Self drive around central japan for 10 days

Hi,

I'm planning family trip for 10 days from 21-Oct to 31-Oct. I would start to drive from Shinagawa to Nikko as first place then romantic road.

I have to identify the places for stopover. Is there anyone can share their itinerary or experience?

Many Thanks

Did you check this page? http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e7450.html

That route wouldn't normally take you that long to do, but if you really stopped at different places or a few days at key spots, you could take up that time. Here are some ideas going off the above itinerary and expanding a bit:

1) Utsunomiya might be a nice area to spend the night, it's of course the gyoza capital but also known as a jazz town with lots of little live clubs. Also in the area (before you get to Nikko) is Ashikaga, which features the oldest school in Japan and is a really nice visit.

2) Gunma has some potentially interesting places for a detour, such as Takasaki or the new 2014 Unesco World Heritage Sites like Tomioka Silk Mill. Or you might enjoy Kiryu.

3) Don't skip Onioshidashi, it's fantastic! There's some great waterfalls in that area too, although depending on the year you might be a bit early for fall colors.

4) There's lots to do in Nagano, like Jigokudani Monkey Park, Matsumoto Castle, Tsumago etc. The you could potentially swing down south from there into Gifu, or just head back on the highway depending on your timing.

I've driven to Tokyo to Kamakura. It's an amazing temple and beach town with beautiful traditional teahouses and restaurants. It's very popular because it's a great day trip from Tokyo.

Geoff