Smaller town Japan itinerary ideas for November

Second time in Japan and this time I'd like to avoid Tokyo and Kyoto

Priorities:

– Food

– Onsens

– Autumn colours

– Cute, quaint towns and villages

– Art and history

This is a rough idea of an itinerary:

Osaka → Kinosaki Onsen → Takayama (and Shirakawa-go) → Shirahone → Kanazawa

We will have a car. We have 12 days, so we can probably add one more stop.

Do you have any suggestions for an additional stop? Maybe a town between Kinosaki and Takayama? Or is there anything you would remove? Or any feedback on my draft itinerary whatsoever?

by Ambitious_Ranger_874