suggestions about our 2nd trip in japan

dear all,
I'm writing you to kindly ask you some suggestions about our second trip in Japan (the 1st time we visited Tokyo/Takayama/kanazawa/Kyoto/Nara/Himeji/Hiroshima/Miyajima/osaka).

we'll have totally 2-3 week in May 2015 and we are thinking to visit again some "milestones" adding some new points of interests, something very characteristic and worthy.
This is at the moment our rough roundtrip:
tokyo / Nikko or Kamakura / Mount fuji / Kyoto / Nara / Kinosaki or Kurashiki / Himeji / Miyajima / hiroshima / takayama / shirakawago and maybe Furukawa / maybe Magome + tsumago / tokyo.

So, these are my questions for you :-)
_ Mount Fuji: we would like to spend a night or in Hakone or in Five Lake Fuji (probably Kawaguchiko) but we are really indecisive about them... we don't want to make any trekking on Mount Fuji but just enjoy the best view in the nicest context.. something not too touristic but as authentic as possible.. which one do you suggest overall?
_ Nikko or Kamakura: which is in your opinion the most characteristic and worthy site between the two?
_ Magome and Tsumago: I see that it takes 3.5 hours from Tokyo... but sincerely is it worth it? in your opinion is something unmissable?
_ if should you choose a city to visit between Kinosaki and Kurashiki, even if they are different, which one is it worth to visit?
_ departing from Takayama, we would like to make a one day trip in the Shirakawago area: do you think we'll be able to visit in only 1 day Ogimachi + Ainokura + Suganuma?
_ in your opinion is it worth visiting Furukawa in 1 day trip from Takayama or is there not too much to see staying there 1 entire day?

in your opinion, furthermore, is there anything very deserving that I'm missing in this our second trip in japan and that I should add to our trip?

thank you so much for your advices and suggestions, so appreciated :-)!
have a nice day
silvia

So, these are my questions for you :-)
_ Mount Fuji: we would like to spend a night or in Hakone or in Five Lake Fuji (probably Kawaguchiko) but we are really indecisive about them... we don't want to make any trekking on Mount Fuji but just enjoy the best view in the nicest context.. something not too touristic but as authentic as possible.. which one do you suggest overall?

If you want to see Mt Fuji only then Five Lake is better. If you want to see a range of gardens and use different types of transport then Hakone


_ Nikko or Kamakura: which is in your opinion the most characteristic and worthy site between the two?

Both are very good in there own ways. We hired bikes and rode around the various temples in Kamakura. But I prefered Nikko. I loved the temples/shrine/the forest/mountain setting/the yuba food (speciality of Nikko) and Tamozawa Villa

_ departing from Takayama, we would like to make a one day trip in the Shirakawago area: do you think we'll be able to visit in only 1 day Ogimachi + Ainokura + Suganuma?

We rented a car from Takayama from 8am to 6pm and were able to drive to see Ogimachi and Suganuma.
Ogimachi was great but crowded. Suganuma was peaceful and nearly empty.

in your opinion, furthermore, is there anything very deserving that I'm missing in this our second trip in japan and that I should add to our trip?

A temple stay in Mt Koya was a real highlight from our last trip

thank you so much for your help!

did you visit also Kinosaki or Kurashiki and Magome+Tsumago?

have a nice day
silvia

I haven't been to Kinosaki but Kurashiki is a great place to explore for 3-4 hours (or even less depending on what kind of traveler you are) and you can combine it with Okayama City (Korakuen Garden) since it's only 15 minutes away by local train.

From what I know, Kinosaki is mainly an onsen town so if you want a good soak then perhaps this is the place for you. But if you're looking for a charming little town for sightseeing and like canals, then Kurashiki it is.