Japan itinerary april/may 2012 suggestions?

We are heading to Japan for the 5th time. Here is our current planned itinerary. We'd love comments and suggestions about places to go, things to see, passes we can use... in fact any suggestions. We've 'done' most of the famous tourist spots but there is still so much more. Love beautiful temples and shrines, great castles, old towns... good food....

Fly Brisbane / Fukuoka 24th April
25th - arrive morning – check out Fukuoka rest - Stay Fukuoka 3 nights 25th – 28th
26th - explore in and around Fukuoka without car Ohori Garden, Fukuoka Rekishi No Machi, Shōfuku-ji, Hakata Traditional Craft Center maybe flowers in Nokoshima island
27th - hire car from Budget Fukuoka for 3 days (13,095Y) – explore further afield Dazaifu, Kurume return to Fukuoka
28th - drive to and around Karatsu and Hirado - Stay Karatsu 1 night
29th - drive area including Arita (pottery fair), Mt Unzen and Shimabara – car ferryfrom Shimabara to Kumamoto to drop off car (5,250Y) Train to Kagoshima - stay there two nights at Tokyu Inn with view of volcano
30th - hire car for one day explore Kagoshima Samurai town of Chiran, Ebino Kogen in Kirishima National Park
1st - early train to Nobeoka 3 ½ hours - pick up hire car and drive to Takachiho or bus from Nobeoka - Stay Takachiho Ryokan
2nd – bus to Kumamoto then train to Fukuoka - stay 1 night
3rd – Fukuoka Matsuri – evening train to Shimonoseki to stay 2 nights
4th - Shimonoseki Festival
5th - hire car for one day from Shimonoseki to Yamaguchi Drive area including Hagi and stay in Yamaguchi 1 night.
6th - morning in Yamaguchi – afternoon train to Matsue to stay 2 nights
7th - in and around Matsue (boat ride, Izumo Taishi etc)
8th - hire car drive to Tottori – Mt Daisen, dunes, Kurayoshi, Misasa and Yurihama (on lake Togo) Drop car near station train to Himeji stay one night
9th - around Himeji - late afternoon to Kyoto for one night
10th - day trip to Ohara - end up in Nara to stay 2 nights
11th - around Nara and Uji
12th - around Nara then afternoon to Osaka to stay 2 nights
13th - around Osaka ???
14th - get to airport by 9.00am

I think Himegi castle is under repair/reconstruction and covered with a big screen.

Yet some tour to watch the renovation work is available.

http://www.city.himeji.lg.jp/foreigner/en.html

But you can not view the outlook of the castle at all.

I believe the inside is still open and anyway , Himeji has many other attractions....