[Nyororin]

I think it GREATLY depends on what you want to see.
Japan consists of almost entirely of mountains, seaside areas, cities, and a mixture of those three. Unless there is something specific you want to see in each city, hopping from one city to another is not going to give you a very balanced trip. In the end, most cities are quite similar. If you`re looking to see Japanese city life, then it is fine... But I`d personally go for a wider variety. Sticking with city tourist spots is going to get old pretty quickly, in my opinion, as it`s going to be temple, shrine, something different, temple, shrine, wash and repeat in most places.

If you want to really "experience" the country, and not go from one full-of-tourists spot to the next... Look somewhere off the beaten path of Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and the like. There are lots of great areas that you won`t have to wade through sweaty crowds to enjoy.