Top things to see Kinki Region

Visiting Japan for the first time on 15 March for 9 days. I'm not joining a tour & don't speak Japanese. Want 2 be independant. What's the must see cultural things to see? I'm an aussie living in HK and getting tour information is so hard here. Internet's Ok but information overload!.

I've also heard you can get volunteer guides who want to practice their English to show you around - Is this a good idea?

Thanks

What's the must see cultural things to see?

Kyoto, Nara, Himeji, Mount Koya, maybe Ise:
http://www.japan-guide.com/list/e1105.html

Hi, I was for a long work stay in Australia, and in Japan as well; THE CULTURAL SHOCK FOR AUSSIES CAN BE HARD.Please be careful and visit before travelling Japan your embassies Site. The travel information is essential.
Japan is a modern country, and speaking basic japanese is a must.
Outside the main cities everything is written in Japanese, in tourist offices often work volunteer that learned english in school.
If you are REALLY INTERESTED IN THE COUNTRY, ASK FOR A WORKING VISA. iF YOU WANT TO TOURIST AROUND, TAKE GOOD CARE.You are there on your own.

As a tourist on a short stay you don't need to speak Japanese at all. There are enough signs in English to get by and people in hotels, trains stations, some stores etc. speak basic English. learning Japanese takes years to reach enough fluency.

As an Australian I didn't find Japan to be too much of a culture shock. It helps that it is an extremely polite, efficient, safe and clean country so you can't go too wrong in terms of getting seriously lost, feeling unsafe, etc. I've been to Hong Kong and although English is widely spoken there to me it is far more of a culture shock than Japan. From my experience everywhere I went in Japan (mostly tourist areas but some roads less travelled) the Japanese were used to western tourists and everyone assumed that I spoke no Japanese yet still very easily accomodated me with either broken English or pointing.