First Time to Japan, Advise Needed

This will be the first time travelling to Japan in May 2015(8 days trip). Planning to go Osaka, Kyoto, Nara and Kobe which our hotel will be based in Osaka(Near Tennoji Station).

KIX-Osaka-Kyoto-Nara-Kobe.

Would appreciate any advise on places worth going and which pass to use for the whole trip.

Thank you very much.

8 days

day 1
Arrive
Take Haruka express to Tennoji
Day in Tennoji
See Tennoji small shops and shopping malls
See Shinsekai
Night in Domtombori
See domtombori
See Namba

day 2
USJ
At night, take train from to nara

Day 3 nara

Day 4
Kyoto
Kinkakuji
Ryoanji
Ninnanji
Myoshinji

Day 5
Kyoto
Arashiyama Whole of it

Day 6
Morning visit Himeji, afternoon and evening in Kobe
Himeji castle
Mt temple

Himeji bay front
Sannomiya station area walk about
Mount Rokko night view
ShinKobe to Kyoto station
Kyoto station to Fushimi Inari station
See shrine lighted at night

Day 7
Walk from Silver pavilion to Kiyomizudera temple
Along the way, chonoin heian shrine, enkakuji, yasaka shrine...
Night in Gion/Potoncho

Thanks for the advise. What about the pass for transport, what JR pass should I use, or is there any other pass I should use for the whole trip going around all this place?