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The orange map book is expensive but worth it - you can find it in Japanese book stores, the price in yen is only 2875 so way less than ordering it online. The thing is has that the internet programs do not is that romaji and kanji for most places...not all places.
It is, however, not as detailed as what is available if you buy maps for individual prefectures or use Mapion...but I have only found those in japanese. They are worth investing in if you are not afraid of the kanji. Like I always tell people, route numbers are route numbers.
Most major roads and major road signs are in romaji and kanji; with very few exceptions, I have never found myself in the middle of nowhere without a romaji sign.
The thing to remember when you're out and about driving in Japan is that (a) people are very helpful and (b) unless you are on the expressway, you're really not going to get very far very fast. It's just not possible.
When you have a destination in mind, find the kanji and write it down, it's just a nice thing for your peace of mind, or to show somebody along the way. Major museums, tourist areas, cities, most ryokans & hotels, have websites, from which you can print the name & address. Most also have maps, although some only list directions which is less helpful. So print the stuff out, it may not be the best thing for you but it sure will help the guy at 7-11 when you stop to ask directions.
Look ahead at your map, and find the names of the towns that are enroute. Roadsigns in Japan never say 'north' or 'south', they say the name of the major place they are going to. Once you reach that place, they say the name of the next major place. That place might be PAST where you are going, but look on the map before you go and know the town in the right direction.
Driving on the expressways is not confusing these days, honest. Tokyo can be a little nerve-wracking but the signage is really good, especially compared to what it was even a few years ago.
The expressways are expensive, but they are fast, and you can use a credit card (I've paid tolls on Hokkaido with MasterCard - an American, issued by my bank, MasterCard...so it can be done). Surface roads, the major ones, have romaji signs. The worst problem you will have driving in Japan is driving in big cities (just cause of the congestion, the signage is still okay) and finding a place to park once you get where you're going. I have never had a problem parking at any major tourist destination outside of a big city. Matsumoto, for example, has many clearly marked and reasonable parking garages. Takayama has a million little lots inside the city center.
So don't fear this. It's not rocket science. I do recommend the orange map book, plus supplementary small area maps - the JNTO website is good for that too.
Take a deep breath. Make sure you have a full take of gas. Go drive.
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