Kimkim Trip Reviews for Japan

Our recent trip to Japan, organized by KimKim, was an unforgettable experience from start to finish. The itinerary, Cultural Harmony & Culinary Discovery, was perfectly designed, beginning in Tokyo and ending in Osaka. It gave us a wonderful balance of Japan’s rich traditions, modern energy, beautiful scenery, and incredible food.
Every part of the journey felt thoughtfully planned and seamless. We especially want to recognize the wonderful guides who made our trip so memorable. Davin led us on an amazing walking tour of Osaka, bringing the city’s energy and food culture to life. Yosh guided us through Tokyo’s old town and the beautiful Nezu Shrine, where we also had the special experience of crafting our own maneki-neko lucky cat.
Masa gave us an incredible tour of Tsukiji Fish Market and introduced us to the anime and subcultures of Akihabara, which was such a fun and unique experience. Toru showed us Mount Fuji on the most perfect viewing day imaginable — truly an iconic and unforgettable moment. Asuka led our amazing tour of Nara and the Kyoto area, sharing so much history and local insight. Masako was also outstanding, bringing deep knowledge and expertise to our tour of Hiroshima and Miyajima Island.
The culinary side of the trip was another highlight. We enjoyed delicious regional foods, explored local markets, and experienced the depth and variety of Japanese cuisine. Ending the trip in Osaka, known for its food culture, was the perfect finale.
KimKim made the entire process smooth, organized, and enjoyable. The recommendations were excellent, the logistics were well coordinated, and the trip felt personalized and stress-free from beginning to end.
Overall, this was a truly special journey that combined culture, food, history, and discovery in the best possible way. We would highly recommend KimKim to anyone planning a trip to Japan.

Overall I was very happy with this trip. Adeline did a good job of communicating when planning the trip. All of the local guides were great except one and she was still passable. We did a lot of the trip on our own. As an experienced traveller we were able to figure out the local transportation but for people who are not seasoned or dont have a good understanding of Google maps the trip would have been difficult. I would encourage every one to stay in a Ryoken.

Carinta was super helpful and accomodating when it came to planning our trip to Japan. She was able to make the best plan that fit our budget and contained all the essential things we wanted to do.

During the trip, she was also quick to respond to various questions we had and provided awesome recommendations for food and travel.

We were able to focus more on having a great time since Carinta handled all the booking and scheduling. This took a lot of stress and friction out of the planning which made a great difference in our first trip to Japan.

We just returned from an incredible 7-day journey through Japan, and we are still floating! From the neon-lit streets of Tokyo to the tranquil hot springs of Hakone and the historic charm of Kyoto, every detail of this trip was flawlessly executed thanks to Bella.

A massive shoutout to our incredible team who made the logistics effortless. Right from the start, we were picked up at the airport by a very capable driver named Song, who also safely and smoothly drove us out to Hakone later in the week. Navigating the country was a breeze thanks to our spectacular guide, Roy. We cannot say enough good things about him! He helped us master the Tokyo rail system and expertly guided us through our stay in Hakone. We affectionately referred to him as our Japanese Dad. If given the opportunity, request Roy to be your guide.

In Tokyo, we stayed at the Keio Plaza Hotel, which was incredibly comfortable and so convenient for exploring the city. Tokyo was a whirlwind of amazing sights, perfectly balancing futuristic fun with deep history. Some of our highlights included, flying through the streets doing Akihabara Go-Karting, immersing ourselves in the stunning digital art at teamLab Borderless, and experiencing the organized chaos of Shibuya Crossing.
We slowed things down with beautiful tours of the Imperial Gardens and Meiji Shrine, and ate our way through the spectacular Tsukiji Food Market.

We then traveled to the countryside (Hakone) with our guide, Roy and driver, Song. Hakone was arguably the highlight of the entire trip, largely because we stayed at the stunning Ten-Yu hotel. It featured amazing hot spring onsens, which quickly became our absolute favorite part of the trip. We cycled along Lake Yamanaka with a breathtaking view of Mt. Fuji framing the background—a picture-postcard moment we will never forget. We traveled by cable car and gondola up to the Owakudani valley to see the steaming volcanic vents. While there, we tried the famous black eggs boiled in the hot springs, which are said to add seven years to your life!

We then traveled to Kyoto by bullet train. We wrapped up our week staying at the Celestial Hotel Gion in Kyoto. It was in a fantastic location right in the heart of the historic Geisha district, and it even featured its own onsen for us to enjoy. We got dressed up in traditional Kimonos and attended a beautiful, serene traditional tea ceremony. On our last day, our wonderful guide Ursula took us to the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest and the monkey park, wrapping it all up with a food tour through Nishiki Market. Ursula was fantastic—incredibly flexible and more than willing to adjust our schedule on the fly to make sure we got the most out of our day.

This trip was the perfect blend of fast-paced city life, deep relaxation, and rich cultural immersion. The warmth of the people, the expertise of our drivers and guides, and the sheer beauty of Japan made this a vacation we will cherish forever. Thank you to Bella for all her help in planning it.

Hotel Reviews

The Celestine Hotel Gion

Kyoto

Location, location, location. This hotel was in the Geisha district and surrounded by shrines and temples. You could also walk to the more modern areas of Kyoto within 5 minutes. The rooms are very well designed with probably the best water pressure in the showers that I have ever experienced. The onsen is also very nice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hakone Kowakien Ten-yu

Hakone

Loved this hotel. The Onsens were spectacular! The views from the 6th floor onsen were breathtaking. The breakfast buffet had a wide variety of food.

Authenticity & Character

Probably the most authentic hotel of our stay. Each room had "bath clothes" or Yukatas for you to wear around while during your stay. We were even encouraged to wear them to dinner (which we did).

Location

Not really a hotel in which you can walk to many places. But the hotel had all the amenities you could ask for. They had 3 restaurants on site.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo

Tokyo

Convenient to the rail system and had a 7 Eleven in the lobby. The breakfast buffet had an amazing variety of Western and Japanese food. The rooms were large and quiet. I would stay there again.

Authenticity & Character

More modern. Not much Japanese character.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kyoto Cultural & Active Full-Day Tour (with Guide, by Public Transport)

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hakone Adventure: Exploring Mt. Owakudani and Majestic Landscapes in Public Transportation

Hakone

Traveling by cable car and gondola up a volcano was so cool! We even added 7 years to our life by eating the black eggs cooked in the natural hot springs.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tokyo to Mt. Fuji (Lake Yamanaka Biking) & Hakone Relaxing Day Trip

Japan

Had amazing views of Mt Fuji while cycling around Lake Yamanake. Roy led us around the lake.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tokyo Highlights Full-Day Tour (with Guide, by Public Transportation)

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Cultural Experience at Kinkaku-ji & Kimono Tea Ceremony, and Gion（Private Guide &Public Transportation）

Kyoto

A must do.

🚗Tokyo Cultural & Culinary Adventure: Markets, Shrines, Sky-Views （Guide, Public Transportation）

Tokyo

I would skip the Imperial Gardens and just do the Meiji Shrine. Our guide, Roy, knew all the best spots in the Tsukiji food market. We got some of the most delicious fatty tuna thanks to Roy's knowledge.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Roy was the best!

Transport

Angel was absolutely wonderful to work with while planning my trip to Japan. Traveling through several cities can be overwhelming, but she made the entire process seamless from start to finish.

Having every detail organized and a clear plan in place allowed me to relax and truly enjoy the experience. With accommodations, transportation, and tours were carefully coordinated, and everything went smoothly throughout the trip.

What I appreciated most was that Angel checked in along the way and reminders of the next days activities. She was always available if I had any questions.

I highly recommend Kim Kim to anyone planning a trip, especially a more complex itinerary. Kim kim took the stress out of travel planning and helped make my Japan adventure an unforgettable experience

Hotel Reviews

Hilton Tokyo Hotel

Tokyo

Great location and shuttle service to Shinjuku. Rooms were spacious and clean

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hakone Kowakien Ten-yu

Hakone

property is beautiful, peaceful and surrounded by stunning mountain scenery. The onsen facilities were a highlight of my stay. The staff was AMAZING !!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hilton Garden Inn Kyoto Shijo Karasuma

Kyoto

Clean and comfortable hotel. Rooms were great size and laundry on site and location was great

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mercure Tokyo Haneda Airport

Tokyo

clean and quite and close to Hotel

Authenticity & Character

clean

Location

Haneda airport location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kamakura Historical Walking Tour with the Great Buddha

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Onsen, Ryokan, and Mt. Fuji Experience in Hakone

Hakone

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nara Half Day Trip Walking Tour

Japan

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Osaka Local Foodie Tour in Dotonbori and Shinsekai

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kyoto Arashiyama Rickshaw Tour

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kyoto Zen Meditation & Garden Tour at a Zen Temple with traditional Sho-jin lunch

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Geisha (Maiko) Tea Ceremony & Show

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Glimpse into Shinto Religion: Fushimi Inari Taisha Visit

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Both Pitt and Hideo were wonderful guides to the beautiful country of Japan, five stars for both. The trip was well organized and went very smooth thanks to the planning assistance. We just had to show up every day ready to roll and the guides took care of the rest! Would do it again!

Our guides were some of the most memorable parts of this trip:
Pitt was incredibly enthusiastic, professional and knowledgeable. He made every day super fun and was so kind. He also takes amazing photos!
Hideo was calm, knowledgeable and made us feel so comfortable while navigating the cities of Kyoto and Osaka. He always had great suggestions for places to eat and shop

I thought all our guides were good but Tomoe in Tokyo was the best. We also really liked our last day with Fuji in Kyoto.

I booked this trip with my travel agent, Cruises-for-Africa in South Africa who uses kimkim in Japan.

Generally speaking, it was a good trip with very few things to complain about.

If I were forced to complain, then my big complaint would relate to the size of the hotel room in the first hotel we stayed in when we arrived at Tokyo. You couldn't swing a cat in it. It's a pity that they chose to compromise in that way on cost. I would happily have paid more to get a room of similar size to the rest of the hotels on our itinerary. The room in the Mount Fuji Hotel was enormous. The only problem was that there were no normal beds. There were just futons on the ground, but it was interesting, nevertheless.

As for the rest of the hotels, they were excellent, and all hotels, including the first one, had very good breakfast buffets.

Your correspondents, KimKim were quite responsive, albeit at times a little slow. All in all, they did their job well.

The vehicles that were used to transport us privately from place to place were of very good quality, with really nice features.

Our guides were generally good, save for the last one in Osaka whose English was way below par.

From a personal point of view, I found the itinerary to be too busy, and I ran out of steam, forcing me to shorten the day by eliminating things that I wasn't particularly excited about seeing. These related primarily to temples and shrines. When you've seen a few, they all become the same. If I had it over again, I would exclude many of the temple/shrine visits and do something else.

Selecting food to eat was quite intimidating as there is very little description as to what each Japanese dish comprises. Towards the end of our trip, we became a little more adventurous and I must say we had some very nice meals.

If asked whether I intend to return to Japan, my answer would tend to be no. I found that there was very little unique about Japanese cities beyond the shrines and temples. Tokyo itself wasn't particularly pretty. It seems that every square meter of space has been populated by skyscrapers of the size that I have seldom, if ever, seen. They might have been interesting if the architects had shown a little creativity, but sadly, there was nothing pretty about them, just monoliths all standing in a row with remarkably little space between each building. Could never tolerate living there.

The highlight for me was the Japanese people themselves. Disciplined, extremely respectful and very kind people. If the world was populated by such people, it would be a much better world than the one we live in.

Therefore, all in all, a good trip, but not for me to be repeated.

Thank you very much for your help and support throughout the process. You were, as normal, excellent.

Ben was very attentive and filled our trip with multiple cultural and food experiences which was exactly what we were looking for. I feel like we had a good taste and view of traditional Japanese life! So happy with our recent travels, would recommend.

Hotel Reviews

Centara Grand Hotel Osaka

Osaka

This Hotel is amazing! I regret not spending enough time here to enjoy it completely. We had a good dinner at the steak house restaurant and the views were amazing. Really enjoyed it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dhawa Yura Kyoto

Kyoto

The location of this hotel was everything. Near Pontocho alley, shopping and Gion District. Nearby metro station. We really enjoyed the stay at Dhawa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hakone Kowakien TEN-YU

Hakone

We came to this hotel on a very busy week since it was golden week. Very family oriented so if you are a young couple looking for a romantic escape this may not be the place. Still, the breakfast buffet was really good and our reservation included a Kaiseki dinner at a near by restaurant (they took us there in a shuttle bus from the hotel) It ended up being the best meal we had in our whole trip to Japan. Nice Japanese onsen experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel, A Pan Pacific Partner Hotel

Great Stay, staff is very friendly and professional. This hotel has amazing skyline views and a great location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tokyo’s Cultural Vibes & Cozy Evening: Temple, Sumo & Intimate Bar Escape

Tokyo

THis day was great! specially Centofilia Bare

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kyoto Cultural Immersion with Public Transportation: Sake, Torii Gates, Tea Ceremony & Hands-On Ramen Making

Kyoto

This was one of my favorite days on the trip. I have to admit that a bit intense and we were very tired at the end of the day but amazing overall.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My husband and I contacted Shona with only a 5 week lead time on an improptu trip to Japan to spend time with our daughters. Shona did an outstanding job of arranging transport and guides who were not only well educated in Japan's history, but were also fun to talk to and spend the day with. Our guides expertly shared their knowledge of cultural icons, food, and helped us navigate lunches at restaurants.
KimKim receives two thumbs up and five stars from me and my family!!!

Our first visit to Japan was absolutely incredible, and a huge part of that was thanks to Shona. She organized every detail of our trip so well, making the entire experience smooth, stress-free, and unforgettable. She was always easy to contact whenever we had questions, and her expertise and knowledge about Japan were clear from the very beginning.

Thanks to her thoughtful planning, we were able to truly enjoy and experience the beauty, culture, and energy of Japan without worrying about logistics.

Thank you, Shona, and the Kim Kim team, for helping create such an amazing trip and memories we’ll always cherish! We will definitely be using Kim Kim on our next adventure.

Hotel Reviews

ANA InterContinental Ishigaki Resort By IHG

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cross Hotel Kyoto

Kyoto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hakone Kowakien Ten-yu

Hakone

Authenticity & Character

Location

O

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mitsui Garden Hotel Roppongi Tokyo Premier

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very central. Near many restaurants and stores.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kabira Bay SUP/Canoe + Blue Cave Snorkeling

Ishigaki

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day City Tour with Osaka Castle

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kyoto Arashiyama Bamboo Forest & Garden Walking Tour (Join-in)

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half day Bonsai and Garden tour in Kyoto

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

M

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kyoto City Tour with Nijo Castle and Fushimi-Inari Taisha

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From Hakone to Kyoto

Japan

Quality of Experience

M

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchi Cruise Tour

Fujikawaguchiko

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tokyo City Tour with Tokyo Tower

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Planning a pilgrimage as meaningful and complex as the 88 Temple Pilgrimage in Japan requires extraordinary coordination, care, and expertise — and our travel specialist Angel, exceeded every expectation.

From the very beginning, every logistical detail was handled with precision and professionalism. The itinerary was thoughtfully organized, transportation was seamless, hotel arrangements were comfortable and perfectly located, and every reservation — from temple visits to dinners — was flawlessly executed. The timing throughout the journey was exceptional, allowing our group to experience the pilgrimage deeply without ever feeling rushed or overwhelmed.

What truly made this experience unforgettable was the incredible team assigned to accompany us. Every member of the support staff was attentive, knowledgeable, kind, and deeply committed to ensuring our group felt supported throughout the pilgrimage. Their cultural understanding, patience, and ability to anticipate our needs created a sense of ease and trust that allowed us to fully immerse ourselves in the spiritual and personal aspects of the journey.

The dinner experiences were another highlight — beautifully selected venues that introduced us to authentic Japanese cuisine while also accommodating the needs of our group with care and thoughtfulness. Every day reflected an extraordinary level of preparation and attention to detail.

Coordinating a large group on a pilgrimage of this scale is no small task, yet everything felt effortless because of the dedication and excellence behind the scenes. We are profoundly grateful for the care, professionalism, and heart that went into creating this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

I would recommend this agency and Angel as the best team without hesitation to anyone considering a pilgrimage or group journey in Japan. Their expertise transformed an already meaningful trip into something truly extraordinary.

kimkim amazing service
Our guides were amazing in both cities we visited with tours.
Transportation was handled excellent.
Communication with our specialist was excellent.
We had an incredible and memorable experience!

The local guides and drivers were all excellent. Very knowledgeable, extremely helpful and caring. The level of care provided for my wife who is in a wheelchair could not have been better. The planned areas we visited were outstanding. Very pleased. Even when we had some misunderstandings on a few things they were very accommodating to make everything right.

Hotel Reviews

THE PRINCE KYOTO TAKARAGAIKE

Kyoto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hilton Odawara Resort & Spa

Hakon

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Prince Sakura Tower Tokyo

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Guided Tour from Muroran Port: Exploring Hokkaido's Majestic Nature, Featuring Lake Toya and Noboribetsu Hell Valley

Japan

Fantastic once again. Really hard to ask for anything better than our guide and driver. They were a great team showing us the beauty of the area. Lakes, mountains, parks, lighthouse. So beautiful. Lunch was also great !!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Aomori Highlights Private Car Tour (from Aomori Port)

Aomori

Our guide and driver were once again outstanding. They were so knowledgeable sharing beautiful Amori and all the sites around the area. Just fantastic!!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Hakodate Tour with English Speaking Guide and Vehicle (Private)

Hakodate

Fantastic guide and driver. Really impressed with knowledge and experience. Could not ask for better!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from Kyoto to Daikoku Cruise Terminal via Shin-Yokohama station by Private transfer

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transport from Kyoto to Shin-Yokohama by Bullet Train

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Transfer from your Hotel to Kyoto Station

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

No

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Serenity in Arashiyama: Statues, Bamboo, and Scenic Retreats

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Miyajima and Hiroshima Tour From Kyoto with English Speaking Guide (Private)

Kyoto

Great guide that shared so much history and knowledge. Driver was great and very caring. This was an unforgettable experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Kyoto and Nara Tour with English Speaking Guide and Vehicle (Private)

Japan

Our guide was the most knowledgeable and caring person you could hope for. Just incredible day together!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private transfer from Kyoto Station to the Hotel

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from Hilton Odawara Spa & Resort Hotel to Odawara Station by Taxi

Hakone

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tokyo to Hakone Transfer: Mt. Fuji and Hakone Full-Day Tour with English-Speaking Driver

Japan

Our tour guide and driver were just incredible!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Tour - History, Art and Nature at the Imperial Palace

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

LLP

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Tokyo Tour with English Speaking Guide and Vehicle (Private)

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kyoto Evening Gion Food Tour

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our English speaking guides were very competent and personable They recommended good local restaurants. We loved the onsens and hotels that Ada booked for us. Our hotel in Kyoto had excellent breakfasts featuring local specialties.

Our experience with Leny and the Kimkim support team was superb. I would highly recommend them. Leny helped us plan activities, hotels and transportation in Kyoto, Takayama, Kanazawa and Tokyo. The activities gave us a good introduction to Japanese culture and customs. We especially enjoyed the excursions to Takayama and Kanazawa. Our guides were excellent. Leny informed us of the Japanese luggage forwarding service which we used to send part of our luggage from Kyoto to Tokyo so we didn't have to deal with it in Takayama or Kanazawa. That was very helpful. And the hotel in Tokyo not only received it but already had it in our hotel room when we checked in. Leny's recommendation that we schedule our transfer from the Tokyo train station to the airport was also excellent. While it wasn't cheap, our driver met us on the train platform and escorted us to his vehicle and took us to Haneda airport. It definitely made that last leg of our trip very comfortable.

Hotel Reviews

Kanazawa the square hotel

Kanazawa

Our beds were futons on an elevated platform. It wasn't easy to get into or out of the beds for Americans who do not normally sleep on the floor.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Staff responded very quickly to help us set the air conditioning controls when the room was too hot.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tabist kiki HOTEL KYOTO Sanjo Takakura

Kyoto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Best Of Shibuya Food Private Tour - Evening

Tokyo

Our guide was excellent and we got to try a wide variety of Japanese foods. We also enjoyed getting to explore some of the backstreets of Shibuya.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kanazawa Full Day Tour with English Speaking Guide (Private)

Kanazawa

We really enjoyed our tour with Ian. He started by taking us to a spot overlooking the city so we could appreciate full expanse of the area. We enjoyed visiting the gardens and castle and learning more about his experiences living in Japan (as a Canadian ex-pat).

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Takayama Full-Day Tour with English-Speaking Guide

Takayama

We really enjoyed our tour with Ikue. She was really nice and spent extra time showing us around the town. She also provided some good restaurant recommendations for us for that evening.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transfer from Takayama to Kanazawa, including a visit to Shirakawa-go

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From Kitchen to Culture: Hands-On Japanese & Sushi Cooking

Kanazawa

The chef relied on a translator program displayed on a large TV screen since he didn't speak English. It made it hard to follow the instructions. The only sushi we made was nigiri style. We had expected to learn to make rolled maki style sushi. The only thing to learn with nigiri is to not press the rice too firmly when making the rice ball and how to thinly slice the fish for the topping. We spent most of our time making an omelette, stew and miso soup.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kyoto Nijo Castle and Imperial Palace - Small Group Walking Tour

Kyoto

I think this would have been more interesting to take the tour on my own and use an audio tour guide. Our guide didn't tell us much about the rooms as we walked through Nijo Castle. I felt like I didn't learn much about the castle or interior artwork.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tea Ceremony in Kyoto (Private)

Japan

The tea ceremony itself left a lot to be desired. Our tea hostess had to use a translator app to communicate and a lot of information was lost in translation. After the ceremony, a native English speaker showed us around the house/building where the ceremony was held. That was a very interesting and informative tour to learn about this history of the building. It belonged to a family that were merchants of silk for kimonos.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Eleanor is an excellent planner. She was knowledgable and helpful in the planning process as well as throughout our trip. I appreciate how clear Eleanor was in her communication with us. She was prompt and consistent in her responses, and always available and able to answer questions/ change bookings etc. Knowing Eleanor was on hand to help in the event of difficulty was reassuring to myself and the other members of our party.

Eleanor also put us in touch with Yoshika, who was a fantastic tour guide for our time in Kyoto.

Many thanks to Eleanor for helping us to make the trip of a lifetime in Japan!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Groove Shinjuku

Tokyo

Nice spot to start and end out trip with. Large, western-style hotel in Shinjuku (busy commercial and transportation hub area). A reliable choice for cleanliness and tasty food.

Authenticity & Character

Fun theme of records and vintage music.

Location

Bang in the middle of a very busy area of Tokyo (Shinjuku). Good if you're happy to be in crowds first thing in the morning with lots of commercial outlets near by.

Staff

Very helpful and attentive staff who managed the chaos of check in and out with ease.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were quiet and clean. Very comfy beds for an excellent sleep.

Kyoto Umekoji Kadensho - Private Bath Facility

Wonderful space with traditional tatami mats throughout (no shoes allowed past entrance). The rooms were comfortable, clean and quiet, and the breakfast delicious. The staff was helpful and attentive. Would definitely stay here again when traveling to Kyoto.

Authenticity & Character

Traditional tatami floors, futon beds, shoji doors throughout. The baths were lovely too.

Location

About a 45min-1hour walk from the central shopping area and Gion neighborhood, 20-30 min walk from Kyoto Train Station. It was nice to retreat from the crowds to have a relaxing sleep and leisurely start to each day.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

Quite a touristy experience. Wasn't my favorite of the trip, although not sure if there were other ways of witnessing this special practice.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Wonderful Day in Uji & Nara

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sightseeing in Kyoto: Arashiyama & Zen Temples

Kyoto

Fun, quirky and beautiful sites to visit. More crowded but helpful to have a guide to help navigate and cut-down the need for constant decision making on our part!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the Spiritual and Tranquil Kyoto with Fushimi Inari (for Laura)

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We enjoyed a spectacular visit to Japan which we could not have had without Eleanor at kimkim. Thank you doesn't begin to express our deep gratitude for how well she orchestrated our experience. From arranging hotel reservations, private guides and drivers, and answering my countless questions about various details, all was handled with grace, patience, humor and skill. Our time in Japan went very smoothly and when we requested a change Eleanor seamlessly made adjustments to suit our needs. We felt very well cared for. We couldn't have asked for a more competent agent and advisor. Eleanor was a pleasure to work with and helped our Japan travel dream come true.

Mina and her team were incredible throughout the year-long planning until we were safely home from our trip! We were so happy with the entire experience! We already want to plan our next trip. Special thanks to Iris and Carinta for their help too! We felt supported wherever we went with the emergency line - such a great feature! Thank you again! Can’t wait to work with KimKim on our next adventure!