Not Climbing Mt. Fuji but,,,,

Due to health problems I am not able to climb Mt. Fuji but I like to see it as close as possible plus the surroundings. I've checked my travel book but I can't find the name of a city/town/village where it is good to stay for 2-4 days, it is all focussed on climbing. Besides viewing the mountain I love nature, walking (as long as it's not too steep I can walk for 2-3 hours, best with some resting possibilities on the way), onsens, museums, shopping, strolling through (little) villages, temples, and more. I arrive from Narita (town) and I will leave for north (not sure what town yet). I will have a Rail Pass and short daytrips from the place I stay are fine. Because I like to couchsurf I need to know the names of places (plus if possible the names of the prefectures because I mostly have no idea where a certain town/village is) that are good to stay at so I can surf and find myself a host. Who can help me?

I recommend the Fuji Five Lake area (Fuji-Kawaguchiko Town and Fuji-Yoshida City, Oshino Village):
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6900.html

Not as close to the mountain, but with nice views on clear days are Hakone Town:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5200.html

And some towns along the west coast of the Izu Peninsula:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6310.html

WHAT TO DO - SCHEDULE JAPAN 2009

Mon 29-6 / Arriving at Narita, hotel in Narita
Tue 30-6 / Visiting Narita
Wed 1-7 / Leaving Narita for Fuji-Kawaguchiko Town / Mount Fuji, lakes and area
Thu 2-7 / Mount Fuji, lakes and area
Fri 3-7 / Mount Fuji, lakes and area
Sat 4-7 / Leaving Yamanashi area for Gifu or Takayama
Sun 5-7 / Gifu and area
Mon 6-7 / Daytrip to Gero Onsen
Onsenji-temple, several onsen, Gassho village open air museum
Tue 7-7 / Leaving Gifu for Toyama
Wed 8-7 / Daytrip Tateyama Alpen Route
Thu 9 -7 / Leaving Toyama for Kanazawa
Fri 10-7 / Kanazawa
Kerokuen, 1 of 3 best gardens, chaya district with geisha’s, Ninjadera – temple with secret doors and steps, contemporary art museum
Sat 11-7 / Leaving Kanazawa for Wajima (bus!)
Sun 12-7 / Wajima and area
Morning market, lacquer ware
Mon 13-7 / Leaving Wajima for Okayama (through Kanazawa by bus)
Tue 14-7 / Okayama
Korakuen, beautiful garden
Wed 15-7 / To Shiraishima-jima
Thu 16-7 / Sailing boat cruise
Fri 17-7 / Leaving Okayama for Miki-cho
Sat 18-7 / Miki-cho: stay with friends
Sun 19-7 / Miki-cho: stay with friends
Mon 20-7 / Leaving Miki-cho for Kochi
Tue 21-7 / Kochi
Wed 22-7 / Kochi – daytrip Saga (overnight?)
Thu 23-7 / Leaving Kochi/Saga for Tokushima – afternoon in Tokushima
Fri 24-7 / Leaving Tokushima for Narita
Sat 25-7 / Leaving Narita

I recommend to switch the order of Wajima and Kanazawa. Otherwise it looks good.

I am not familiar with Shiraishima-jima, Miki-cho and Saga in Kochi, so cannot comment on it.

Thanks Uji, for your help!

Due to the schedule of my friends I needed to change my itinerary. That is also the reason why I go to Shikoku in between, maybe not logical but at the end is not possible. Except for that weekend in Miki-cho I can change again. What do I need to add (not too much please, I've chosen for a slow paced travel) and what should I leave out? Where stay longer and where stay shorter? Can someone tell me (Uji maybe??) if this is do-able? Thanks in advance!

Mon 29-6 Arriving at Narita, hotel in Narita
Tue 30-6 Visiting Narita
Wed 1-7 Leaving Narita for Fuji-Yoshida / Mount Fuji and area – about 4 hours by train
Thu 2-7 Mount Fuji and area
Fri 3-7 Mount Fuji and area
Sat 4-7 Leaving Fuji-Yoshida for Gifu – about 5 hours by train
Sun 5-7 Gifu and area
Mon 6-7 Daytrip to Gero Onsen
Tue 7-7 Leaving Gifu for Tateyama – about 5 hours by train
Wed 8-7 Daytrip Tateyama Alpen Route – up to Kurobe dam and then back
Thu 9 -7 Leaving Tateyama for Kanazawa – about 2 hours by train
Fri 10-7 Leaving Kanazawa for Miki-cho
Sat 11-7 Miki-cho: Friends
Sun 12-7 Miki-cho: Friends
Mon 13-7 Leaving Miki-cho for Kochi
Tue 14-7 Kochi
Wed 15-7 Kochi
Thu 16-7 Leaving Kochi for Tokushima
Fri 17-7 Tokushima
Sat 18-7 Leaving Tokushima for Nara – about 5 hours by train.
Sun 19-7 Nara
Mon 20-7 Nara
Tue 21-7 Leaving Nara for Kobe – about 1,5 hours by train.
Wed 22-7 Kobe
Thu 23-7 Kobe
Fri 24-7 Leaving Kobe for Narita. Long travel day, about 6 hours!

In some places, it is really slow paced, like Narita and Gifu, two cities rarely visited by tourists. Kanazawa and Takayama, on the other hand, do not have much time allocated.

As for Gero Onsen, I strongly recommend to visit it along the way from Gifu to Takayama rather than in a daytrip from Gifu, because it is located half way between Gifu and Takayama.

Also, I recommend to visit Kobe before Nara. It reduces the amount of travel.

Apart from that, it looks like a pleasant itinerary.

Thanks a lot for your help! You're great!