Step by step

I never thought I would make it in the near future, with 3 children at university or in education money is tied up. But then a little pebble started rolling and the mountain was moving...
Early in June I booked a flight, bought a guidebook and soon realized that 15 days are very short if I wanted to see a little more than the tip of the iceberg. I booked my Ryokan accommodation soon after, which proofed very wise as it can be difficult to get a single room even at the end of the season.
The JNTO Office at Frankfurt was very helpful with any information needed, and as I was going to buy a Japan Rail pass I worked out all my traveldetails beforehand using the JR timetable on the internet. My plan was to stay 3 nights at every place and to go on sightseeing trips from my respective basis.
With all this preliminary work I was well briefed when boarding the plane on the 26th of October.