Maximising my first trip to Japan

I've been reading some of the previous posts on using the JR Pass, and was hoping to get some opinions on how best to maximise my travels in Japan.

I'll be spending a total of 17 days in Japan.
Day 1 - I'm arriving in Osaka at night and am planning on staying the night there.
Day 2 - Next day I've got a flight booked from Kobe airport to Sapporo where I'll visit the snow festival and spend the night at Shin-sapporo hotel
Day 3- Train to Hakodate and spend 1 night
Day 4- Train back to Tokyo to stay for day 5,6,7,8.
Day 9- Train to Kyoto to stay 2 nights (day 10)
Day 11 - Train to Hiroshima to stay 1 night
Day 12 - Train to Beppu for 2 nights
Day 14 - Train back to Osaka I suppose.

Not sure from Day 14 onwards because I need to head back to Osaka Kansai to fly out on 17th day. I don't really want to be stuck in Osaka for the remaining 3 days but the JR pass I want to buy is only for 14 days.

Any suggestions on what to do to refine or better my travel plan? Any suggestions on where to go or when to start my JR pass and when to use normal tickets would be great!

what do you mean by arriving at Kansai airport at night? trains and limousines don't appear to run after 11:00 pm.the first train and limousine is around 5 am. (there is a 24hrs lounge on the second floor of the airport)
if you arrive earlier wouldn't it be more practical to take a train to Kobe and stay the night there? for example in a hotel around Sannomiya station, the start of the Port liner automated transit to Kobe airport? IN THAT CASE I would pay cash for the train KIX to Kobe and start my 14 days pass on the day you go to Hakodate. As far as being "stuck" in Osaka for 3 days, Osaka is a big city with lots to see and do (you can get a day pass on the subway for yen 850 but you can also walk all around Kita or Minami or Tennoji or from any of these places to either one of the other 2, then take the subway or the JR loop line back to your hotel. You could also go to Nara for a day or to Himeji.

It seems that Beppu is more of a tourist trap than anything! it sure is a long way to go just to see boiling water with animals from other parts of the world!. Instead why not use your JR pass to go from Hiroshima to Miyajima Island (stay one more night in Hiroshima) then add one day to Kyoto as there is so much to see there and nearby (Arashiyama, the Fushimi-Inari shrine etc.)

www.jref.com/practical/beppu.shtml

It seems that Beppu is more of a tourist trap than anything!

It seems you have not been there. Neither has the author of the jref page about Beppu! Many people, who talk badly of Beppu, have not actually been there or did not know where the city's treasures are located.

In my opinion, Beppu is one of Japan's best, although not most beautiful, hot spring resorts. Nowhere else have you a larger range of hot spring types to chose from: mud, sand, regular, steam. Then, there are the hells, which I think can justifiably been termed a tourist trap. But not the rest of the city.

The first time I went to Beppu was a spring trip and one of the hells (can't remember which one- may have been Ume jigoku) had a sculptured azalea garden that was in full bloom. The colors were brilliant and dazzling. Close to Beppu also is another onsen town, Yufuin, about 2 hrs by train (rail pass ok). Be sure to go to Hyotan Onsen in Beppu, you won't be disappointed.

I don't know what people have with Hyotan Onsen. Michelin even gives it a 3 star rating. It happened to be the first onsen experience on my own. I find it a nice, but very average public onsen bath. Maybe the averageness is its attraction?

For amazing views, I also recommend the roof top baths of the Suginoi Ryokan (although expensive). And the Onsen Hoyo Land for a "rustic" experience with mud bath.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4701.html

Hi Karla,
How about maximising your JR pass as follows:
After Tokyo take the train directly to Hiroshima, and then to Bebbu. Once your JR pass is about to expire, return to Kyoto. Explore Kyoto, Osaka and Nara using signle train tickets (if I remember correctly, they are pretty cheap).

Day 1 - I'm arriving in Osaka at night and am planning on staying the night there.
Day 2 - Next day I've got a flight booked from Kobe airport to Sapporo where I'll visit the snow festival and spend the night at Shin-sapporo hotel

My suggestion is to spend the first night at a hotel near the airport (i assume your arriving at Kansai) so i would suggest you stay at the Hotel Nikko Kansai airport (while its a bit pricey, its also walking distance from the terminal), the train to shin-osaka and kobe the next day.