[ChisaChi]

Hmm, well my intention was actually to spend the morning in Osaka (I have a couple of friends there, who I was intending to meet up with), then travelling to Hiroshima in the evening and staying the night. I've already seen Hiroshima on a previous visit though (passing through on the way to Miyajima) and seen the Peace Park, so maybe I could switch it for one of the other places you've suggested. I haven't been to either Fukuoka or Nagasaki before.

I really want to avoid staying in a different city every night though - as much as I'm trying to travel light, I think it will be a pain moving all my stuff and checking in to different places each time. How far is Awaji Island from Osaka? Is it possible to do as a day trip?

Ooh, I just realised I'll be in Kyushu around the time of the Autumn festival in Fukuoka - I might have to spend a night there and see it.

EDIT: Revised plan! Still have a lot of hostel hopping, but hopefully it won't be too bad... I'm also doubling back to Fukuoka, but I really want to see the lighting of candles on the evening of the 25th and also need to be in Kagoshima to meet up with a friend on the 26th, and I'm unwilling to give up either =_=

Samurai, your suggestions of places in Shikoku look wonderful, but there's too many things I want to see in Kyushu and not enough time!

19 Sept
Tokyo

20 Sept
Osaka

21 Sept
Day trip to Amanohashidate from Osaka

22 Sept
Koyasan, temple stay

23 Sept
Nagasaki

24 Sept
Kumamoto, Mt Aso

25 Sept
Fukuoka

26 Sept
Kagoshima

27 Sept
Fly Kagoshima -> Osaka, train Osaka -> Kanazawa

27 Sept - 9 Oct
Homestay in Kanazawa

10 Oct
Tokyo

11 Oct
Tokyo

12 Oct
Tokyo

13 Oct
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