well.
Fukuoka has a number of places to see, and a subway day pass can take you to many of them.
http://www.thejapanfaq.com/fukpic.html
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7LcPcmoSg-j4RLa6iC7ayvBAbOn8-0...
One unfortunate omission is that you didn't include Nagasaki. It is a unique place and of the best on the island.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7LcPcmoSg-gbw2yXNLK92siHyNqSNx...
Miyajima offers a great day trip from Hiroshima, and you can enjoy many good places - don't just stick with the Itsukushima Shrine.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7LcPcmoSg-iCNZ6AdsKGUB-HPKNxP1...
One place you could also include is Iwakuni, which is just south of it and makes a great half day trek.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0COOZXi66mM

One thing you might do is go to Kinosaki and Himeji before you go to Kansai to avoid backtracking. It also looks like you could take some time away from Kurashiki and put more elsewhere - you're not giving much time to Kyoto for all that long trip you are planning.
Don't forget you can use some good regional passes for Koyasan and Hakone.

Wow. This is really a very slow pace trip. About an attraction a day.
Think you need more time in Kyoto. Most cities in Japan takes a day or two to cover (or less e.g. Himeji, Kobe, Amanohashidate, Nara, Matsumoto, Hiroshima, Kurashiki).
Kyoto, Tokyo needs 3 or more days each. When i say each, i am not including days spent on day trips.