Chopper_Read I like Osaka, it's like a Northern city, no messing about, people super friendly, Sapporo also really cool for similar reasons, but you'll be down west by the sounds of it so Osaka makes more sense. Nara is a stop away from Kyoto as well. I get bored of Kyoto really quickly, 100s of temples, but when you've seen 5 you've seen them all. Place is rammed full of tourists as well. Locals can be a bit snooty. Away from the temples and Gyoen it looks a bit ordinary. Then when in Tokyo, try to get down to Kamakura, coast just past Yokohama, you can do that in a day, 70 minutes on the train. Used to be the capital before Tokyo. Bit like a Japanese York. https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2166.html and if you make that trip, try Enoshima https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3117.html