9 Days Holiday, Tokyo to Kyoto, Driving

My new wife and I are planning a trip starting second week of October. We plan to start in Tokyo and end in Kyoto. Our idea, thus far, is to hire a car and visit lots of places in between.
What do you think of this plan?
Does anyone have any tips on driving?
And any tips o places to visit?
PS. Neither of us speak Japanese.

Many Thanks

What do you think of this plan?

I think it is a good plan in case you plan to visit a lot of places in the countryside, which are inconvenient to reach by public transportation. A bad plan if you plan to visit cities, which can easily be reached by major train lines.

Does anyone have any tips on driving?

They are summarized here:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2024.html

And any tips o places to visit?

I recommend to pick based on your personal interests:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e623a.html