Kimkim Trip Reviews for Japan

Our stay at the Mitsui Garden Hotel Otemachi was absolutely delightful. The staff were so kind and welcoming, and the rooms were spotless and comfortable. The breakfast was a highlight for us—my husband is still raving about the egg sandwich, calling it the best he’s ever had in his life (and he’s not easy to impress, lol!). The location was perfect; we could easily walk to different areas, grab snacks, and explore the city. When we visit Tokyo again, we’ll definitely stay here and recommend this hotel to all our friends. Thank you for making our trip so memorable!

A Tranquil and peaceful experience that we loved! Our stay at the Mitsui Garden Hotel Kyoto Kawaramachi Jokyoji was amazing! The calm and serene atmosphere inside the hotel was incredible, and the traditional Japanese-style bathhouse was such a unique and fantastic experience. When we were tired from a long day of fun, we would go there. The rooms were spotless and perfectly prepared for us, making our stay comfortable and relaxing. The location was ideal—just a short walk to great food and shopping. One of the highlights was stepping outside to find a charming local business with a Kyoto coffee truck run by the sweetest guy serving absolutely delicious coffee. We absolutely loved our stay and can’t wait to return!

The Remm Plus Hotel was an ideal choice for our trip. The location couldn’t have been better—right in the heart of the shopping district! The rooms were cozy, spotlessly clean, and ready for us upon arrival, which made for such a smooth check-in experience. The breakfast was great, with plenty of options to choose from. We also loved how easy it was to step outside the hotel and find delicious food nearby. The automatic check-in process was modern and convenient, and the staff was absolutely amazing. When we needed extra assistance, they were quick to accommodate us with such kindness and professionalism. We would definitely stay here again and highly recommend it to anyone visiting the area!

We had an incredible time on the Shibuya Bar Hopping Night Tour, and our tour guide, Masa, made the experience truly exceptional. He ensured that everyone in the group felt included, engaged, and comfortable throughout the evening. Our 22-year-old son and his friends especially loved the tour, but we also found it to be a fantastic experience. Masa’s deep knowledge of the area and his insights about Tokyo’s nightlife were invaluable. This tour is perfect for your first or second night in the city because it helps you get a feel for the local spots and plan where you might want to visit again later. The places we visited were unique and authentically local, which was exactly what we were hoping for. While there were plenty of fried food options available—which many people would enjoy—we personally would have preferred a bit more variety. That said, it didn’t take away from how much we loved the experience overall. If you’re looking for a night of great drinks, fun exploration, and learning about Tokyo’s vibrant nightlife, this is an absolute must-do. We’d gladly do it again!

A beautiful cultural experience for everyone. The Traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony with Kimono Wearing was an unforgettable experience. My family joined me, and although the boys participated to indulge me, they ended up learning so much about the art of tea making, the culture, and, of course, the beauty of wearing kimonos. Personally, I enjoyed this—it made me wish I had someone to style my hair and dress me every day! The atmosphere was serene, and the attention to detail was impressive. We arrived a little early and had time to visit a nearby coffee shop, which turned out to be amazing—such a charming area with a great vibe. This experience was a wonderful opportunity to learn, connect, and grow together. I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to explore and appreciate Japanese culture in an authentic and meaningful way.

Here’s a polished version of your review for the Mount Fuji Trip with an English-speaking guide: Although I wasn’t able to attend the Mount Fuji trip, the others in our group had a fantastic time. While they were a bit bummed that it was too overcast to see Mount Fuji itself, they thoroughly enjoyed exploring the surrounding areas. The guide was excellent—knowledgeable, engaging, and helpful throughout the trip. They made sure the group had a great experience, providing interesting insights and ensuring everyone felt comfortable. The other locations visited were beautiful and offered a wonderful glimpse into the region's culture and scenery. Overall, it was a memorable trip that everyone appreciated, even with the cloudy weather. I’d definitely recommend this tour for anyone visiting the area—it’s worth it for the experience, the guide, and the chance to explore beyond just the iconic mountain.

Amazing visit to the open cemetery and shrine; very enjoyable (including meals) and educational experience.

Great alternative for those unable to stay on Naoshima island. Excellent facilities, and across the street from the ferry. Wonderful, friendly staff.

Beautiful larger hotel. Very convenient for the Osaka Castle, and easy access for the city.

Great hotel if you want the true Ryokan experience with public bath, futon sleeping and full Japanese meals.

Super cool designer hotel.

great location, very attractive hotel, great service, great all around.

this was our favorite day in Japan. The Market is awesome to experience, and the Gion district has the most authentic Japanese feel of anywhere we went.

Very interesting area to visit, but not worth the driving time unless you have time to spare. Just not enough to it.

Nara is an exceptionally unique place. The Buddhist temple is enormous and amazing, and the Shinto shrine is incredibly beautiful. All the while you are sharing the space with deer who roam about town.

You have to do this if you are in the Osaka area. It is an amazing experience of sights, sounds, people and food.

Our itinerary of the Rikugien Garden, the Ginza district and the sky tower was perfect. Great launch into the Tokyo experience and fascinating to see.

Wonderful last day in Japan. The Castle is a fascinating history lesson and magnificent to see. The Peace memorial is moving and interesting. Walking the streets and shops was wonderful.

AMAZING BREAKFAST!! Great location, right next to the Kyoto station.

Our guide, Seiya Maegawa, was FANTASTIC. He shared so much detail about each place we visited. Very personable, and just did a wonderful job bringing each place to life that we visited.

Ayumi did a wonderful job ! She asked us about our preferences before we left on the tour, and did a great job sharing Tokyo with us!!

Great food and a wonderful tour guide! The only thing I’d change… We ended up missing out on Soba at the end because the other members of the group had eaten too much at the first two restaurants. We would have liked to have tried it (we still had room), but the tour ended.

This hotel stay was one of the highlights of our stay in Japan. I would very highly recommend a stay here along with their Kaiseki dinner.

The driver was on time and got us to the airport in plenty of time for our departure.

Clara, our tour guide was amazing taking us around Shibuya to off the beaten path places to sample food.

Very long day trip to Nikko. We went to a waterfall that was fogged in. Walked around town to a okay lake. The highlight was to the Nikko Toshogu Shrine.

Harry was fantastic

Maiko was good but I would not recommend this venue or experience.

This tour was good but there actually was no food provided on this tour. That is the reason for 3 stars. It was history and culture tour only. The food portion was taking a 10 minute walk through Kuromon market.

Excellent day spent with Ritzuko. Very efficient

Good trip

Semi was an amazing guide who wanted us to sample all of the delights of Nishiki market followed by a nice lunch.

Lovely, traditional hotel with onsen but you have to be willing to cook your food - I think it's called Shabu shabu? Loved the onsen and wearing the traditional clothes for dinner.

Great location but didn't enjoy the breakfast delivered to your room. Sorry, but cold eggs are never good.

Super convenient location with the subway station being under the hotel. Great included breakfast buffet. Wonderful registation and concierge staff that were able to help me transfer my luggage by courier to my next location so that I could travel luggage free on public transportation. Only down side to this hotel is that they do not have self-serve guest laundry machines, but I was able to find a public pay laundromat just about one or two blocks away. Very easy to use just needed Google translate to work the machines!

Very interesting small hotel in Takayama. I can see how this hotel could be used as a long-stay place. The room was comfortable, nice batieGood location to food, and convenience stores. I would choose this hotel again if I ever found myself in the area. Also, the registration staff was extremely helpful with luggage service to my next location, making calls to help with the language barrier, and overall answers to my questions,

Have you ever heard the saying location, location, location? Well, the saying fits this hotel. Adjacent to the bus station, and a short 5 minute walk from the train station makes it very convenient. Again, the front desk staff was very helpful and friendly. Would stay here again if in the area.

This hotel was also in a very good location in relation to public transportation. Helpful and friendly staff, and a clean and inviting atmosphere. I would stay here again if in the area.

This hotel was also in a very good location in relation to public transportation. Helpful and friendly staff, and a clean and inviting atmosphere. I would stay here again if in the area.

Super fun but soooo crowded. I would prefer to see it at a less crowded time.

Oh boy! I Ioved this experience! I would definitely suggest this experience if you are even just a little bit interested in sumo. I had the opportunity to watch some wrestlers show us some of their exercises and even let the participants get in the ring to try to do them with guidance. At the end of the demonstration each group participant had the oppertunity to get in the ring once again and try to out-do the pros by pushing them out of the ring. We were able to put on an informal kimono and have our pictures taken in the ring with both wrestlers. After the demonstration was done, we were invited to have a hotpot lunch made by the wrestlers in a very informal setting were we could ask questions and get the answers from the sumos. I really liked this experience. It is suitable for families with children of about 8+ years old.

I had a wonderful day here with my private guide. It was during a festival that I visited and was able to try many different foods from the street venders as well as see the parade of Japanese shrines. Learned quite a bit about the history with my guide. I would definately go to visit here again if in the area. It is a breath of fresh air after spending time in the busy city of Tokyo.

Wow! What a beautiful area to visit. I had a great day with my private guide and learned quite a bit of new information regarding the area. I would visit this area again if in Japan.

The Sapporo Brewery is a sight to behold. It is a beautiful brick building the has been well maintained and houses a museum of the beer industry in Sapporo. My guide was great at pointing out details that I would have missed in being there on my own. I didn't take advantage of the BBQ or the beer tasting, as those things don't appeal to me. Instead we ate at a smaller local restaruant and had great ramen and gyoza! If in the area I would suggest visiting the Olympic stadium, Clock Tower, and the Sapporo TV tower.

A comfortable hotel in an excellent location in Shibuya

A lovely hotel. We had a Japanese style room which was was very nice. Staff were very attentive. The onsen was very pleasant and not at all busy.

A lovely hotel. The dinner was included and was excellent.

Older hotel - a bit hard to find due to the tower comples

lovely place, enjoyed to public bath (after we gathered a little courage)

Room a bit small but the location was perfect. Great view of the Scramble. The Breakfast Buffet was fabulous!

Great location

A real treat

A very convenient location

Loved the personal hot bath.

Sumo demonstration was fun. Sumo wrestlers were great with the crowd. The sushi leaders were charming, but not sure I would recommend. l

nice to have guide... we would have been lost otherwise.

One of my favorite moments

Well done, something I would never do at home. They were crowded.

It was nice to go to areas that we would not have ventured on our own.

great guide

A lot of walking, but saw a lot!

Most friendly staff at a hotel we have ever stayed at. Our train was running late and we were worried we would miss our dinner reservation. The driver for the hotel GUESSED that we would be on the last train and was waiting there to bring us back to the hotel so we could get ready for dinner. A gesture of hospitality that I will remember forever. The onsen is also amazing, the best we visited on our trip.

Great location with perfect amenities

Nestled in Kyoto, walkable to the aquarium. Beautiful and comfortable

Perfectly located in the shopping district. Walkable to stores and great food

The staff, accommodations, food, and location were all beautiful and authentic. I would highly recommend Magome Chaya to any guest who wants to experience the Japanese countryside. Jen and her sister both speak English and the food is amazing. The rooms are tatami with no bed, but the futons were very comfortable.

The perfect way to end our stay in Japan. The accommodations were definitely a 10.

A small hidden gem. The hosts were so gentle and humble, very sweet and made us feel welcomed in their home. The accommodations were very clean. The food was amazing.

Byaku Narai was a beautiful place to stay. We felt like we were staying in our very own home with a private garden outside our door. The outdoor soaking tub, with the salts added to the hot water, and looking out into our garden were the perfect way to end a day of hiking on the Old Nakasendo Trail. Dinner was amazing!

Rooms were nice with tub overlooking greenery. Food was a little disappointing.

Royal Park Hotel was beautiful and in a good location

Very nice hotel in great location.

Nice hotel in good location

Nice hotel in excellent location.

Nice experience

Recommend this tour

Highly recommend

Peco our guide was great to be with. She shared some great food with us