Kimkim Trip Reviews for Japan

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!

This was my first time using KimKim and first trip to Japan.

Shona is truly amazing! I’m truly grateful for all her help! She was very thoughtful in everything she arranged. She helped ensure I got to do everything I wanted to, in the multiple cities I visited, while staying within budget. The activities, tours and guides were fantastic!

Shona was always there during my trip as well, to ensure an authentic and memorable experience! I met so many great people, made so many memories, and took so many great photos.

Thank you, again!

Both guides we had were excellent: Mr. Peter and Ms. Young. Very energetic and knowledgeable. We did pretty much everything a tourist would want to do, seeing Mt Fuji was probably the coolest experience.

Family trip to Japan was planned through Kimkim was generally positive. There was a lot of back and forth finalizing the trip, all done online so there was some awkwardness with communication and getting all our questions answered efficiently.

The week in Tokyo was great, part self guided and private tours. The Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchi & Oishi Park tour was a bit of a disappointment because it was overcast and we did not see Mt. Fuji at all but our guide Yang was lovely and humoured us by letting us stop to eat Hoto noodles, shop at the fruit stand and skipped part of the tour due to the fact there was no view that day. The tour company Magical Trip was very good, with friendly local tour guides that really gave a personalized experience. The sumo experience was so fun and our tour guide Shiina Saito was amazing. All the private transfers were great, the drivers contacted us in advance via WhatsApp and were easy to keep in communication. We took the suggested self-guided tours as a rough guide and pretty much did our own exploration of the city. We booked our own ticket to a Giant's baseball game as it was easier to do so.

The week in Okinawa was also great but in retrospect would have preferred more self guided with a rental car as the bus trip to North Okinawa sightseeing tour & Churaumi Aquarium was a disappointment. Most of the time was spend in crowded bus stopping at places that did not interest us and we did not have much time at the aquarium which was what we wanted to experience. We left the tour at the second to last stop as our hotel was a 20 min walk away and the end of the tour would've taken us an hour away by car from our hotel, saving us 100 min sitting in a vehicle. The surfing and snorkeling trips were enjoyable. The Shuri castle tour was with Magical Trip, our private guide Maria was fantastic.

I have used Kimkim before for a Greece trip and our agent kept in contact via WhatsApp and was available immediately for questions and concerns. Our Japan tour guide Shona was very helpful but all our communication was through Kimkim messaging and there was always a delay because of this. There was no real emergency but there was one time in Tokyo we did not have access to our TeamLab tickets till last minute and a time in Okinawa where our private transfer driver was late and we had to improvise and take a taxi get reimbursed later. It all worked out but I imagine not all travelers could've rolled with the punches as we can speak some Japanese to communicate our problems.

Hotel Reviews

ANA InterContinental Manza Beach Resort

Okinawa

Great view and access to pool and beach. Nice little fitness centre. PST Pizza and buffet breakfast was great. Hotel was a little remote, far from other sights but there was a shuttle to the gate that saved from walking to local restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

Looked like a cruise ship

Location

Great view and access to beach/pool

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tosei Hotel Cocone Tsukiji Ginza Premier

Tokyo

Clean and convenient hotel. Great location, great service and buffet breakfast was very good.

Authenticity & Character

There was a public bath and small gym. Buffet breakfast was good.

Location

Staff

Staff was very friendly and helpful. They were able to keep our luggage for a week while we went to Okinawa for a week.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Okinawa Surfing Experience

Okinawa

Very small group activity which allowed it to be quite personalized. Guides were great.

Quality of Experience

Very small group and personalized.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Naha, Okinawa: Keramas Island Snorkeling Day Trip with Lunch

Okinawa

Keramas Island was beautiful. It was a bit of a large group tour but we got to see a lot of great marine life. Felt a little like cattle and did not have very much freedom during this activity but they seemed very concerned about safety which is I suppose is good.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Naha City

Okinawa

This was a big bus tour that was mostly stops for shopping. The stop at Churaumi Aquarium was too short to fully enjoy it. Spent a lot of time driving. The tour guide was stressed and mostly busy herding people. Our hotel was close the the second to last stop so we left to walk 20 min to our hotel otherwise we would have spent another 2 hours driving.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Authentic Sumo Experience in Tokyo: Enter the Sanctuary

Tokyo

This tour was very fun. Our guide Shiina Saito was lovely. The sumo wrestlers were funny and entertaining.

Quality of Experience

Food

Chanko nabe was tasty.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchi & Oishi Park

Japan

Our guide was very lovely but without a view of Mt. Fuji this all day tour is pretty disappointing.

Quality of Experience

If weather is not optimal make changes to itinerary?

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very friendly and accommodating guide.

Transport

Clean and comfortable van.

Our family had a dream trip expertly curated by Cannon from kimkim. It was my first time using this service and it delighted and exceeded expectations at every turn. Going to Japan for the first time seemed intimidating to plan and Cannon was with us every step of the way making sure we were prepared and enjoying every minute. Our guides and activities were all fantastic. Jason was particularly wonderful. He was knowledgeable, fun and easy to spend an action packed day with and attentive to our pace and preferences. Each driver and guide made contact the evening before and was right where they said they'd be each excursion. The app was easy to use and having it and Cannon in our "pocket" was a great comfort as we navigated each new place. We had an incredible time exploring a wonderful country and created memories we will treasure always. The experiences hit all the right notes and left us excited to plan our next trip! Thank you KimKim for making travel adventures so easy, accessible and absolutely enjoyable!

Hotel Reviews

Shinagawa Prince Hotel

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kyoto Umekoji Kadensho - Private Bath Facility

Authenticity & Character

Location

Proximity to train

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tokyo Dome Hotel

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hakone Yumoto Fujiya Hotel

Hakone

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full-Day Hakone Adventure: Mt. Fuji Views & Lake Ashi Cruise

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to Nara: Temples, Deer, and Historic Streets

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver was the best! So sweet and friendly.

Transport

Our driver!

Nishiki Market Brunch Walking Food Tour

Japan

Great guides! Josh was so fun and knowledgeable and made sure we tried lots of new things at the market and walked away with new knowledge and full stomachs.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kyoto’s Cultural Treasures: Fushimi Inari-Taisha, Kiyomizu-dera & Gion District

Japan

Jason was very knowledgeable and was very attentive to our preferences and pace. It was a lot to see in a day but it was so much fun!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ninja Experience in Kyoto (Family & Kid Friendly)

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tokyo: Sumo Show Experience with Drinks and Photo

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sushi & Home Cooking Class from Market to Table near Asakusa

Tokyo

Super fun and our teacher was wonderful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chase Cherry Blossom with Tsukiji Outer Market in Tokyo

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great guide

Transport

From Hakone to Kyoto

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amazing Japan trip with three couples (good friends) traveling together. We covered a wide range of different activities, and got a comprehensive feel for different parts of Japan, with many unique experiences.

Overall, the trip went as planned, though did require some upfront micro-management to get the itinerary in sync and consistent. The Kim Kim platform was effective, intuitive and easy to navigate by all users. Sandy Ren, and the Odynovo team (local Japan agent) were responsive and available, both before and during our trip.

All our hotels and ryokans were great - we really enjoyed the boutique hotel approach vs. relying on name brand chains.

Gora Kansuiro (our ryokan in Hakone) was an authentic traditional Japan inn experience, with low tables & chairs on our tatami mats in room, which were made into futons for sleeping, en-suite private hot spring bath, plus open-air communal hot spring bath where we relaxed gazing out at the quiet forest, and delicious spread of Japanese dishes for breakfast and dinner.

Ryokan Asunaro (in Takayama) was most comfortable, with larger rooms, chairs and futons in-room, communal hot bath, choice of western or Japanese breakfast, and comfortable chairs to relax in the lobby.

Activity highlights included Tokyo Sumo wrestling, early morning Toyosu Tuna auction, cherry blossoms in Tokyo, Mt Fuji backdrop on Lake Kawaguchi in Hakone and Takayama, Kirin whiskey tasting near Mt Fuji, sake tasting in Takayama, Hakone Open Air contemporary art museum, Sushi making at Nakata Cooking School in Kanazawa, Snow Monkey Park in Kyoto, Kobe botanic & herb gardens, Himeji and Osaka castles, and Hiroshima dome and memorial.

Some of the activities could have been improved by going at night with less crowds (such as Bamboo Grove and Fushimi Inari-Taisha (Torii gates) in Kyoto).

Our private guides were knowledgeable and helpful - highlights were Kei, our guide in Tokyo and Hakone, and our Takayama-Kanazawa driver (who was like a guide), who were engaging, funny and especially helpful.

We also had a good balance of self-guided days, in which we explored (mainly by walking, but also taxi & subway) historic Tokyo, the backstreets of Takayama & Kanazawa, and additional activities such as the Maiko (geisha) dance & tea discussion and a contemporary art museum in Kyoto, incredible Kobe steak lunch (in Kobe), and two different jazz Kissaten bars in Tokyo and Kanazawa.

Transfers and train tickets were seamless and all on time as planned. Strongly suggest you forward luggage from one hotel to next when taking trains as a group.

Overall, an incredible Japan trip packing six stops into 18 days (Tokyo, Hakone, Takayama, Kanazawa, Kyoto & Osaka) with nice balance of large metros with small towns.

Hotel Reviews

Mitsui Garden Hotel Osaka Premier

Osaka

Great view over the river, centrally located in downtown Osaka, included executive lounge

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Small Boutique Hotel Villa Sanjo Muromachi

Kyoto

Great breakfast and comfortable rooms

Authenticity & Character

Location

Ok

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Kanazawa Zoushi

Kanazawa

One of the nice options was evening Ramen at a common table included

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ryokan Asunaro

Takayama

A an excellent blend as traditional and western Vs. Japanese, onsen bath option, nice lobby to sit and relax, large rooms with futons and sitting area, central location

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Gora Kansuiro

Hakone

An authentic ryokan experience with Private Hot Spring baths and communal hot spring baths, tatami mats and low tables and chairs in rooms with authentic Japanese dinner and breakfast, we are in kimonos and sandals

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shiba Park Hotel

Tokyo

We love the library lounge area of the lobby to sit and relax

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

One Day Miyajima Island and Hiroshima Tour

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full day tour to Kobe and Himeji Castle

Osaka

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Osaka Castle and Umeda Sky Building

Osaka

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I

Half Day Bamboo Grove and Monkey Park Tour With a Boat Ride

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Osaka Expo approved Sushi & Japanese Cooking Class

Kanazawa

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Mt. Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi Tour with Whisky Tasting

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tokyo Sumo Morning Practice in Ryogoku + Photo Shoot w/ Wrestlers

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Overall, our trip experience was very well organized and executed. We felt that we got a good exposure to Japanese culture as a whole with our brief visit. Lenny was very responsive and helpful, especially when we were in-country. We appreciated her responsiveness and advice regarding my soy sauce allergy, understanding that it was a hard subject to address.

Activity Reviews

Greater Sendai Friendship Force – Cultural Exchange and Journey

Sendai

Our cultural exchange was very successful and enjoyable. It was the perfect follow-up to our overall cultural introduction tour to Kyoto, Tokayama, Kanazawa and Tokyo.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

It was wonderful to be hosted by local Friendship Force club members.

Best Of Shibuya Food Private Tour - Evening

Tokyo

We really enjoyed our food tour in Shibuya and learning about the food culture of Tokyo.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our Shibuya Food Tour guide was very good and thorough.

Half-Day Eastern Tokyo Tour with English-Speaking Guide and Private Vehicle

Tokyo

We had limited time to tour Tokyo and our guide did the best he could. His English skill was limited, however, and we wished we had been warned not to eat very much for lunch in preparation our Shibuya Food Tour that evening.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had a hard time understanding our guide’s English.

Kanazawa Full Day Tour with English Speaking Guide (Private)

Kanazawa

Our American guide was very thorough and helpful for giving us a good experience in Kanazawa.

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

Japan

Shirakawa was a wonderful place and our driver/guide did a great job.

Takayama Full-Day Tour with English-Speaking Guide

Takayama

We enjoyed our day tour and lunch suggestion. It was very informative.

Dinner with Maiko in a Traditional Kyoto Style Restaurant Tour (Small Group)

Kyoto

We enjoyed our interaction with geiko as well as the dinner.

Tea Ceremony in Kyoto (Private)

Japan

Very well done and thorough.

Kyoto Arashiyama Bamboo forest & Garden Half-Day Walking Tour

Kyoto

Bullet train from Shinagawa to Kyoto

Japan

Exceptional guides, especially Kyoto.
Drivers were fine but limited English so not much conversation there.

Hotel Reviews

Daiwa Roynet Hotel Kyoto ekimae PREMIER

Kyoto

Great location with direct access to shops, restaurants and subway

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hakone Hotel Kajikaso

Hakone

Very different experience with foot bath, dinner and breakfast in the room and sleeping on floor mats

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

the b asakusa

Tokyo

Great location and ample breakfast variety

Authenticity & Character

Location

So close to walk to subways, restaurants and temple

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kyoto's Cultural Treasures: Fushimi Inari-Taisha, Nijo Castle and Kinkaku-ji

Japan

Excellent and knowledgeable guide. Interesting history

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Explanations from the guide

Transport

Guide met us at our hotel..very convenient, then walked

Half Day Samurai Ninja Museum and Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

Felt rushed through the museum

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Museum guide a bit hard to understand

Transport

Clean vehicle and enjoyable ride

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchi with Oishi Park

Japan

Wonderful boat cruise and views of Mt Fuji

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Little English but very accomodating

Drive to Hakone with Mt. Fuji Tour

Japan

Driver was good..little English but we managed

Quality of Experience

Driver was open to time we requested or needed at each location

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Master Tokyo's Must-Sees: 5-hour Tsukiji, Akihabara & Asakusa Highlights Tour

Tokyo

Very good tour, knowledgeable guide and good pace.

Quality of Experience

Food

Waygu beef was excellint; sushi not so much ...

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Found our way to meeting point

Tokyo Night Foodie Tour in Shinjuku

Tokyo

Guide was great but the food not so much for me!

Quality of Experience

Food

I'm sure it was very good...if you liked sushi 🍣!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We walked to location

Authentic Sumo Experience in Tokyo: Enter the Sanctuary

Tokyo

Very nice experience at a Sumo Stable! Wrestlers were engaging, entertaining and funny!

Quality of Experience

Authentic wrestlers who were very sharing of their life

Food

Eat like a Sumo! Delicious soup!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport