Kimkim Trip Reviews for Japan

Our guides were wonderful...Very friendly, knowledgeable, punctual, and informative - Everything one would look for in a guide ! The tip to use TaxiGo for some travel was also a Great Tip - they were amazingly quick and affordable !!

Hotel Review

Hotel Forza Osaka Namba Dotonbori

3 beds to a room made this a bit crowded, but only for the very short time we were actually in ;-) ! Extremely well situated, clean, very friendly and fast service, good breakfast options!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

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

Japan

The Nijo Castle was really cool. The grounds were amazing and very interesting. The tour of all (33) rooms inside was neat but could have been shorter. The temple and the shrine were also really interesting and good to visit; just not really my area of interest to spend much time there.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

What a great trip! Eleanor was great to work with and help us figure out where we wanted to go and what we wanted to see. The transfers to and from the airports went well. Our Tokyo city highlight walking tour with Ken was very informative and enjoyable. The Kyoto cultural treasures tour with Satomi was also very good. She was flexible as to what we wanted to see and answered so many of our questions. We also enjoyed the Foodie Tour in Osaka. Our hotels in Tokyo, Osaka & Kyoto were all great. Good breakfasts and great locations. The Go taxi app worked well. Getting around by subway was sometimes challenging but good. Japanese people were very helpful when we got totally lost!

All of our guides were tremendous and Leny and her staff checked in with us frequently to make sure all was going okay. Even when we had a train snafu (missing our stop) she was helpful in getting us "back on track." The hotels were all clean and met our needs. I will definitely use KimKim again!

Activity Reviews

Cycling tour in the Kyoto Countryside

Kyoto

Due to poor weather, we ended up not cycling. Instead, we were treated to the company of a tremendous guide who was so proud to show off her community. It was not a sightseeing trip, it was an experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip from Tokyo to Mount Fuji with an English-Speaking Driver

Tokyo

Our guide knew to take us to a smaller, intimate space as he could sense our love of the outdoors and nature. Maki-san was fantastic! He also had us buy our tickets for the cable car lift, then we had an hour to explore more rather than standing around. We enjoyed his company!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Half-Day Walking Tour: EasternTokyo Your Way (by Public Transportation)

Tokyo

A great way to start our trip and acquaint us with Tokyo and the subway too!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Excellent selection of experiences and places but the logistics were somewhat lacking. Every tour, event and place was excellent and the service was great, but there were a number of logistical oversights: closed locations, special ticket requirements for the dates we were scheduled, a wrong ticket time for a train. I don't regret using the service, but I will not do so again due to the anxiety of these logistical failures.

Activity Reviews

Kaiseki Dinner

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Food was good, especially the lobster soup

Guides, Drivers and Staff

service was a little slow, no english, but very kind and helpful

Transport

hard to find, google is bad about floor numbers

Samurai Sword Experience for Adults in Kyoto

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

very basic but fun and included the museum tour

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kimono Rental Kyoto

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

slick shoes for rainy day is my only complaint, I fell on the temple steps but luckily was unharmed

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The recommended walking path was ridiculous, much too far

Hands-On Japanese Knife Making in Kyoto

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tokyo Night Foodie Tour in Shinjuku

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sandy was a wonderful support for this bucket list trip! She was very responsive to our requests for modifications during the planning stages and very supportive while we were on the trip

Hotel Review

Hakoneyumoto Onsen Yaeikan

It was wonderful to experience a royken. The simplicity of the room was a bit of a surprise but it truly had everything we needed We won’t need to repeat sleeping on the floor!

Authenticity & Character

Private onsen authentic Japanese dinner and breakfast

Location

We expected to be able to take a taxi to hakone station That was not an option We walked to the local train station and took a train to hakone

Staff

Clearly state we would need to walk to local train station

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

The Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya was a lot of fun. The women who dressed us made the experience enjoyable and adorable. We truly enjoyed it.

One Day Miyajima Island and Hiroshima Tour

Japan

The visit to the Hiroshima museum was an extremely emotional yet unforgettable experience. It was something I am very glad to have experienced, despite the emotional weight of it.

Gion Geisha Walking Tour

Kyoto

Did not like getting a presentation from a Norwegian immigrant who learned about geishas from her father in law Her views were tainted and not authentic

Quality of Experience

Discuss trip on a quiet street not a busy street corner

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Own way

A Hands-on Cooking Experience: Nigiri Sushi and More

Tokyo

Very patient and kind teachers

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very patient

Transport

We went by ourselves

Chase Cherry Blossom with Tsukiji Outer Market in Tokyo

Tokyo

If cherry blossoms are not yet in bloom it would be good to exchange that experience to something more relevant

Quality of Experience

Great to visit the market

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We just got back from Japan and everything was perfect! Mari worked with us to create the perfect experience. My husband got to forge a knife with a 7th generation knife maker in Kyoto. We incorporated private tours with small group tours. We loved our cooking class with Niko in Osaka. I would highly recommend KimKim Tours.
Mary from Ohio

Hotel Reviews

The Tokyo Station Hotel

Tokyo

It was great to get off the train from Osaka and have a hotel employee meet us at the train platform.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Conrad Osaka

Osaka

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Ace Kyoto

kyoto

Fun bar and great pizza!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palace Hotel Tokyo

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kyoto Arashiyama Bamboo forest & Garden Half-Day Walking Tour

Kyoto

Great guide! Very crowded!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Osaka Home Feast: Cooking, Culture & Sake Discovery

Osaka

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kyoto Sake Brewery Tour (Adults only)

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Japanese Knife Making Experience in Kyoto

Kyoto

A real “hands on” experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

English-Speaking Assistant from Tokyo Hotel to Tokyo Station

Tokyo

Well worth it!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I wanted a once in a lifetime experience and my agent DELIVERED. The hotels were exquisite and perfect, the tours were well planned with the sites and guides being kind and informative.

Hotel Reviews

Hilton Kyoto

Kyoto

My grandson's favorite. Beautiful and spacious. Well located by shopping areas

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hakone Kamon

Hakone

A true japanese experience Such gracious kindness!

Authenticity & Character

It was like stepping back into another world

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Prince Sakura Tower Tokyo

Tokyo

Graceful, beautiful, comfortable and the staff was gracious and welcoming

Authenticity & Character

The landscaping and view out the window of the restaurant was gorgeous

Location

Close to train station

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was perfect

Activity Reviews

Half Day Kyoto Tour with English Speaking Guide & Vehicle

Japan

Kyoto was a favorite city

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Hakone

A beautiful day to be in hakone

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Harajuku Meiji Shrine Walking Tour in Tokyo

Tokyo

The guide did a great job explaining the history and meaning behind the shrines and traditions

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Relaxing Evening: Private Onsen and Kaiseki Dinner

Hakone

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome (Irrashaimase) to Tokyo!

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Wagyu Beef & Sake Paring Foodie Tour in Ginza

Tokyo

Wagyu dinner was great. Tried sake The sweets were yummy

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

East Tokyo Highlights: Half-Day Private Tour with Guide & Vehicle

Tokyo

The market is overwhelming for first timers so it was helpful to have someone help us navigate to the hest stalls

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Watch Morning Practice at a Sumo Stable (Small Group Tour)

Tokyo

A highlight

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The booking process was very easy. The pricing was a bit opaque, but in the end I feel it was a good value. Their planning made the trip very enjoyable. We had three guides ; Shira (Tokyo), Hal ) Kyoto and Mieko(Hiroshima) all were very good and extremely professional.

This was a wonderful trip, however in my own personal opinion there was not enough information on getting around Kyoto Station. Considering that it was all our first times navigating Kyoto Station, my family and I found it very confusing and overstimulating. But in a way, it did prepared us for our next trip to Japan. The trips itself were fantastic, I’d highly recommend walking tours to those wanting to discover more of a certain area. Nevertheless, Leny was a wonderful itinerary planner, very patient and meticulous. Highly recommend her for those wanting to explore Japan.

Hiking the Kumano Kodo was a phenomenal, life-changing experience. We had a marvelous trip and appreciated Kimkim's support in making it happen. That said, we were frequently frustrated before and during the trip with the lack of communication from our local specialist, Shona. This was our third trip with Kimkim and it will probably be our last. Our previous experiences traveling to Chile and Columbia were excellent; our local guides helped us to craft thoughtful, personalized itineraries well in advance so we could get excited and took care of all of the logistics while we were in each country. When I got sick in Columbia, our specialist was able to rebook our flight at a moment's notice. In Chile, our local guide found restaurants that met our dietary restrictions and spoke with staff at hotels to make sure we got whatever we needed.

By contrast, Shona did not finalize our itinerary or send detailed information (including about what to pack) until after we had landed in Japan. I understand that she struggled to find us accommodations along the route and it took effort to do so (as she reminded us several times), although I'm still confused as to why. She claimed our dietary restrictions were not acceptable -- one of us is a vegetarian, the other eats chicken and fish but not red meat -- but at each hotel, they were able to accommodate when we asked. We suspect that Shona was not willing to call places; she referenced waiting for emails to be returned several times, even when the issue was time-sensitive.

Sometimes Shona had done the work, but didn't communicate that to us. We asked her several times before we left home to confirm that we had travel booked between parts of our route, and it wasn't until after we landed in Japan that Shona let us know what had been arranged. If we'd been able to review beforehand, we would have identified several issues. For example, the only transportation option on one of the days was a 6:50AM bus. Shona noted the bus time but did not explain that we needed to work with the hotel to pre-arrange breakfast and lunch because it was before the kitchen opened, or that we could try to arrange a private taxi if desired but had to do so as soon as we checked in because there's only one taxi available in the region. We also asked Shona multiple times before our trip began to rebook our train tickets on the last day because she had scheduled us to arrive at the airport 6 hours early, but she didn't change the time until the day before and complained about having to do so.

In comparison to our first two Kimkim trips, we were disappointed with the level of support we received, which makes us less enthusiastic about using them again or recommending them to others.

Activity Review

Osaka day trip with Kuromon Market

Osaka

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Adeline was the absolute best travel agent for our family! She was so easy to work with and always very responsive. Our trip was the perfect mix of having things planned while leaving time and space to explore and discover things on our own. Everything that Adeline planned for us went smoothly. All of our hotels, transfers, museum tickets were perfectly executed. We love all our hotels (we stayed in four separate locations over 2 weeks) and especially enjoyed the Japanese onsen culture. Having the KimKim app on our phones with our itinerary loaded for each day was so helpful. We could click through links to google maps or to our museum tickets for that day. We had a smooth experience from start to finish and loved Adeline and loved our trip!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Koo OotsuHyakucho

Otsu

This hotel was above and beyond! We had our own two story condo that was a converted tea house on a market street in Otsu. We were just a 15 min train ride away from Kyoto making it a great home base for exploring in and around Kyoto. The amenities at this hotel were incredible: we had locally made toiletries, pajamas, sweets every night, and a fridge stocked with drinks. There was a delicious breakfast included as well as a lounge for snacks, coffees and happy hour just down the street. We loved this town and this unit!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Forêt de Repos

This was a peaceful and quirky place in the forest. We had a room with our own private soaking bath and I recommend you get that as well. There is also a public bath that is immersed in the forest. The dinner and breakfast included were delicious! Lovely place to recharge and a good home base to explore the countryside and some seaside villages.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hoshino Resorts KAI Kaga

Kaga

What a treat! The room was peaceful and spacious. The onsen was gorgeous and relaxing. The food was out of this world! Our family of 4 felt pampered and relaxed. The little village is delightful to walk through as well.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

&Here TOKYO UENO

Tokyo

Best hotel for families! We had a super fun bunk style room with kitchenette. We were near various train stations. We could go for runs and walks in the nearby park. There were plenty of food options nearby. And, a gorgeous onsen on the top floor!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Ninja Experience in Kyoto (Family & Kid Friendly)

Japan

Our kids loved this! We learned alot about ninja and samarai culture and had fun! Definitely touristy, but so is most of this part of Kyoto.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rental Car

Kaga

Easy! Small car made it easy to navigate the narrow roads. Pick and and drop off were simple.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We just got home from the most incredible trip to Japan, meticulously planned by Cannon. Every detail was thoughtfully handled—from seamless transportation to and from every destination to perfectly curated excursions.

The tours were not only fun, but genuinely interesting and informative, making the entire experience feel effortless and immersive.

Midway through the trip, we decided to head back to Tokyo from Kyoto early, and Cannon handled all the changes—bullet train tickets, transportation, everything—completely seamlessly.

We couldn’t have asked for a better experience and are so grateful for the care and attention that went into every part of our trip.

Working with Cory was a pleasure for planning and booking our trip. Cory was able to integrate our ideas with her expertise of Japan to give us the style of trip we preferred. From setting us up with local and inter city transportation to helping us experience the cultural elements of Ikebana, lacquerware, cooking, dining, tea ceremony, confection production, and sumo, Cory laid it all out. While traveling through Japan can be tricky and challenging we found Cory's directions, advice, and the trip planning notes and links made our 17 day, 5 city trip very enjoyable.

Adeline created a comprehensive itinerary for our recent Japan trip that included everything we wanted to see and do, including the famous Guitar Street in Tokyo, temples/shrines in Kyoto and beautiful cherry blossoms in Kanazawa. Adeline's insight and guidance has been invaluable to us. She prepped us on how to navigate the complexities of the metro system in Tokyo, organized our bullet train tickets for Kanazawa and Kyoto and even booked us a seat on the side of the train for one of our train trips that allowed us to luckily see Mount Fuji! Our guides Carol (in Tokyo) and Nao (in Kyoto) were wonderful - so incredibly knowledgeable and kind! Our private tour with Nao was particularly memorable as he took us the outskirts of Kyoto to the lesser known temples and shrines where there were no crowds and we were able to enjoy the peace and tranquility of being in those religious spaces. He also expounded on the philosophical and religious traditions (namely Shintoism, Taoism and Zen Buddhism) that impact Japanese culture and practices. It was a very eye-opening and informative tour! We are already excited to book another trip to Japan in the future!

This trip exceeded our expectations. It was culturally immersive, family-friendly, and thoughtfully designed. We came away with a deeper appreciation for Japan — not just its landmarks, but its rhythms, values, and everyday beauty.

We would absolutely recommend KimKim to anyone planning a trip to Japan, and we would happily work with you again.

Activity Reviews

Tokyo Highlights Day Tour - East & West

Tokyo

Osaka Local Foodie Tour in Dotonbori and Shinsekai

Japan

One Day Miyajima Island and Hiroshima Tour

Japan

Transfer from Kyoto to Osaka via Nara

Japan

Enjoy Temples & Bamboo Grove in Kyoto with Your Family

Kyoto

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

Full Day Lake Kawaguchi Cruise and Shinobi no Sato Ninja Village Tour

Tokyo

Asakusa Sumo Club: Sumo Show Admission with Chankonabe in Tokyo

Tokyo

Sushi Making Tokyo Roll and Authentic Japanese Sushi Class

Tokyo

From planning to ensure the perfect itinerary in Japan for our family to Japan to continued amazing assistance during our trip, we are grateful to Angel and Kimkim for a trip of a lifetime!

Activity Reviews

Ninja Training in Kyoto: Ninja Experience

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Mt. Fuji and Lake Ashi Tour with Hakone Tozan Railway

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Asakusa Sumo Club: Sumo Show Admission with Chankonabe in Tokyo

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sushi Making Tokyo！Cooking class in Japan！

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Spot Early-Blooming Cherry Blossoms in Tokyo

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a wonderful trip to Japan. Hotel quality and locations were perfect. Our scheduled activities were very enjoyable although a few were a little touristy for our taste and didn't feel like authentic experiences (e.g. the tea ceremony in kimonos). Prebooked travel cards and Shinkansen journeys were great and Bella ensured our concerns regarding luggage were addressed with her seat choices on the Shinkansen.

Our guides were helpful and keen to meet our needs but we did feel that a lot of our activities did not particularly need a guide and could have been managed independently, offering us more flexibility. While we were grateful to have photos taken, at times early in the trip it seemed to be the primary focus of the guide, to the extent that we felt we were just being rushed from photo opp to photo opp without actually taking anything in. Perhaps for the instagram generation that is how they travel but it wasn't a priority for us and somewhat took away from our enjoyment.

In summary, we were very happy with Bella's choice of hotels, itinerary and travel arrangements but if we were doing this again we would only want a guide for a couple of days as it is always nice to meet and chat to someone local but we prefer the flexibility of independent travel, as with our previous KimKim itinerary in Norway.

Activity Reviews

Day Trip to Himeji: Exploring Japan’s First Famous Castle and Tranquil Gardens （by public transport）

Osaka

Spectacular castle and reading about the work done in the last century to restore and maintain it was fascinating. Make sure you visit the second part of the castle with Princess Sen's history outlined. The Samurai Garden was also a lovely place to visit. That evening we went back to Osaka Castle where for a small fee we got into the Sakura night festival, which was a really nice alternative way to experience the castle views and blossoms.

Quality of Experience

Osaka Highlights & River Cruise（Private Guide, Public Transportation）

Osaka

We really enjoyed the various castles we visited on this trip (Kyoto, Osaka and Himeji)- each with a different story but all interconnected through history as explained by our guide.

Day Trip to Miyajima Island: Floating Torii Gate & Kayaking &Hiking

Hiroshima

Probably our favourite day of the trip. The boat trip out to Miyajima was scenic, we had a wonderful guide for our kayak trip through the floating torii gate and Taki San was a good sport hiking to the top of Mount Misen with us despite being tight on time! This is a very touristy place to visit so I highly recommend taking the kayak option to get a proper feel for the ancient approach to the shrine. The shops and eateries are busy but lots of fun to wander through.

Hiroshima's Legacy: Peace Memorial & Okonomiyaki（public transport）

Hiroshima

The museum is a harrowing testament to what happened to this city but very worthwhile despite the inevitable crowds

Kurama & Kibune Forest Hike – A Journey into Kyoto’s Spiritual Mountains (Private Guide, Public Transportation)

Kyoto

Another lovely hike into beautiful Japanese mountain scenery - no rain this time!

🏯 Walk and Swing: An Active Cultural Journey in Kyoto (Private Guide & Public Transportation)

Kyoto

We did this hike to the top of the mountain on our own in the rain which made it less busy than it might otherwise have been, and also quite atmospheric!

Kyoto Heritage & Tea Ceremony Experience (Private Guided Tour by Public Transportation)

Kyoto

Kyoto was a highlight and our morning wander with guide Taki San was very enjoyable. The kimono aspect of the tea ceremony didn't add much and felt a bit performative rather than authentic as we were just put into the clothes whereas I had hoped to learn a little more about this traditional way of dress.

Fuji Five Lakes Tour, Transfer to Hakone

Japan

Very rushed getting onto the boat and the health and safety standards were somewhat questionable . . . Views of Mount Fuji from the water were great but we saw even better on our subsequent day's activities. An impromptu stop at the Mount Fuji visitor centre was interesting and informative.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

felt quite rushed at the stops, all of which were very touristy and busy

Transport

lovely comfortable car for early morning journey with stops along the way

Explore Tokyo's Rich Heritage: Tsukiji Market,Sushi-Making Class, Imperial Palace, Cherry Blossoms & Shinjuku Gourmet Walk

Tokyo

Kana, the chef who led our personal sushi making class was lovely. Personable and with excellent English. One of our activity highlights.

Quality of Experience

Tokyo’s Cultural Heritage & Modern Energy: Asakusa, Sumo Experience & Shibuya Highlights（Private Guide&Public Transportation）

Tokyo

Sumo experience was a fun and lighthearted intro to the sport of Sumo but very tourist focussed.

Food

Our guide for the first excursion in Tokyo was Haiyan. She was very helpful and knowledgeable. We saw the Imperial Palace, as close as we could get, since entry was not allowed. The we went to the Senso-ji temple, very impressive. She also helped us get to a location that I wanted to see, The Samurai Store. We never would have found it if it was not for Haiyan.

The following day we took the Shinkansen to Odawara where we were met by Yasuhiro, called Moshi. He is an English professor and spoke perfect English and also Spanish, as does my wife Norma. He took us to Hakone, and unfortunately it rained all day so we did not get to see Mt. Fuji. He took us up the Hakone Ropeway to the top where we had lunch and toured the shop. When we came down we took a tour boat around the lake. He dropped us at our Honten for the evening. We really enjoyed the traditional accommodations, including the private natural hot spring onsen.

Our guide for the first excursion in Tokyo was Haiyan. She was very helpful and knowledgeable. We saw the Imperial Palace, as close as we could get, since entry was not allowed. The we went to the Senso-ji temple, very impressive. She also helped us get to a location that I wanted to see, The Samurai Store. We never would have found it if it was not for Haiyan.

The following day we took the Shinkansen to Odawara where we were met by Yasuhiro, called Moshi. He is an English professor and spoke perfect English and also Spanish, as does my wife Norma. He took us to Hakone, and unfortunately it rained all day so we did not get to see Mt. Fuji. He took us up the Hakone Ropeway to the top where we had lunch and toured the shop. When we came down we took a tour boat around the lake. He dropped us at our Honten for the evening. We really enjoyed the traditional accommodations, including the private natural hot spring onsen.

The next morning came early as we had a 7:45 Bullet traln to Nagoya. There we did a self guided tour to Nagoya Castle and then to the Tokugawa museum and gardens, which I was most interested in seeing. Also seen was a Shinto Shrine.

Next day we took the Shinkansen to Kyoto. Our first excursion was to the Tea Ceremony Experience. We dressed in Kimonos and were shown the intricacies of the tea ceremony. it was fantastic. After that we went to the Samurai and Ninja Musem. This was one of my special choices and it did not disappoint.

The next day we were met by our guide for the day, Ichiro. We went to the Kinkakuji and Nijo Castle Tour which was fascinating. We had a very full day visiting shrines and ending up at Fushiminari. Fantastic!

On Day 7 we were met by our guide Naoko who was wonderful. We enjoyed her very much. We spent the day in Nara, so fascinating.

On our final tour day our guide once again was Ichiro. We went to Osak for another of my desired destinations, Himeji Castle with the cherry blossoms in full bloom. The castle tour and gardens were amazing. We finished up with the ropeway to Mount Shosha, another of my must see destinations. It was amazing. And Ichiro was so very knowlegeable.

The next morning our driver met us for an early morning drive to Osaka airport in the rain. Goodbye Japan.

Hotel Review

Matsuzakaya Honten

Kanagawa

We loved this traditional hotel and onsen. We highly recommend it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

World Heritage Himeji Castle Visiting & Mount Shosha visit

Osaka

Our final tour was to Himeji Castle with the cherry blossoms in full bloom. The castle tour and gardens were amazing. We finished up with the ropeway to Mount Shosha, another of my must see destinations. It was amazing.

Quality of Experience

We were so lucky to get to this beautiful place when the cherry blossoms were in full bloom.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Again, Ichiro was so knowledgeable!

Full Day Nara City Tour with Public transportation

Japan

On Day 7 we were met by our guide Naoko who was wonderful. We enjoyed her very much. We spent the day in Nara, so fascinating.

Quality of Experience

So much beauty

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We loved Naoko!

Transport

Kari, the driver was great.

Half Day Kinkakuji and Nijo Castle Tour

Kyoto

We went to the Kinkakuji and Nijo Castle Tour which was fascinating. We had a very full day visiting shrines and ending up at Fushiminari. Fascinating!

Quality of Experience

Seeing so much beauty and culture

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ichiro is so knowledgeable

Samurai Ninja Museum & Tea Ceremony Experience

Kyoto

We took the Shinkansen to Kyoto. Our first excursion was to the Tea Ceremony Experience. We dressed in Kimonos and were shown the intricacies of the tea ceremony. it was fantastic. After that we went to the Samurai and Ninja Musem. This was one of my special choices and it did not disappoint.

Quality of Experience

Private Hakone’s natural beauty Tour

Hakone

Yasuhiro, called Moshi. He is an English professor and spoke perfect English and also Spanish, as does my wife Norma. He took us to Hakone, and unfortunately it rained all day so we did not get to see Mt. Fuji. He took us up the Hakone Ropeway to the top where we had lunch and toured the shop. When we came down we took a tour boat around the lake. He dropped us at our Honten for the evening. We really enjoyed the traditional accommodations, including the private natural hot spring onsen.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We arrived safe and sound

Full Day Tokyo City Tour with Senso-ji Temple

Tokyo

Our guide for the first excursion in Tokyo was Haiyan. She was very helpful and knowledgeable. We saw the Imperial Palace, as close as we could get, since entry was not allowed. The we went to the Senso-ji temple, very impressive. She also helped us get to a location that I wanted to see, The Samurai Store. We never would have found it if it was not for Haiyan.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly and very knowledgeable

Transport

We had an amazing time. I appreciate that you were able to squeeze so many activities in for us because we are busy bodies. It was nice having the assistance of drivers and tour guides for the personal touches they offered. Especially loved Yukiko Yoshida, our guide in Kyoto. She was incredible! She had great energy to her, was incredibly knowledgeable, gave us really cool history lessons and context to understand better everything we saw. The food tours were also great because they helped us acquaint ourselves with the cities in a casual way. We enjoyed the ramen class but we felt it took too much of our time in retrospect, so we will likely not do cooking classes again in the future unless we don’t know what else to do. The kendo class was silly fun but we thoroughly enjoyed it, and it was a fun contrast to the formality of the tea ceremony! Of course skiing in Nagano was incredible and getting to see the snow monkeys while it was snowing was magical. We can’t wait to come back and explore more of the beautiful and dynamic country!

Hotel Reviews

Kokuya Ryokan Shibu Onsen ( Shibu Onsen Kokuya )

Our experience at this hotel was one of the most pleasant on the trip. It was very private, very peaceful, very magical. Our meals here were some of the best we had on the trip, having a private on sun was incredible and suited our comfort level with public nudity haha. We felt very taken care of here and wished more places were like this!

Authenticity & Character

We felt immersed in Japanese culture

Authenticity & Character

We felt immersed in Japanese culture

Location

Perfectly situated in the onsen town

Location

Perfectly situated in the onsen town

Staff

Overly helpful haha

Staff

Overly helpful haha

Cleanliness & Comfort

Well taken care of, very comfortable. Very clean. Mattress pads on the ground can only be so comfy haha

Cleanliness & Comfort

Well taken care of, very comfortable. Very clean. Mattress pads on the ground can only be so comfy haha

Shiga Kogen Prince Hotel

Nagano

Comfortable hotel but it does show its age a bit. The staff was wonderful and the facilities were easy to navigate. Ski in/ski out was awesome though! The rental shop is smaller than big resort shops so be patient. I unfortunately had to wear ski boots that were half a size too big

Authenticity & Character

Very authentic. The MCM vibes were strong in the room.

Authenticity & Character

Very authentic. The MCM vibes were strong in the room.

Location

Ski in/ski out, some of the best runs on a powder day.

Location

Ski in/ski out, some of the best runs on a powder day.

Staff

Very respectful, cordial, and helpful. Took every opportunity to please us

Staff

Very respectful, cordial, and helpful. Took every opportunity to please us

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean, beds were comfy, but the space overall shows it age and feeling a bit lost in time. Nothing was wrong with it, it just felt like it was straight from the 70s

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean, beds were comfy, but the space overall shows it age and feeling a bit lost in time. Nothing was wrong with it, it just felt like it was straight from the 70s

Mitsui Garden Hotel Jingugaien Tokyo Premier

Tokyo

Beautiful, clean modern, it was a sophisticated way to spend our first nights in Japan. Conveniently located, made it easy to walk from there or take public transportation.

Authenticity & Character

Delicious breakfast

Location

Walkable to cool areas

Staff

So respectful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pristine

Activity Reviews

Learn the Secrets Behind Ramen in a Cooking Class

Osaka

It was a fun experience to learn how the broth and Ramen are made, but in retrospect I think what I was really hoping to make was more of an udon noodle. We appreciate it, however that the techniques we are in there are very easily reproducible at home, especially because we already have a noodle adapter for our KitchenAid.

Quality of Experience

Gyoza and Ramen are delicious! It was fun to cook too!

Quality of Experience

Gyoza and Ramen are delicious! It was fun to cook too!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They were super friendly and helpful. They were very careful to make sure we were doing everything correctly so that we could take our technique home with us.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They were super friendly and helpful. They were very careful to make sure we were doing everything correctly so that we could take our technique home with us.

Hiroshima Peace Walking Tour at World Heritage Sites

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Osaka Local Foodie Tour in Dotonbori and Shinsekai

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was hilarious and well informed. She went out of her way to take nice pictures of us and also was good about giving us tips somewhere to eat the rest of the week.

Samurai Sword Experience for Adults in Kyoto

Kyoto

How can you not have fun learning how to wheel a sword?! Playful, short and sweet, though I wish we had time to spar or something.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

We had so much fun, getting dressed up in traditional garments and learning about the tea ceremony. Everyone got an opportunity to take pictures in the Japanese garden in our fineries, and it was very pleasant.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tokyo Highlights: Sensoji, Tsukiji & Imperial Gardens

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tokyo Night Foodie Tour in Shinjuku

Tokyo

We had a lot of delicious food, but most importantly it was a really nice primer for the area

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kyoto’s Timeless Treasures: Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Kyoto Imperial Palace & Fushimi Inari Taisha

Kyoto

Our tour guide on this trip was incredible. She was super informative, was great about giving us lots of background information, and kept us moving so that we didn’t miss out on anything.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We really did have such a wonderful time! The only feedback I would offer is that it would be helpful for the guides to have a deeper knowledge of the specific tours they’re leading.

Our most incredible guide was Yukiko—she was so knowledgeable, engaging, and just a joy to be around. We truly loved her! Takashi and Mayomi were also great, but Yukiko really stood out. She taught us so much, and it made the experience even more fun and meaningful.

Thank you so much for all the time and effort you put into planning everything—it truly was an incredible experience. The hotels were amazing as well, especially the last one—The Patina…wow, it was so beautiful.

I also absolutely loved the hot springs. Such a unique and memorable experience, and we felt amazing afterward!