Self-Drive in Tokyo Outskirts

Hi!
I am planning to do a self-drive trip around Tokyo Outskirts for 10D9N. We will be going to the following places:
1) Nikko (2N)
2) Ashikaga
3) Kawaguchiko (2N)
4) Kamakura
5) Yokohama (3N)
6) Tokyo [Odaiba & Sky Tree]
Please advise on whether a self-drive for the above route is ok. For Ashikaga, we will be stopping by on our way down from Nikko. Is there any recommended place to stay for a night before continuing on to Kawaguchiko?
Is driving in Yokohama a bad idea? If so, where else should we stay on the last few days? We wil be doing day trips to Kamakura and Odaiba.
By the way, the drivers are seasoned drivers who are driving almost on a daily basis back home.

Thank you!

I can't speak for all your locations, but when I met up with a college friend on a week day in June in Kamakura, the issue for us wasn't my friend's driving ability (he lives in Japan and has a Japanese Driver's License) but the fact depending on where you are going parking is really challenging sometimes and can get expensive. I suspect that will be an issue in Yokohama and Odaiba and the Skytree as well. In Kamakura, the car was much faster than any other method I know to get to Zeniarai Benten, but between traffic and parking, it's easier walking from the station to Hachimangu. Parking near the Great Buddha was awful and involved a lot of circling around. We were late to meet my friend and my child was super cranky, but even so, we really didn't see a lot that day because the traffic and parking situation was so bad and it was a week day. I personally wouldn't want to deal with parking on Odaiba, I am sure it is ridiculously expensive.

I have to admit, it doesn't seem like you're going to anywhere which doesn't have plenty of access via public transit as is. Are you really sure you want to rent a car the whole time? Also, I'm not sure where you are renting this car, but unless you rent it and return it in the same prefecture and sometimes the same location there are pretty substantial drop-off fees. I could see renting a car for your two days in Kawaguchiko but the rest of the trip not so much.

Good luck!

For Yokohama, Kamakura and Tokyo the car is going to be more of a nuisance than a convenience. Specially Kamakura has very small streets, too much traffic and a limitation of parking lots. (Which you obviously pay like nearly everywhere in Japan at high prices).

So while I can see that one could want a car for Kawaguchiko (if you want to go to smaller places) or for Nikko (if !!!! you want to go to the outskirts of Nikko eg for hiking, but for the main attractions in Nikko again a car doesnft seem convenient), ty to drop it afterwards. Eg if you rent in Tokyo and then return it somewhere in Tokyo Prefecture potentially there shouldnft be a drop off fee, but check it out.

Note: I have been driving in Japan but would say it is mainly useful for places with less public transport (eg Hokkaido, Kyushu...) or very rural places (eg Echigo). But as @rkold said your places arenft some of those.

Enjoy your trip to Tokyo!

Go for it we had 2 fantastic weeks driving around Japan last year and were able to see so much more in 14 days than any public transport could provide..Parking isn't that bad don't be put off. In November we are back in the north of Japan driving for 4 weeks small towns backroads places where locals from Tokyo have never been to .

As rklold and like bike said, it's going to be a hindrance. I've rented cars in areas with minimal public transport before only, and would never suggest car hire for places like you are going to. Japan has excellent public transport, so don't kid yourself into thinking a car is a better option just because you would do that at home or in other destinations.

A car is great for getting off the beaten track. You will be right in the middle of the beaten track.

It sounds like a great trip, but you'll get so much more out of using the trains and then if you want to taking taxis or hiring a car for a day at particular places if that's what you want.

Driving between major cities is expensive (tolls), slow ( speed limits are low) and while the roadside stops can be fun, you will tire of them soon enough.

As a person who used to live in Yokohama and has traveled around Japan more than most (including train and driving), I can make some general comments about the following locations.

1) Nikko (2N)

It will be difficult to find parking around the main shrine sites. For the outer locations, potentially hiring a car for 1 day IN NIKKO will be helpful.

2) Ashikaga

I have not visited this site yet.

3) Kawaguchiko (2N)

This site would be better off with a car - in my opinion. But I would get a car around this location and travel by public transport to a location close to here.
4) Kamakura

There are lots of small nice temples along narrow roads with lots of people walking. As such, you will spend more time trying to find a car park than anything else. Avoid cars in Kamakura like the plague.

5) Yokohama (3N)

Yokohama is a big city with most major locations near public transport apart from one of it's major jewels, Sankien Garden. I am not sure if having a car is more of a help or a hinderance in Yokohama as the traffic in normally not as bad as Tokyo, Kyoto or Osaka

General comments about driving in Japan: I've spent month both driving and catching a train around Japan. In general, cars are best for locations which are less built up and does not have strong public transport links. For example, I've drive around Shikoku, Kyushu, Hokkaido along with Chugoku. Driving has opened up many more doors than closed them. However, my biggest problems have been traffic but more specifically car parking. This is particularly true in Fukuoka, Okayama and Kanazawa which are the biggest cities I have driven through and the traffic was slow!

Why? Most major roads are 50 km/h. Expressways are 80 km/h. Did I mention that that Shinkansen travels at 2/300 km/h? Just some food for thought.....