I believe at a ryokan you leave a tip in an envelope for the maid at the end of your stay, not the beginning. Japanese do appreciate tips, by the way, but for extra service, and done discreetly and out of view.

Ryokan are nice but you cannot use them as you would a hotel. The maids prefer putting down your futon (and only at a ceratin prescribed time of evening) and naps, for the jet lagged, become a hassle. You are also obliged to eat their food and it is often not so great, despite promotions to the contrary. And most of your moves are monitored by the staff.

Sometimes a so called 'rabu hoteru' or love hotel is worth a try for the variety if you can find one nearby. They are not usually very expensive and fully equipped.

How about Shiretoko for your Hokkaido segment? Forget Osaka and Nagoya - there are no theres there. Many Japanese cities are almost identical to each other and the in-city landscapes are not at all interesting.