Where to go in Oct

We (3 guys) will visit Japan from Oct 1 to Oct 14. We have no idea about where to go, please help us. Targets are:
- To see (red-yellow mapple tree - momiji?). Shall we go to Hokkaido?
- Visit Kyoto for 2-3 days
- Attend Japanese festival (we searched and found Kunchi matsuri in Nagasaki and Fall matsuri in Takayama - Which one we should choose?
- Stay at least one night in Ryokan with traditional japanese food.
- Any other places, things? We do not care about how many places we will go but something truly Japanese. (for tokyo, we can manage during the last three days)

A bit wordy, but highly appreciate your help.

To see (red-yellow mapple tree - momiji?). Shall we go to Hokkaido?

During that time of the year the colors are good in the more remote places on Hokkaido, such as lower elevations of Daisetsuzan and Shiretoko. If you have only two weeks in total, you would have to allocate a considerable amount of your stay to Hokkaido. I strongly recommend to fly there.

Colors are also good in higher elevations in the Japanese Alps and in Nikko. And in the higher elevations of the northern Tohoku Region, e.g. Hachimantai:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2014.html

Attend Japanese festival (we searched and found Kunchi matsuri in Nagasaki and Fall matsuri in Takayama - Which one we should choose?

The Nagasaki one is much more action filled than the Takayama one. I recommend to read the descriptions and decide based on personal preference.

Any other places, things? We do not care about how many places we will go but something truly Japanese. (for tokyo, we can manage during the last three days)

Among "truly Japanese" attractions (in its sense of "traditional Japan") that people are generally very satisfied with are an overnight stay in Shirakawago:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5952.html

A temple stay on Koyasan:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4905.html

The Kiso Valley is also nice and "truly Japanese":
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6075.html

Oh, Uji-san, how wonderful you are. Thousand thanks to you.

Now I got some ideas to manage our trip. Tentatively as below:

2/10 Arrive Tokyo and fly to Asahikawa/Sapporo
3/10 Go to Daisetsuzan and enjoy momiji, stay at one ryokan there
4/10 Back to Asahikawa and fly to Kobe. Stay one night in Kobe
5/10 Kobe - Osaka - Koyasan (temple lodging) by train
6/10 Go to Kyoto by train
7/10 Kyoto
8/10 Go to Shirakawa, overnight there (Kyoto - Takayama by Train, to Shirakawa by bus)
9/10 Go to Takayama by bus, join Takayama Fall Festival
10/10 Takayama - Tokyo by overnigt bus/ shinkansen through Nagoya.
11/10 Tokyo/Nikko
12-14 Tokyo

A bit ambitious? :d Any further comments are highly appriciated.

Thank you all.
KLT

P/s: Hope that we will have chance to invite Uji-san some beer during our stay in Japan.

It is doable, but the effort for going to Hokkaido for just a single day to Hokkaido seems a little bit much. You will have to fly into Asahikawa and rent a car to get around in order to be able to get done anything during your few hours there.

As for going from Kyoto to Shirakawago, I recommend to travel via Kanazawa and not via Takayama:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5953.html?aFROM=2158_5950

As for the Takayama Festival, if you have not done yet, make sure to try to reserve a hotel room as soon as possible. The town might be booked out already.

Thanks always Uji-san,

We plan to go to Asahikawa from Oct 2nd to Oct 4th. Is it still not enough to enjoy some momiji? 'cause I think Daisetsuzan is not too far from Asahikawa. Any alternatives for momiji seeing, even in Tohoku or Kanto?

Thanks for recommendation on transportation between Kyoto and Shirakawa-go. It looks nicer.

Our visa issuance date will be Aug 23rd. Thus, we have to wait till that day before booking hotel/ryokan, reserve ticket... Surely hotel reservation should be difficult in Takayama during Autumn festival.

Your advice are much more than helpful.

Regards,
Kilotu

I would not expect to have much time to see anything on the 2nd unless you arrive to Japan very early in the morning. So, depending on your departure on the 4th, you will have two days at best (in case of an evening departure). One day at the worst (in case of a morning departure).

Note also that the momiji are at least a one hour drive from the airport plus an eventual hike or ropeway ride. Even longer if you do not rent a car.

One or two days are enough to see the autumn leaves. My question is just whether it is worth the effort of flying there considering time, money and travel stress. For some people it is no problem. Others would not even think about it.

For example: note that there are no flights from Narita to Asahikawa. Only from Haneda. The transfer between airports would cost you at least two additional hours. Also, you should be at the airports at least about an hour before domestic flights. Picking up and returning a rental car always takes a few minutes as well. Not mentioning time lost by traveling by public transportation. These things add up and you might not be left with too much time for actual sightseeing.

But maybe you know that everything already and still think it is no problem. In which case I see no reason why the itinerary is not good for you.

Any alternatives for momiji seeing, even in Tohoku or Kanto?

Here are some places with colors that can be accessed with less effort:

Oze (early to mid October):
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e7440.html

Nikko (entire month of October):
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3800.html

Higher elevations of Mount Fuji (around the 5th Stations):
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6922.html

Tateyama Kurobe Alpen Route:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e7550.html

Dear Uji-san,

Regarding Momiji, we do not have much choice (location). We will check it again to see where is the best place to enjoy it even if more money and time will be required. :d (however, Nikko seems to be nice place during early Oct).

We will try to fix out schedule right after Japanese Embassy kindly gives visa to us, :d. Then, pls keep helping us with your valuable comments.

Thanks and regards,
Kilotu (in Vietnam)