Things to do in October?

My mom and I are going to Japan in a little under two weeks for 10 days and other than our first couple of days in Tokyo, I have no idea where to go. This is our second time in Japan, I was able to land a free trip with my Capital One miles, but I have had little luck getting any semblance of an itinerary together. We have already been to Kyoto and Osaka so don't really need to see those again. I am into history, anime, Japanese culture, etc. We're not outdoor folks so no nature hikes or anything. My mom also has two bad knees.

I've seen some itineraries online mentioning Kurobe Gorge, Nagoya and Kanazawa, but I'm kind of lost so any suggestions are welcome. I know I kind of want to go to Hokkaido if only for a day or so just to see the foliage, but other than that, let me hear what you got.

You said:Kyoto ,osaka already visited
So how about kyushu?

My suggestions are following in october:
Day1:land in Fukuoka intl airport,buy subway day pass=640 yen, go to downtown
Day 2,3:buy JR Fukuoka wide 2 day pass= 3060 yen,visit kokura,dazaifu,hakata etc
Day 4,5,6= buy sunQ day pass 3 day=9000ye n,visit oita,saga,nagasaki,kumamoto,fukuoka

Probably around that time, Nikko will be in the fall foliage season.
Irohazaka is congested.
https://koyo.walkerplus.com/list/ar0309/ct02800/
http://www.nikkoyumoto-vc.com/nature/kouyou.html
https://weathernews.jp/koyo/area/tochigi/
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3800.html
Other major autumn leaves spots
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2014_where.html
I may not go to Kyoto, but the Jidai Festival will be held there.
https://www.heianjingu.or.jp/festival/jidaisai.html
It is possible that the autumn leaves season for Senjojiki Curl has passed.
Maybe in mid-October, you might be able to see autumn leaves and snow at the same time.
You can walk around the area, or you can sit at the hotel's cafe and admire the view.
Please be careful as the air is thin. (It will be resolved if it goes down)
https://www.chuo-alps.com/leaves/

Hello, I'll be taking into account your past experiences, interests and the assumption that both your inbound and outbound flights are in Tokyo.

While it is feasible to visit Kanagawa + Kurobe gorge (those locations are relatively nearby) from Tokyo, I'm afraid that a day trip would not be possible. This is the same for Hokkaido – it takes about 4h from Tokyo to Hakodate by Shinkansen, and a further 3h to get to Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido.

If you're up for a short side trip of about 2 nights in the Hokuriku area, I do recommend visiting Kanagawa + Kurobe gorge, as well as other attractions in the area such as Shirakawa-go and the Hida-Takayama region.

However, if you're looking for a short day trip out of Tokyo, I'd recommend places such as Enoshima-Kamakura, Kawagoe, and Nikko. You can try looking out for rail/bus passes that can help reduce the cost of your trip and at the same time increase convenience for you and your mum.

Hope that helps :))

If you like history and Japanese culture, I think it would be a good idea to go to Kanazawa.
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2167.html
There are also buses from Kanazawa to Shirakawa-go, Gokayama, and Takayama.
http://www.hokutetsu.co.jp/highway-bus/takayama
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5950.html
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5900.html

A Studio Ghibli exhibition is also scheduled to be held in Toyama. (Advance reservation required)
https://kinro-ghibli.com/toyama/highlight/

I guess it doesn't allow me to reply directly to posts on here, but thank you for all the feedback. To the person who suggested Kyushu, yes I do want to go there. We went to Fukuoka last time, but only for an hour or so. I would like to see more of the island.

October is one of the best month for travel
You can buy JR autumn unlimited ride pass
Valid From 7 to 22 october,3 day =7850 yen
Hokkaido shinkansen 1 way:(+2490 yen)