1 week of travel trough Kyushu and 2 weeks trough Kansai. Kyushu is the southern most of the 4 main islands of Japan. Kansai is the region around Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe and Nara.
Himeji (near Kobe) is considered the best restored and biggest medieval castle of Japan.
Byodo-in (south of Kyoto) is a beautifull and rare exemple from an early period in Japanese history (11th or 12th century I think).
Iso-teien is the estate of the former ruling family of Kagoshima (Kyushu).
A jikoku ("hell") is a hot source not used for bathing. Beppu (Kyushu) is a kitchy kind of "hot source Las Vegas" with plenty of bathing houses and jikoku.
Nara is the first capital of Japan.
Aso-san is an active vulcano on Kyushu that has killed in recent decades. (I had to run for toxic gasses !) Still there's a lift that brings up bus loads of tourist.
