Proposed Travel In Japan

I have scoured the internets and my friends' and mentors' vast knowledge to create my Japan travel bucket list. However, I am not certain how to deal with this catch 22: the days I have off of work are holidays when traveling would be prohibitively expensive. 

Within Hokkaido, I should be able to travel on the weekends considering I will have a car. Here is a list of my prefectural travel dreams:

• Hakodate, one of the three most beautiful nightscapes in the world, and for Mt. Hakodate.

• Sapporo, for the snow festival of course, but also to the  Susukino Entertainment District, Odori Park, Clock Tower Building, and JR Tower (Namco Wonderpark!). Also for the Yosakoi Soran Dance Festival in June!

• Shiretoko, the only world heritage site in Hokkaido, and the "last pristine wilderness" in Japan.
  

• The  Otaru Snow Light Path Festival and Ashikawa Winter Festival would be great winter travel options too!
  

Other natural travel plans include:

• Shikotsu-Toya National Park for the lakes and perhaps the ice festival in Jan-Feb. or water festival at the beginning of July.

• Daisetsuzan National Park's Sounkyo onsen resort, Mt. Daisetsu, and famous lavender fields.
  

• Kushiro-Shitsugen National Park
  
• The Noboribetsu Hot Spring & Hell Valley
• Okushiri Island & Hiyama Prefecture National Park + Fukushima Island

Outside Hokkaido, my tourist dreams are too wishful.

I would love to spend more time in Tokyo than the 3 chock-full days of orientation in Shinjuku. In the Tokyo area I want to see Akihabara, the Imperial Palace East Garden, Hamarikyu Gardens, Ueno Park, Tokyo National  Museum, Tsukiji Jogai Market, and Ghibli Museum.

I hope to visit my friend in Aomori during the Nebuta Matsuri Festival, and hike the Shirakami mountain range, enjoying the beech forest and golden eagles. 

There is so much that I want to see and do in Nara, Nikko, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and Okinawa (etc.), but they may all have to wait. How can I visit all these places!?I would love to see some epic fireworks, gawk at a fertility festival, go to a game convention, etc., but I predict that I won't have enough time. 

Further recommendations or resources about how I can fulfill my travel dreams are most welcome!

Volunteering is also a dream, and there are many organizations that could use a hand (see below). I wish that JET had a built in service component, like the AmeriCorps program in the United States where one can serve about 100 hours with service projects in the community.

1. It’s Not Just Mud (INJM) is a non-profit volunteer organization specializing in disaster relief and grass-root support and rehabilitation of disaster affected individuals and small businesses. We are based in Ishinomaki, Miyagi prefecture, Japan and work in the Tohoku region.
   
2. Peace Boat’s mission has been to provide immediate emergency relief and support for the long term social and economic recovery of the Tohoku region following the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, focusing on the city of Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture and its environs.
   
3. Smile Kids Japan's mission is to have every orphanage in Japan visited regularly by a volunteer team in an effort to provide children with mentoring, cultural exchange and a newfound sense of trust.
   
4. SWTJ (Solidarity with Tohoku, Japan) has been created to express our strong solidarity with the people affected by the earthquake and tsunami that hit northeastern Japan on March 11, 2011. We aim to stand by northeastern Japan by conducting long-term support activities in close cooperation with the affected people, and by organizing events that remind the public of the need for continuing solidarity.

PLUS: Article in today's Japan Times:
From baby massage to fostering pets, many options for volunteers

And bonus video: HAVE A GOOD TRIP! (I'm that horse)