The Warei Taisai festival is on between the 22nd and 24th, the 24th being the main day with bull sumo. To the north of Japan is the Samurai Festival in Soma city, from 23rd to 25th, again the main day being on the 24th, but I think the samurai festival just about beats watching bulls pushing each other around. So, to compromise, I think the best route is to head back from Amami to Uwajima for the Warei Taisai, and have a girly giggle at the statue of the stone penis at the nearby Sex Shrine.
The night of the 23rd, take a night train (free this time, though sleeping on a “specially designed” floor) to Soma, watch the festival. After this, chillax. There’s no more set dates for festivals, but there’s still things I’d like to do. For example, Tokyo is now between where we are and Osaka. Near Tokyo is Mt Fuji, which I’d like to climb overnight (as many people do, apparently) to watch the sunrise. Another night-time to-do is hop over to the docks and checkout the street-racing scene. One of the man-made islands is a huge parking ground where the art of car-tuning is taken seriously, and throughout the night races (almost legally) head out from and return to here. Oh, and the huge fireworks display is on the night of the 25th. So that’s at least 2 nights planned in Tokyo, with plenty to do during the day, such as have a gander at the Expo in nearby Yokahama (while avoiding being stamped on by a 2-story high mechanical spider).
Once done here, return to Osaka for a couple of days, perhaps with a few hours in Kobe, and then return home. This is by far the cheapest third of the tour, as there’s not silly costs of night trains, scenic routes or flying out to remote islands.