Japan - Best romantic Japan itinerary?

We will be celebrating a milestone anniversary on a trip to Japan this August. Because of work schedules, we will only be there for 8 days, including transit time. I have been to Japan before, where I saw, much of Tokyo, Kobe, Himeji and Kyoto. I was with small kids at the time so I did not see much in any one location. This will be my husband's first trip to Japan and he wants to see as much as humanly possible. We are flying into HND and out of KIX. I know Japan in August is very hot and humid - but this is when the vacation gods smiled on us.

My tentative itinerary has us staying in Tokyo for roughly 3 days, taking the train to Hiroshima, staying there for about 1-2 days, then taking the train to Kyoto. I'm at a little bit of a loss of how best to schedule this so that it is fun for a first-timer and yet still has new stuff for me.

As it is a special occasion I am not too bothered about budget (within reason - while I'll pay to stay in a fancy hotel I won't book the suite there). Are there hotels that are better for a romantic/milestone trip than others? I have booked a hotel called Mume in Kyoto on the reco of a friend of a friend. I'd like to stay in a ryokan but don't really know the best place to fit that in.

Any recommendations on what we should skip or definitely do? Any easy day trips not to be missed (I saw Mt. Fuji last time, or rather, I saw a slightly whiter triangle within cloud cover)? Should we try to go north from Tokyo instead of west? Shorten our time in Tokyo in favor of other spots?

Thanks for any tips.

I loved Nikko. It's about a two hour train ride north of Tokyo.

We stayed at the Kanaya. http://www.kanayahotel.co.jp/english/index.html

There are about seven Shinto Temples there.

There is another Kanaya further north. I didn't take my international driver's permit and so couldn't rent a car. The area is lovely.

I think it's really romantic.

Perhaps you could try the Hoshinoya property in Kyoto, as it offers a nice balance between a western style hotel and a ryokan. This way you could experience a beautiful setting and Japanese style accommodation, but still have complete freedom to dine out wherever you want (unlike the top ryokan, which often require guests to eat in)

http://www.hoshinoyakyoto.jp/en/

In August, Hoshinoya Karuizawa would also be an option, as the weather is cooler there, however I do feel that if this is your husband's first trip to Japan you should definitely go west to visit Kyoto and the other places you want to see.

If you do decide to go for a traditional ryokan in Kyoto, Tawaraya and Hiiragiya (http://www.hiiragiya.co.jp/en/) are among the best regarded.

Hyatt Regency remains the best western style hotel in Kyoto (until R-C and Four Seasons are completed), but it isn't anything particularly special or romantic. Its larger rooms are spacious and comfortable.

Personally I tend to stay in Osaka at the Ritz-Carlton, as Osaka is a wonderful city and a convenient base from which to take day trips all over the region. Staying in Osaka for a few nights would be an option to consider since you say your husband wants to see as much as possible- with a JR rail pass osaka is a perfect hub city to travel to Hiroshima, Kobe, Nara, Kyoto, etc...

To answer other questions:

I don't think Hiroshima needs two nights, one is enough, although with only eight days in Japan I would recommend doing it as an all day trip out of Osaka on the Shinkansen.

I would advise spending at least three consecutive nights in Tokyo during the eight day trip. Pick a nice hotel and enjoy exploring the city, museaums, shopping, and restaurants.

Finally I would advise against planning everything too carefully. I find it better to have a rough itinerary and to have the flexibility to change plans if you want to stay somewhere for an extra day, etc.. Also, I would try to minimize the number of different hotels and Ryokans so as to save the time and effort of traveling around with bags and checking into and out of hotels.

A possible schedule I would follow would be something like this>

3/4 nights in Tokyo
1/2 nights in a Ryokan or Hotel in Kyoto
3/4 nights in Osaka (including a full day trip to Hiroshima)

Perhaps you could try the Hoshinoya property in Kyoto, as it offers a nice balance between a western style hotel and a ryokan. This way you could experience a beautiful setting and Japanese style accommodation, but still have complete freedom to dine out wherever you want (unlike the top ryokan, which often require guests to eat in)

http://www.hoshinoyakyoto.jp/en/

In August, Hoshinoya Karuizawa would also be an option, as the weather is cooler there, however I do feel that if this is your husband's first trip to Japan you should definitely go west to visit Kyoto and the other places you want to see.

I would second the Hoshinoya options, especially the Kyoto one. Karuizawa is great also, and can be "romantic", but it is more of a woodsy/hiking/outdoor sports type place. Big for the locals, since that's where the current Emperor and Empress met, at the tennis courts.

Why not stay a night at a luxury ryokan on Miyajima island

When looking online I found a few

Best romantic Japan itinerary? - and he wants to see as much as humanly possible.

Oxymoronic!!!

or stay in a thatched roof house in shirakawago.

As you are only staying for a short while, why not just stay in (and enjoy) Tokyo and Kyoto?

How about this place? Most excellent in summer.

http://www.imperialhotel.co.jp/j/kamikochi

You can walk along the grassy, secluded walkways overlooking the bay in Odaiba, and mingle with the teenage couples that can't afford a room. Hard to get more romantic than that...

Bento picnic along the Kamo river in Kyoto at sunset...If you are up to it with bicycles maybe?

If you've never been to Okinawa before, a couple of nights at the Busena Terrace (http://www.terrace.co.jp/en/busena/) would be pretty romantic...especially if they still have the sax player that plays poolside at sunset.

The new Ritz Carlton Okinawa will be open by that time as well.

Hakone region and hot springs. Apparantly the train up there is also spectacular. Friends of mine (a couple) went there a couple months ago and were blown away by it.

I would ditch Tokyo, and focus on more "romantic" spots, like Kyoto, smaller towns in the mountains, ryokans...

Rural Japan is quite charming and if you have been to Tokyo before, I would focus on places outside of Kanto.