So what should I do when I go to Japan?

That's the question I'm trying to answer this week. My company offers a 1 month sabbatical to all employees every 5 years they work there. And if you travel to a company you've never been to before, they cover most of the travel costs. So I'll be taking mine to Japan, obviously. I booked my flights last week and now I have to sort out what all I'm doing while there.

I need to figure out places to visit, hotel types to stay at, how long to stay in each area, and of course, what sorts of awesome food I need to try.

So if anyone has suggestions on what I should make sure to do (I'm looking at current and former Japandemonium columnists especially...) or visit, I'd really appreciate some help.

I've been reading on wikitravel and the whole bathing and do's and do not's have me slightly intimidated. I guess I'm realizing how foreign of an experience it's going to be. At this point, I'm hoping I don't accidentally book lodging at some rural ryokan that doesn't like foreign guests and accidentally blow my nose while I'm there and forget to not step on the tatami in my slippers and take a bath in the water before taking a bath on the stool...yeah.