17 days itinery for whole of Japan

Hi,we are planning to go Japan for a 17 days free and easy tour on 25 July-10 Aug. We hope to cover as many places as possible. Our flight is arriving in Osaka and departing from Tokyo, thus it will be a south to north route travel(if possible we would like to visit Kyushu too). We prefer to visit more rural areas instead of urban cities and also places like interesting fish markets and food streets over shopping centres.Also, Hokkaido is a must. Any kind soul able to help us with a detailed itinery and transport information or anyone can suggest where we can get help? Thanks alot in advance!

If you want to see both Hokkaido and Kyushu, I recommend to fly from Tokyo to an airport on Hokkaido and travel to a different airport on Hokkaido. Then fly from Hokkaido to an airport on Kyushu, travel through Kyushu and fly from a different airport on Kyushu to Osaka.

I recommend to pick destinations according to your personal interests.

Sights on Hokkaido:
http://www.japan-guide.com/list/e1101.html

On Kyuhsu:
http://www.japan-guide.com/list/e1108.html

.... Uji said the most already. You are planning quite some trip, trying to cover Japan from the North all the way to (almost) South.

Anyway, here some points:

Hokkaido you should definitely go to Kushiro's Washo market. Seafood en masse and CHEAP!!

Noboribetsu is another nice place with all thos onsens (baths). I will go there myself this year for the first time. Also the Furano area with its lavender and flower fields as well as natuer in abundance is recommendable.

Kyushu, maybe Mt. Aso would be interesting, definitely rural area!!

I myself live on Shikoku, near the city of Matsuyama with the famous Dogo Onsen. Here you will also find the highest mountain in western Japan, Mt. Ishizuchi.

Well, if there is anything I can help you with, please get with me. Mail: klausdorth(at)web.de

thanks alot for all yr replies, they are really helpful!

hi uji, our flight has been changed to arriving in fukuoka, and will be returning home from Tokyo, thus there is no way we can go fm Tokyo to Hokkaido then to Kyushu, do u have other suggestion for the above mentioned itinery?

forgot to mention other than rural areas, we would also like to visit places like vegetable and fruit farms, animal farms, jus anything except for city (only maybe last 1 or 2 days we will stay in Tokyo cos we are flying off fm there and would like to go Disneyland)

i would also like to visit the theme park where it shows all the ancient era of Japan but i do not know where is it

hi kulachan, may i know where is Shikoku located? the place u live in sounds nice also! would u recommend for us to go there as well? is it easily accessible?