Hi there! I'm planning on my first ever trip to Japan. I'll be staying there for 1 month. I'll be staying with a friend in Moroyama machi, Saitama. I don't have an exact itinerary as to where I'll be going but I want to see as much of Japan as possible. Here's a quick list of some places that I'm sure I want to visit: Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, etc.
Anywho, I was using Google maps and it seems that the JR train doesn't take me directly to these cities. It tells me that I will have to get off to the blue line and/or take some other bullet train. Should I just not trust Google maps?
P.S. are there any cities/locations that you recommend? This is going to be my first time leaving the country so I want to see as much as possible! I'm a big nerd who likes anime, video gaming, cosplaying, etc. and I'm also interested in the temples, castles, bamboo forests, etc. Thanks, I really appreciate the help! :)