Kimkim Trip Reviews for Japan

We just returned from an excellent two week trip to Japan organized by Sandy san of Odynovo in Japan, through kimkim! Some highlights were biking the Shimonami Kaido, spending the night in a ryoken on Miyajima with multi-course Japanese meals included, visiting the Hiroshima Peace Park and Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, plus the cherry blossoms, temples and shrines, and beautiful terrain. We had a mix of time on our own, group, and private tours.

The group tours were through Magical Trip: Kaiori san for the Hiroshima Peace Park and Fuji san for the Tokyo foodie tour were excellent. The groups were generally small, like 5-6 guests. Those were a lot of fun and well planned, and we learned a lot.

Our private guides Chinami san in Hakone, Hisako san in Kyoto, and Yuki san in Kanazawa were all knowledgeable and easy to be with. We ended up canceling one tour in Kyoto because we just needed a break, but since it was too late to get a refund, Jun san still showed up to drop us at the train station, and we instantly liked him too and felt a little sad that we missed his tour. The private tours can be interactive and customizable and are a great opportunity to learn more than you would on your own.

Accommodations and travel within Japan that were arranged by Sandy were all well planned. We had shinkansen tickets with luggage space reserved for most of the hops, and hired taxis between train station and hotel (easy!). Twice during the trip we shipped our checked luggage ahead with the help of hotel staff. The first time was required so we could do an overnight on bikes, the second time was just to avoid the hassle of big luggage on the ferry to Miyajima, although we probably would have been fine taking it with us.

We would probably do a couple of things differently next time:
1) On the Shimonami Kaido, we should have brought along a multi-tool so we could adjust the bikes along the way, and we had too much stuff in our backpacks. WAKKA turned out to be an excellent resource for us - super kind and helpful people who do bike taxi and rental returns, among other services for bike riders in that area.
2) We got excellent mileage from the tiny bit of Japanese we learned for the trip, which increased our enjoyment. Although we never really had any trouble communicating with the locals, we would like to learn more Japanese for next time.
3) We might spend more time in each location next time. Although this trip was a good first trip because it gave us a kind of overview of the highlights of Japan, it would have been nice to do more exploring in each location.

There are so many things to love about Japan (the food, the natural beauty, the public transportation, the clean cities), but I think what we will remember the most is the many kindnesses we received from random people, not just people in the hospitality business. For example, while biking we took a wrong turn and an older gentleman on a motorcycle stopped to tell us we were probably going the wrong way, then insisted that he meet us down the road to take our picture near a landmark! Japanese people are just so nice in general - at least that was our experience.

Anyway, kimkim and Sandy san took very good care of us. There is no way we would have had this good of a time if we had booked everything on our own.

Interactive development and tailoring of trip itinerary was excellent. Communications during trip were excellent. Local guides were excellent.

Hotel Reviews

Sotetsu Grand Fresa Takadanobaba

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sheraton Grand Hiroshima Hotel

Hiroshima

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Forza Osaka Kitahama

Osaka

Authenticity & Character

Authenticity & Character

Location

Location

Staff

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cleanliness & Comfort

Daiwa Roynet Hotel Kyoto Terrace Hachijohigashiguchi

Kyoto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lake Biwa Otsu Prince Hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Asakusa Tobu Hotel

Authenticity & Character

Authenticity & Character

Location

Location

Staff

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Miyajima Island and Memorial Park Tour

Hiroshima

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Osaka Private & Personalised Local Food Tour

Osaka

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chase Cherry Blossom in Osaka with Osaka Castle

Osaka

Quality of Experience

Transport

Full Day Nara City Tour, Overnight in Osaka

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Arashiyama Bamboo Grove & Sagano Scenic Railway

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Tokyo City Tour with Shinjuku Gyoen (cherry blossom)

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transport

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchi, Oshino Hakkai and Oishi Park

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was an amazing trip for our family. We enjoyed the food, weather and everything else that we saw and visited in Japan.

Hotel Reviews

APA Hotel Kyoto Ekihigashi

Rooms too small.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Not close enough to the main attractions.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

It was very uncomfortable. The room was very small and didn’t have any room for the luggage. Not acceptable for people who have problems moving around the room.

Cross Hotel Kyoto

Kyoto

Nice location. Very close to main interesting places.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba

Very nice hotel but too far away from the main attractions in Tokyo.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Half Day Fushimi Inari Taisha to Tofuku-ji Temple Hiking Experience

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

One Day Miyajima Island and Hiroshima Tour (Kyoto Return Trip)

Japan

The trip to Hiroshima was the most dramatic of all. I was very impressed with the museum and the architecture of the memorial site.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We experienced the regular transportation of the Japanese people in our trip to Hiroshima and back. The guide was very thorough and helpful to us.

Transport

Full Day Meiji Shrine,the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace Akihabara,and Harajuku Tour

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Tour of Arashiyama Bamboo Grove & Sagano Scenic Railway

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was an excellent resource for the information given to us.

Transport

Tea Ceremony in a Traditional Tea House in Kiyomizu

Kyoto

If I compare this tea ceremony with the one we had on our first day of the tour this one is a disappointing. The ceremony lacked of depth and the atmosphere was very much lacking in the way the whole event was held. It was rushed and the explanations were very poor. The quality of the ceremony was very disappointing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had a hard time finding the place for the tea ceremony.

Transport

Edomae Sushi Masterclass: Hands-On Lesson with Traditional Sushi Meal

Tokyo

I would recommend this activity to anyone. The hostess was very helpful, friendly and knowledgeable. What a lovely lady she was and she was very nice and kind to everyone who was there. She even sent me the recipe for one of the food we made. I give her a 100% rating.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fushimi Inari Taisha and Kinkakuji Temple

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Bamboo Grove and Monkey Park Tour

Kyoto

Great experience for the children.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nick was an excellent and amazing guide. He was well prepared and knowledgeable about all the things we saw. He brought candies for the kids and he was very helpful and attentive to our needs.

Transport

Great driver and very friendly.

Samurai Sword Experience in Kyoto (Family & Kid Friendly)

Kyoto

An excellent experience for the kids. A lot of fun. I must add that the second time our family went to the Samurai activity ( our daughter and her family on 3-24-2025) they were very disappointed. They were rushed. Our grandson was looking forward to experiencing practicing what he had learned but never got to do it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The driver was not very attentive to our needs and was not very responsive.

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

One of my favorite activities. Excellent and fun experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Shona put together an amazing trip for our family (myself, wife, 5 & 8 year old children).

Trip was almost seamless, including transportation and a great blend of guided tours and free time to explore.

Shona was available and a great support throughout the trip — highly recommend!

Great Adventure To Japan - My husband and I just got back from a 11 day trip to Japan with Kim Kim as our travel agents. The experience was a very memorable one. Right from the start Sandy our very attentive, knowledgeable and courteous agent made our itinerary and provided many great options. The local guides Aki and Yukomi were very accommodating and knowledgeable. Kim Kim is thorough in their planning. If something is not right they go out of their way to fix the issue. All the hotels were top notch and within distance of tourist destinations. We toured Tokyo’s, Kyoto, Hiroshima and Osaka. The Tea ceremony with Kimono experience was by far the best experience of all my travels world wide. Thank you Kim Kim for an amazing trip!

Hotel Review

Miyako City Osaka Hommachi

Osaka

The last hotel in Osaka was our favorite because it was bigger and comfortable, but it was a bit far from our destinations. It would have been nice if it were closer to the train station so we ended up taking a cab a few times due to the distance. The food was great though!

Activity Reviews

Learn the Secrets Behind Ramen in a Cooking Class

Osaka

The Ramen cooking class was a delightful experience once we found the location. It was in a residential area, which was unexpected, and we got a bit lost. Clearer directions would have been helpful, but thankfully, customer support was responsive and helped us. Once we were there, the class was great, and we enjoyed meeting fellow tourists.

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

The Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya exceeded our expectations and was our favorite part of the trip. It was really enjoyable and efficiently organized. Everything worked smoothly, and it felt like a well-oiled machine that allowed us to enjoy the experience fully. We loved it!

We loved our trip to Japan and felt like we got to see the highlights without having an itinerary that was overly rushed or packed. It was an excellent trip!

We had an amazing family trip. We were very happy with Ben in helping us plan and make decisions for our family. We also appreciated the accommodations that he provided when things went differently (unexpectedly) than originally planned. We are thankful for the small gifts and showing of gratitude that he provided during our trip as well (an extra private transport, engraving for our souvenir chopsticks). We also thought our guide Yoko was wonderful and we felt that we were in very good hands with her. We appreciated her flexibility to change/adjust plans when needed for our family, and trusted her advice along the way. We believe she had our best interests in mind.

While our experience was very positive, we do have feedback on some areas of improvement. I think better details regarding the schedule/timing of the day would have been helpful BEFORE the trip. The itinerary for some days was overly ambitious and we had to adjust (cut back) based on dwindling energy levels of everyone. We could have used better judgment/advice regarding that in advance, and built in some down time for everyone to just relax and enjoy the moment.

Another note -- I traveled with other family members who also used KimKim, and they had a very questionable (arguably negative) experience with KimKim. The travel agent Olivia was not responsive, provided inaccurate or incomplete information, and not particularly apologetic or accommodating for major mistakes/errors in the trip. Even though that was not my personal experience, I witnessed it firsthand with my other family members, and as a result, I do have concerns about KimKim and wonder if the service is inconsistent across travel agents. That is something I think about.

kimkim took care of us from (before) the beginning until (after) the end. Angel was very responsive to our requests and knowledgeable about almost every facet of our itinerary. She provided regular updates during the planning stage and then made sure we were ready to travel. Once we were in Japan, everyone we interacted with (private guides, group activities, drivers, etc) was timely, polite, and exceedingly patient as we asked questions, made adjustments, and explored. In particular, we made multiple adjustments to our itinerary while in Japan and Angel was available to help us make sure everything went smoothly. It was my birthday and kimkim even treated me and my son with some surprises!

Hotel Review

Ryokan Aura Tachibana

Hakone

My favorite accommodation of the trip was definitely the Ryokan Aura Tachibana in Hakone. The experience and the vibe of staying there were just wonderful. It was traditional yet had enough modern amenities to keep our stay comfortable, especially for my child. There wasn't any friction, and the authenticity made our stay feel special without compromising on comfort.

Activity Reviews

Family Fun Time in Tokyo: TeamLab Planets and Miraikan Museum

Tokyo

TeamLab Planets in Tokyo was one of the highlights of our trip. It was an activity I specifically requested to be added to our itinerary, and I'm so glad we did it. The immersive art experience was not only fascinating but also incredibly engaging for my child. We truly enjoyed the visit, and it stood out among the many activities we did in Tokyo.

Fushimi Inari Taisha and Kinkakuji Temple

Kyoto

Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and absolutely delightful. She knew the exact right balance of sight seeing/historical insights and keeping it interesting for my 10 year old son. We were able to nimbly manage some very crowded spots.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Osaka Local Foodie Tour in Dotonbori and Shinsekai

Japan

Friendly and knowledgeable guide. Found out we had dietary restrictions after booking and made sure that these (incredibly tasty) local spots could accommodate in some way.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Akieee in Hiroshima gave us an incredible tour of Hiroshima and Miyajima island!
We also loved our Kimono tea ceremony in Kyoto and our guide Taka Sakai !
And our experience in Kanazawa had so much lovely history, a beautiful place Hiroko was so knowledgeable!
And Nara outside of Osaka had amazing views and out kids loved interacting with the deer there! We couldn’t have done it without Taka Sakai!
Thank you to angel at KimKim for organizing a trip of a lifetime

Thank you,

Taka Sakai ‎

Activity Reviews

Osaka-Nara Day Trip

Osaka

We had an amazing guide, beautiful temple and shrines! And so many deer! A great unique experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

One Day Miyajima Island and Hiroshima Tour

Japan

Miyajima island is a can’t miss beautiful place!

Quality of Experience

Transport

We loved taking the ferry over!

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

Kyoto

Such a unique experience! Even our 10 year old boys enjoyed dressing up for this experience!

Quality of Experience

Our tea ceremony instructor!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kanazawa Full Day Walking Tour

Kanazawa

So much to learn, amazing place, less tourists than some of the other bigger cities! Worth the visit!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchi with Oishi Park

Japan

Mount Fujibis a must see!

Quality of Experience

Lo

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All good but it was difficult and time consuming communicating with Shona.

Hotel Review

Hakuba Tokyu Hotel

A little lodge like but the rooms are spacious and clean Very Reasonable priced Staff a little neurotic Restaurant only open for breakfast and Not dinner No bar and Wasn't disclosed to us

Authenticity & Character

Location

See above

Staff

See above

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Full Day Sake Tasting & Snow Monkey Park Tour (Join-in)

Nagano

Kerin and Sean were amazing! Loved everything about the tour

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sandy was an outstanding specialist. We iteratively developed a perfect 3 week trip to Japan. She well assessed our interests and experience and sculpted a trip that we thoroughly enjoyed. Throughout the trip she would send details of the upcoming days' logistics and would check in with us regarding how things were going. Also, in response to feedback along the way Sandy suggested additional things of interest. One in particular was a spectacularly insightful suggestion. (She knew I liked the author Haruki Murakami and after hearing that we'd enjoyed seeing buildings designed by architect Kengo Kuma, she pointed out that the Murakami Library at Waseda University was designed by Kuma.. that settled our decision to visit and it was awesome!). Our guides selected by Sandy were terrific. In particular, we spent three days with Yuki Yamazaki and feel like she is now one of our new best friends! All of our guides (Yumi, Jun, Yuki and Naoko) exhibited tremendous knowledge and competence in their respective geographies. It was an incredible trip and will be treasured by us forever.

Hotel Reviews

Hakone Kowakien Ten-yu

Hakone

Staying at Hakone Kowakien Ten-yu was a highlight of our trip. The hot springs resort was fabulous. It wasn't what I expected from a typical hotel; it was more of a resort hotel popular with Japanese tourists. Both my wife and I wished we had an extra full day and night there to soak in the experience. It was a refreshing change from the usual business hotels.

Centara Grand Hotel Osaka

Osaka

The Centara Grand Hotel Osaka was a revelation. I had never heard of this Thailand-based hotel group, but the hotel was stunning, especially the club floor where we stayed. The room was impeccable, and the club floor amenities were top-notch. It was a delightful experience overall.

Activity Reviews

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove and Monkey Park Tour

Kyoto

The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove and Monkey Park Tour was a standout experience. Our guide, Kaori, shared deeply personal family stories about her mother's experiences during World War II, enhancing our understanding immensely. Her ability to weave history with the surroundings was incredibly impactful, making the tour unforgettable.

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

Japan

The Full Day Mt. Fuji and Lake Ashi Tour with Hakone Tozan Railway was spectacular. Our guide, Naoko, was excellent, and the Open-Air Museum unexpectedly delighted us. Though initially on our list as a 'if you have time' option, it became a highlight. I even bought a book about the museum afterwards—just fascinating!

We had a great time and did not need to worry about nearly anything. Almost every detail was well thought out, and Sandy had good ideas for activity replacements if we did not want to do something that was initially suggested. Travel was smooth and communication was great

Kimkim is a WinWin
Out arranged drivers and guides all showed up and did good jobs. May took us to Mt. Fuji; we had a lovely time with him. Aki took us to Mehajima Island and was great. Kimmie took us around Kyoto for a very fun day. Shonna contacted us daily to remind us who our guides/drivers would be for the next day. That was an asset. Also, KimKim provided us detailed instructions of how to get to places we were going on our own.

Hotel Review

THE KNOT HIROSHIMA

Hiroshima

The location was perfect. It had the best breakfasts.

Authenticity & Character

It was boutique-ish

Location

It is walkable to the Peace Memorial Park.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Half Day Miyajima Island Tour

Hiroshima

Kimkim should know that this tour needs more than 1/2 day. OR we should have started the day much earlier. We had to practically run to get back to the ferry and we are not runners. But your guide couldn’t have been more knowledgeable or sweeter.

Tokyo: Sumo Show Experience with Chicken Hot Pot and a Photo

Tokyo

It was a fun show with audience participation.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

While planning our trip, Katsu was wonderful. Very thorough and responsive. It seemed a bit expensive but with all his planning and ideas, we assumed it was going to be well worth it.
The ryokan he arranged for us in Hakone was run down but in a great location. He said it was one of he best in the all of Japan. Not true! Katsu did not tell us we would not have a private shower. The food at the ryokan was almost inedible. Katsu had said that he arranged for the hotel manager to take very good care of us. The man he named we never met.
The most disappointing part of the trip, however, was the private guided tour in Hiroshima. While Sanae was kind, she was also quite shy, had limited English and unfortunately, not very effective in her role. On the way to the garden, she did not explain anything about what we were seeing from the cab window. Once we arrived at the garden, she had no clear plan and simply followed us without being able to answer our questions. This could have been due to a language barrier, but it raises the question of why we were assigned a guide who wasn't fluent in English.
Our experience was similar on the bus ride to the museum. She remained silent and again did not know the answers to questions we asked as to what we were seeing from the window. When we arrived, she told us that talking was not allowed inside the museum, so she would wait for us at the exit. This left us wondering why she was with us in the first place if she wasn't able to guide us.
Afterward, we decided to continue exploring the park on our own and let her go home. We didn’t need her to accompany us further. She was supposed to accompany us to Miyajima the next day which we paid handsomely for but after the frustrating experience in Hiroshima we chose to do this on our own. We knew she would be unprepared for each site, nor be able to provide explanations. Our other guides we personally hired in Japan, didn’t just cover what we were seeing—they also connected it to Japanese culture, enriching our experience along the way. This is what we had come to expect and assumed, from what Katsu had said, would continue in Hiroshima.
Upon our return to the states, we explained all of this to Katsu and asked for a refund of the private tour of Hiroshima. His solution was to offer us another private tour when we return to Japan. It is very unlikely that I will return to Japan and if I did I would never use his services. Additionally, I will not recommend him or his company Next Japan Travel.

March 2025: Just returned from a 8 night trip to Japan with my husband and 20 year old son. It was FABULOUSly well planned by Leny! Her recommendations were spot on with our pre-trip discussions and expectations. Our hotels in Tokyo, Hakone & Kyoto were lovely, in great locations and included a fantastic breakfast. Our private guides all spoke great English and were a delight to spend a few hours each day exploring local sights. Our transfers and daily reminders were flawless.

Trip Highlights:
Tokyo Tsukiji and Asakusa with Michiko
Tokyo Food Tour with Clara
Hakone Tour with Masa
Kyoto Arashiyama with Hiro
Koyto Dinner with a Maiko in Gion district with Josh
Kyoto Kiyomizu Temple, Fushimi Shrine & Nishiki Market with Hiro
Nara with Yasuhisa

Plum blossoms were in bloom and beautiful :)

I highly recommend booking with kimkim!

Hotel Reviews

Mitsui Garden Hotel Roppongi Tokyo Premier

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Blossom Kyoto

Kyoto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Matsuzakaya Honten

Kanagawa

Destination experience of it's own!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

HOTEL GROOVE SHINJUKU, A PARKROYAL Hotel

Tokyo

Great location!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

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

Japan

Yasu was an expert local guide and a pleasure to spend the day with!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Sushi Making Experience: Craft Authentic Sushi

Kyoto

Unique experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Kyoto Tour with English-Speaking Guide (Private)

Kyoto

Hiro was fantastic!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tea Ceremony in Kyoto (Private)

Japan

Unique experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hidden charms of Arashiyama

Kyoto

Hiro was great!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Kyoto

Josh was great! The dinner with Maiko was an amazing, unique experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Relaxing Evening: Private Onsen and Kaiseki Dinner

Hakone

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Japan

Masa is a great driver and guide!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Best Of Shibuya Food Private Tour - Evening

Tokyo

Clara is a great guide!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Tokyo Tour with a Multilingual Guide by Public Transportation (Private)

Tokyo

Michiko was a great local guide and knows how to get around the city with ease.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Leny was a fantastic guide and immensely helpful in planning our trip to Japan. I was very overwhelmed going into the planning process, and Leny took the time to work with me and understand my needs to craft the perfect itinerary. She totally understood our requests and went above and beyond to make logistics as smooth and easy as possible. When we arrived in Japan we felt 0 stress, and all the activities planned were incredible- local, authentic, and just so much fun. Thanks to Leny and the KimKim team for a seamless and amazing trip!

We were only in Japan for 7 days, but managed to see four cities in that time-Kyoto, Tokyo, Osaka, and Izu. We saw many incredible attractions with the expertise of KimKim. We particularly enjoyed experiencing traditional Japanese accommodation and cuisine. Eleanor, our planner, was professional, responsive to our questions, and very polite. We never worried while we were travelling and were able to discover beautiful Japan! Thank you KimKim and Eleanor for an amazing experience. We would highly recommend their services to anyone planning for a stress free trip!

I can’t say enough about the amazing trip my husband and I had hiking the Kumano Kodo trail. Ilse was absolutely wonderful in setting up our hike and worked with us patiently as our plans needed to be modified because I was running the Tokyo Marathon the weekend before. Our meals and hosts each night were perfect. My husband and I were not only celebrating my marathon but our 25th wedding anniversary. Ilse made it special from start to finish.

Hotel Reviews

Yunominesou

Yunomine Onsen

Yunominesou offered a more traditional Japanese experience and we shared it with many other hikers. The hot spring on the property was genuine and soothing, although the meals were a bit too exotic for our taste, especially the dishes that needed preparation at the table. However, they did make efforts to label the items in English, which helped. We were a bit let down by the breakfast and lunch that were packed for us, which lacked variety and freshness.

Minshuku Chikatsuyu

Tanabe

Our stay at Minshuku Chikatsuyu was a lovely experience with a great family-style dining atmosphere. While it was larger than our first accommodation, it still felt intimate, with beautiful views from the dining hall. The meals were delicious, although the lunch provided was just a small sandwich, which fell short of expectations.

Minpaku Akatsuki (5-minute drive from Takahara) 民泊あかつき

The accommodation at Minpaku Akatsuki was a wonderful start to our trip. The host was incredibly welcoming, and staying there felt like being in her own home. The meals were fantastic and the sleeping quarters were comfortable. Breakfast was also wonderful, offering us everything we needed to start the day on a high note. The personal touch made it an unforgettable experience.

Activity Review

Hike the Kumano Kodo from Chikatsuyu to Hongu

Japan

Hiking the Kumano Kodo from Chikatsuyu to Hongu was a remarkable experience. The trail offered a wonderful landscape, and the camaraderie with fellow hikers was heartwarming. Meeting the same hikers across different points during our journey added a unique touch to the overall experience.

Our family of 4 had a wonderful first trip to Japan with Shona's planning and guidance. We didn't have a lot of notice on the trip, but she was still able to put together a really nice itinerary. We had great communication with our drivers, who were all on time and sent photos to explain how to find them when getting off the rails and at the airport.
We had very good experiences with all three of our tour guides, but Zumi in Kyoto went above and beyond to teach about the area and connect with our family. I highly recommend using Shona and the KimKim platform to plan your trip to Japan.

Travel for 5 people to Tokyo and Kyoto. We love both places!

Best parts of the trip were:
Hotel Accommodations & Car Service: Excellent!
- Blossom Hibaya in Tokyo
- Hotel Higashiyama in Kyoto
- Car Service from and to airport, and to Disney: excellent drivers. On time and friendly.

Best Venues: Would recommend!
- TeamLab Borderless n Tokyo
- Tokyo Disney
- Nintendo Museum in Kyoto

Self guided tours of Temples - would have been better with knowledgable tour guide to help educate & appreciate it.
Self guided tour of Kyoto Shrine: 3 mile walk was too long. Tori gates are beautiful. . Guide would be helpful.

Guided food tours: Interesting. Knowledgable tour guides. Probably only needed to do one.

Travel supplies:
-Bullet train tickets and directions - well done
-Tokyo metro tickets and directions - missing one ticket for 5th person. Directions were helpful.
-eSims not used. Not needed. Returned in envelopes provided. Mailed from hotel on last day.

Restaurant suggestions: very helpful
Shopping information: very helpful

Venues that needed additional info or cautions:
- Kyoto Tour Guide Max was wonderful! Highly recommend him.
-Travel to/around Bamboo forest - slippery, uneven rock steps. Caution for older or disabled travelers
-Bamboo forest itself was beautiful!
- Iwatayama Monkey Park - steep, uneven, slippery climb up a mountain. Caution elderly or disabled travelers.

Art museums; Multiple museums. In Tokyo and Kyoto. Variable size, content and interest.

General issues:
- Payment for 5th person at Blossom Hibaya in March missed. Direct payment made to hotel. Reimbursement coming.
- Nintendo Museum ticket errors (wrong name listed). Delay at gate as name had to be changed to match ID.
- Thank you for Shellfish Allergy info translated into Japanese for restaurants.