Kimkim Trip Reviews for Japan

We had a wonderful vacation in Japan and Fei (our coordinator from KimKim) was with us along the way, taking care of all the details and making our experience a memorable one.
We enjoyed all the places that we visited (Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto Kanagawa and Osaka), with everyone of them offering something different. We enjoyed very much the visit to the Himeji castle that is south of Kobe.
Very good experience overall and thank you to Fei again for taking care of all the details.
Adrian Iancu

Overall, we had a memorable experience in Osaka and Kyoto and we're glad we opted for the private tour and driver. The accomodations recommended were authentic and excellent in service, especially the Imperial Hotel Osaka. The Ryokan in Kyoto gave us a really good feel of the traditional way of living.

The guides were all really polite, attentive and knowledgeable. The driver himself was good and acknowledged his minor technical hiccup and went out of the way to get it sorted. Overall we had a great experience and impression of the places we went.

Hotel Reviews

Imperial Hotel Osaka

Osaka

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Momijiya Honkan Takaosansou

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Osaka City Tour

Osaka

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traditional Tea Ceremony KYOTO

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Bamboo Grove and Monkey Park Tour

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kyoto Cooking Class

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Kinkakuji and Nijo Castle Tour

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Nara Tour

Nara

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Thank you so much for making our trip to Japan memorable and fun. Our guide Lay-la in tokyo, mt. Fuji was also nice to work with. Dennis in Kyoto is very informational too.
Our accomodation locations are also great right in the center of the city.

Activity Review

Osaka Foodie Walking Tour at dark

Osaka

Okini Osaka! Aina-san is the best guide in this tour. She is so jolly and educational which made our trip enjoyable.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had the privilege of having 2 different guides for different days, Shu and Dennis were both incredibly friendly, knowledgable, and accomodating. Guides provided facts and knowledge about the various planned stops on our trip as well as general local info about Japan. Behind the scenes Sandy was a great coordinator and helpful every step along the way. The level of service from KimKim is great. We hit an issue due to a technology failure, but the team fixed everything quickly and were very professional.

This was out first trip to Japan,Angel took the time to organise the trip taking into consideration our special needs. The guides organised were exceptional. I will highly recommend Odynovo and Angel for your Japan trip.

Our family has travelled to more than 30 countries and all seven continents. We have used various travel agents for trips to Africa, Latin America, Asia, Australia and Antarctica.

I can say without hesitation that Kimkim is the best travel agency, and our local specialist Sandy is the best individual travel agent, that we have ever worked with.

The planning process with Sandy was easy, transparent, efficient and informative. We went back and forth several times as we narrowed down our itinerary, chose our hotels and selected our experiences. Sandy always had great options, common sense suggestions and creative ideas. Every time I had a question or a message for Sandy, I would have a direct and helpful answer from her the very next day. And, importantly, she always respected our budget. We never felt rushed, manipulated or "up sold" on anything.

Our Kyoto guide Sunny was delightful. A longtime guide, his love for Japan showed through at all times. He was very easy to be with -- always going out of his way to find just the right snack or restaurant, shortcut or camera angle.

Or Hiroshima guide, Yuji was terrific. During Covid, he created a series of illustrated notebooks that cover every possible aspect of Japan's history, geography, culture and traditions. I think I learned more about Japan while reading his notebooks than at any other moment on the trip. Yuji also plays the flute and gave us an extraordinary sample of his musical talents while we walked through a beautiful forest on Miyajima island -- it was a totally magical and unexpected moment for us.

Yoshi, our Tokyo guide, was equally excellent. He took us across Tokyo on various subway and commuter lines -- covering more sights and attractions more immersively than we could have imagined. His choice of sushi lunch restaurant was absolutely perfect -- some of the best sushi I have ever had in my life. After just one day with him, we were sorry to say goodbye.

Finally, Ryoji, our guide for a night time food tour of the Shinjuku district of Tokyo, was absolutely amazing. Over the course of four hours, he took us to five different eating establishments, down narrow alleyways, along wide boulevards and through crowded neon-lit intersections. This was probably my favorite single experience on the trip.

Unfortunately, while in Tokyo, we had an unexpected health situation (totally unrelated to our activities or Kimkim's planning) that required us to cut short our trip and return home. In these difficult moments, Sandy was unbelievably supportive and helpful. She helped us make immediate and urgent changes to our plans, was available 24/7, and helped us get refunds on the activities that we could not do. Her constant availability, encouragement, and support helped us get through a difficult moment which required difficult choices and stressful adjustments to the trip.

Even weeks after our trip, Sandy was still engaged with us, helping wrap up final details and offering encouragement.

In summary, I highly recommend Kimkim, Sandy and our local guides. They really are the best travel professionals we have ever worked with.

We will definitely use Kimkim for our next trip.

If your experience is half as good as our experience was, you won't be disappointed!!

Activity Review

Tokyo Night Foodie Tour in Shinjuku

Tokyo

This was a fantastic experience. I highly recommend this. The highlight of our Tokyo visit!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ryoji was excellent! Ask for him!!

Transport

Had an extraordinary trip of a lifetime with my family. So much, that my kids want to go back and go places we were not able to visit. Initial and planning communication with Gibwa was outstanding. The places she chose to visit and transportation logistics were out of this world. Once in Japan, we did run into some minor incoviniences like for example misunderstandings about meeting points with a guide, but that's expected even in the most perfectly planned trip. Those instances Alan came through in solving the issue via chat even making calls in behalf of us. Guides we used that we highly reccomend are Keiko and Hiroshi. Planning with Gibwa allowed us to choose some hotels by our own research and others recommended by them. One memorable one was the onsen at Hakone, very luxurious but worth the price for this once in a lifetime trip. The trip was a perfect combination of guided days and independent traveling, we felt we got the mos out of it. We can't thank Alan enough for imparting his recommendations and knowledge of Japan and tips for visitors

Activity Review

Tokyo Food Tour

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

For our first time to Japan, Fei made a trip where we really got to see a lot of Japan. Our guides were great people who had exceptional knowledge of Japan and the places and things we saw. They made us feel welcome and helped us explore their cities and points of interest.

Hotel Reviews

Kyoto Tokyu Hotel

kyoto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shibuya Stream Excel Hotel Tokyu

Tokyo

Very comfortable beds, quiet, very clean.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

ANA Crowne Plaza Hiroshima

Hiroshima

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Green Plaza Hakone

Hakone

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nagoya Tokyu Hotel

Nagoya

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day City Tour with Tokyo National Museum and Senso-ji Temple

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchiko Cruise and Oshino Hakkai

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Izakaya Cooking Class (small group tour)

Kyoto

The cooking class was so much fun. It was very easy as the staffed had prepared a lot of the ingredients but the recipes were easy and tasty.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We walked through the neighborhood from our hotel.

One Day Miyajima Island and Hiroshima Tour

Hiroshima

This was a great tour but it would be better as two days. We were rushed to see everything before it closed. Hiroshima tour is very in depth and heavy and deserves to be appreciated. Miyajima was really impressive and worth the trip from Hiroshima.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Kyoto

The samurai and ninja museum was quick and interesting. The Tea ceremony was fun.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Full Day Nara City Tour from Kyoto

Kyoto

The rich history and the Great Buddha were amazing and well worth the time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Kyoto City Tour with Fushimi Inari-Taisha

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Nagoya Castle and City Museum Tour

Nagoya

Lots of things were closed due to New Years Holiday But the Toyota Museum was excellent. definitely worth the time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fei did a great job planning our trip to Japan! We wanted to cover the most popular locations but also experience some local favourites and we enjoyed all the activities that were planned. There was ample time also for us to explore by ourselves and the instructions for all travel legs were very clear and there were almost no hiccups. The local guides that were taking us around were also very kind and helpful!

Special shot out to Fei for arranging a private driver from Yuzawa to Tokyo when we were stuck after the earthquake. She promptly responded and found us a driver. I was skeptical initially as we didn’t have a direct contact to Fei but she continued to respond outside work hours to help us out!

Would highly recommend Fei to organise your trip!

Hotel Reviews

karaksa hotel TOKYO STATION

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shibuya Tokyu REI Hotel

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Green Plaza Hakone

Hakone

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

HOTEL TORIFITO KANAZAWA

Hotel was clean but the rooms were too small where we couldn’t open our suitcases.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hilton Garden Inn Kyoto Shijo Karasuma

Kyoto

Spacious rooms!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Helped us a lot with our luggage transfer!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shojoshin-in Temple

Great experience staying in a temple. The rooms were comfortable for us to rest!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sotetsu Fresa Inn Hiroshima

Hiroshima

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Tokyo City Tour with Senso-ji Temple (join-in)

Tokyo

The tour took us to nice places but felt the timing in each location is not enough

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchiko Cruise and Iyashi no Sato

Tokyo

It was a great experience to be up close with Fuji!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Shirakawago Day Trip

Kanazawa

Ended up being a perfect day weather wise to visit! A great day trip from Kanazawa

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was very experienced and shared a lot about the local tradition!

Transport

We got a upgraded super comfortable ride!

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

Since we already enjoyed the Tea ceremony elsewhere that part felt unneeded. But the dressing up part was fun.

Quality of Experience

Full Day Nara Tour From Kyoto with Naramachi District

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was very kind to bring us back to the city and take us to a shopping area to buy snacks!

Sumo Morning Practice

Tokyo

Great learning experience watching the wrestlers up so close! Plus they allowed us to take photos in the end which was cool!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide patiently walked us back to the pickup location even though she didn’t have to!

Drive to Hakone by Private Car

Japan

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All credit goes to Sandy. She provided just the right amount of assistance - very responsive when asked but not overbearing. I have referred a friend who is using KimKim to visit Italy and Sandy should get the credit. I’m also trying to reach her - so far unsuccessfully - for a friend planning to visit Japan.

As to the trip, we were pleased with the planning and Sandy always provided us with the information we would need the next day. Our guides and drivers were generally good and our train tickets and train instructions were always helpful. We especially liked our guides in Hiroshima, to Nara and to Nikko. Our driver to Koyasan drove too fast. We loved the leader on our bike tour out of Takayama but were disappointed at how little time we actually spent biking. Our tour to Mt Fuji was perhaps our biggest disappointing especially the stop by a lake where we waiting for an hour to go up a cable car with an unimpressive view. Our second stop where we could visit a pagoda with a great view of Fuji was terrific. Wish we had not had that first stop as it was a waste of time we would have preferred to spend in Hakone. And our best view of Fuji was actually from the train between Hakone and Takayama. Kanazawa was also disappointing. Fortunately one of our guides told us about the light show at the castle which we went to and loved. We really needed a guide in Kyoto and wish Sandy had pushed that a bit. We ended up hiring someone from Viator - the pickings were slim - and regretted it because the guide was so bad.
All in all we were pleased. We tend to like our independence even though things often turn out badly - we are the masters of Plan B and even Plans C and D. We avoid travel agents and mostly do our own planning. But I would definitely use Kim Kim again if we were guided by someone as helpful as Sandy.

Activity Reviews

Miyajima Island tour( Itsukushima Shrine)

Miyajima

Wonderful place. We wished we had stayed two nights rather than one, or perhaps it would have worked if we had arrived early in the day or stayed later the second day. But we arrived late in the day and left early the next - not good planning.

Japan Alps Kamikochi Day Hike

Kamikochi

Nice trip but likely not worth a whole day. I would not recommend.

Izakaya Food Tour in Tokyo

Tokyo

One of the most fun things we did.

Excursion to Mt. Fuji -Japan's Iconic Landmark

Tokyo

Too much time on cable car with hour wait and mediocre view.

Takayama-Shirakawa-Kanazawa

Kanazawa

This was a fun little town but certainly not a highlight.

Hiroshima Tour

Japan

This was made special due to our excellent guide.

Full Day Rural Bike Tour

Takayama

Loved our guide! She made this a great experience. However we were disappointed at how little time we spent on the bikes.

Day trip to Nara

Kyoto

We loved Nara and we had an excellent driver.

Mt. Koya and Temple Stay Experience

Mount Koya

We loved the little town and the Buddhist temple stay. It was definitely worth the long drive (tho as mentioned previously, we thought our driver drive carelessly)

Angel was extremely helpful. She worked with us to book everything we needed and helped us navigate our arrival to Japan smoothly.

She even helped us get tickets to some music shows and wrestling matches once we were in Japan.

Everything went so well and we loved our trip to Japan. Can’t wait to come back.

Hotel Reviews

Mt. Koya temple stay

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shibuya Tokyu REI Hotel

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Legasta Kyoto Higashiyama Sanjo

Kyoto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Koryu

tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ryokan Motonago

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Yaenomidori Tokyo

Chuo City

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Kyoto City Tour with Tea Ceremony

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gion geisha show

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mt. Koya and Temple Stay Experience (Join-in)

Mount Koya

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Nikko Toshogu Shrine, Kegon Falls & Lake Chuzenji Tour

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our 3 guides, Layla, Dennis and Yoyo were phenomenal, they looked after us and helped us even with things that they shouldnt have helped us with, we had a great time and would definitely book with kimkim again now that i have the experience

So Kimkim has planned my trip to Japan covering Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. I won't mention its perfect. there has been mostly ups and some downs. To break it down...

Positives:
The travel plan is great in general. Very good for a traveler who has yet to visit a country. I thoroughly enjoyed the plans set up and curated specifically for me.
Kimkim has saved the hassle for me in reserving tickets for my travel plan. Made the trip smoother.
Help is somewhat there when you need it
Kimkim has a good plan overall to cover the core parts of a country.
A proper document is given to help guide the traveler in case the traveler is unsure of where to go or how to go

Negatives:
Initial confusion for the changes in itinerary, specialist should be aware of the changes but was not at that point of time. Kimkim site itinerary and document itinerary was different!

Transport planning for an activity is left at the worst option.

Some activities might overlap and become sort of a repeat, due to lack of in-depth check on the activities.

Also,, tickets booked for an attraction had issues which led to some frustrations.

Overall Feedback:
When activities have alternate form of transport available, do in good faith help us plan for the best and most feasible. should not let your traveler face a 3 hour ride back to the hotel vicinity when there is a shorter option of 1 hour train available.

Please ensure travel activities are unique and no activities head to the same place. It should be your duty to check in with the activity host on what the activity consists of.

When planning for activities which the traveler has paid for, also take note on the distance between locations. You are the specialist, try to walk the plan you came up with in our shoes. Discuss with the local guides if necessary, if it is a rush. Plans should not just be activity listing but also time-managed

Your fees are high, as I mentioned, which is alright, but that there comes with a certain expectation. We pay a fee to ensure a specialist who should have proper and vast local knowledge to help guide us through.

Nonetheless, I thank you Kimkim still for remediating the situations.

Recommendation:
I would recommend people to use Kimkim if they are first time travelers to a country. Overall a good experience.
But I also advise travelers to scrutinize the itinerary deeper to ensure they do not face issues similar to mine. Ensure the specialist knows the plan they proposed inside out and the changes. (Which should be the case, else why would we use this)

Hotel Reviews

Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu

Tokyo

Splendid Hotel! Good space and amenities to support long stays and good location

Authenticity & Character

in the heart of the famous crossing

Location

Not as crowded as Shinjuku but strategically located to go to various locations and near the main train station

Staff

all of them

Cleanliness & Comfort

they maintained cleanliness daily and the room smells fresh for new tenants

Osaka Excel Hotel Tokyu

Osaka

This one is a great hotel for long stays. Staff were friendly and helpful. Also the room is quite big. It didnt feel cramped up

Authenticity & Character

Very homely and along the prettiest streets in Christmas,

Location

Located near the train and also strategically distant from the crowded Namba.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kyoto Tokyu Hotel

kyoto

Quite small and compact. Basic needs met at least

Authenticity & Character

Its a normal hotel. Nothing grandiose but serves its purpose

Location

Short distance from the main station and conveniently has a shuttle bus service to help get to and fro from the hotel

Staff

Helpful as expected

Cleanliness & Comfort

Just the design maybe makes it look dated

Activity Reviews

Full Day Tokyo City Tour with Meiji Jingu Shrine

Tokyo

Great experience to cover Tokyo and its beautiful aspects. The guide Yukari was very helpful and knowledgeable. This was one of the well-planned ones

Quality of Experience

Visiting the core aspects of Tokyo

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Helpful and knowledgeable guide

Transport

1-Day Mt. Fuji & Hakone Tour Roundtrip from Tokyo (join-in)

Tokyo

The trip was amazing. Managed to reach the 5th station of Mount Fuji and visited Owakudani and Lake Ashinoko

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Please in good faith plan for the traveler to head back by Shinkansen since there is that option. 3 hour bus rides back is not funny

Kyoto Cooking Class

Kyoto

Fun class learning about Dashi. Good way to cook and make your own food

Quality of Experience

Learn more about Dashi, a core aspect of dishes

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Tour with Tea Ceremony

Kyoto

Everything was okay until I had to rush for the tea ceremony sweating. Pulled my ankle muscle rushing because i am not geared up for a run yo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The distance! The damn distance!

Full Day Osaka City Tour

Osaka

One of the best chill guides among all of them.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Yoshiko was very helpful and friendly!

Transport

Osaka-Nara day trip

Osaka

A good exposure to Nara and its accompanying mountain Mikasa

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Osaka Foodie Walking Tour

Osaka

This one was special. Its a food tour but I was surprised to know its also a Dark alley tour. Our guide Taka brings us for some local food and to explore the darker side of Osaka, around the Nishinari ward

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Taka is amazing and knowledgeable

Transport

Bert did a great job; I would like to rate him 4.5. My reduction comes from the fact that I don’t think he was actually in Japan - I think he is in the Greater Asia area. I have always valued having someone actually in the country or with intimate knowledge of the country on the front end of my planning.

Hotel Reviews

Holiday Inn & Suites Shin Osaka, an IHG hotel

Osaka

Holiday Inn and Suites Shin Osaka was perfect for our needs. We loved the room with small kitchenette and washer/dryer; we loved the morning breakfast; we loved the staff. Try out the restaurant around the corner!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shiba Park Hotel

Tokyo

Shiba Park Hotel is in a great location and is a beautiful hotel. We enjoyed the Japanese breakfast very much. And we had American/Japanese options in the other restaurant. The staff was very helpful and nice. The library feel was pleasant! Highly recommend.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kyoto Tokyu Hotel

kyoto

Kyoto Tokyu Hotel was wonderful. We thoroughly enjoyed the Japanese breakfast here and the options of American/Japanese food in the other restaurant. Hotel is beautiful; staff friendly and helpful. Highly recommend.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Half Day Nara Excursion from Kyoto by Private Car (Todaji Temple, Kasuga Taisha, Deer Park)/

Japan

Nara was a wonderful surprise to see! We didn’t know about Nara before we came to Japan, and we thoroughly enjoyed this tour. The temple with the giant Buddha is beautiful, as is the shrine at the other end of the park. The Park is beautiful to walk through and the deer are fun - don’t miss the fact that some of them have learned to nod their heads gratefully to the humans offering them food.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ho was such a great person to do all our arrangements!! We highly recommend Ho as a logistics guy and a kind and helpful guide!

Transport

All of our drivers on our trip were so very nice and helpful.

Full Day Hiroshima excursion from Osaka by Private Car(guide meets with clients in Hiroshima, Peace Memorial Park, Miyajima Island) :

Osaka

We loved this tour - it was a long day. We would not have wanted to Miyajima Island - it was so nice to see. Perhaps we could have used just a little less time in Miyajima and more time actually in Hiroshima proper - we were a little rushed at the end.

Quality of Experience

Food

Ho was so nice to take care of us in the food category. He carefully chose our restaurants and offered a variety of options. We experienced much more local food options than we would have without Ho. Thank you!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Perfect!

Transport

Full Day Himeji Excursion from Osaka by Private Car(Himeji Castle, Kokoen Garden)

Osaka

Great to see Himeji Castle and garden. This was a good first day option for us. Thank you.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full day Kyoto Tour by Private Vehicle and Guide, Fushimi Inari Shrine, Gion District, Nijo Castle,/

Kyoto

Kyoto is beautiful and this was nice introduction to it. It would take several days to do Kyoto justice, and we had one day. We are glad to have had the overview of this beautiful place.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ho - thank you for our pictures! That was a nice bonus.

Transport

Kate, the local specialist who helped me plan to trip, did a lovely job picking hotels that fit my specifications and finding guides for the different local adventures. She was very responsive to my questions and helped me make changes to the trip itinerary when it turned out the Kamikochi National Park was already closed for the winter. Amy, the local guide in Nagoya who hiked the Nakasendo Way with me, was truly amazing - I would HIGHLY recommend working with her for future travelers. The guide (Layla) and driver for a morning of sightseeing in Nikko area were timely and followed the itinerary.

Hotel Reviews

Ryokan Asunaro

Takayama

Amazing ryokan. Friendly staff who were aware of your personal preferences and spoke some English. Best onsen I visited in Japan. Many fun craft activities (paper making, soy bean grinding, coaster weaving) offered by staff. Beautiful, unique and extensive meals with local ingredients. Rooms were spacious with traditional ryokan set ups. Just be aware this hotel is in a very remote location, with a small village down the street with a few restaurants/shops - it was hard to see much without a car.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very remote - but valuable if that is what you are looking for

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nishitetsu Hotel Croom Nagoya

Grand hotel in great location in downtown Nagoya (10min walk from Nagoya station, main metro station in city). Beautiful views, clean, friendly staff. Breakfast buffet was unparalleled. Room was smaller (not as small as most Tokyo hotels though), but efficient and well appointed. Very nice onsen. I would definitely recommend to future travelers.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Full day Tour by Private Car with Guide: Transfer from Takayama to Kamikochi National Park to Nagoya

Takayama

These activities are completely incorrect- Dec. 2 was taking metro from Nagoya to Magome to hike Nakasendo Way with guide Amy, which was truly amazing. I cannot say enough good things about Amy or the Nakasendo Way hike. Dec. 4 was a private car and driver around Nikko. That was definitely less amazing. I never went to Kamikochi because after I had put down the kimkim deposit the local guide told me the park was closed for the year. Review for Dec. 4 private car with guide around Nikko: Guide Layla sent me WhatsApp messages in advance, but never introduced herself, explained the itinerary or confirmed pick up location. Also, she never vocalized plans on the day of the trip either (I'm not sure if this was a cultural or personal issue). Trip was billed as a "full day tour", but in fact was only 2 hours of sightseeing and 2 hours of driving from my hotel. There was no discussion or inquest about getting food before dropping me off at 2pm. Also, the driver seemed very tired and I was a bit worried about his driving at the beginning of the trip. I am a very active person and thought there was supposed to be some hiking/walking on this day trip, but at most we spent 15min meandering around the lake. The most interactive part of the trip was walking around Toshogu Shrine.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ryoji Shimada, Yoshida Takehara, Jun Tanida, Yoshiko Yoshida, and our guide for the bar hopping were all exceptionally knowledgeable, cheerful, and accomodating. I always felt secure and comfortable and could not ask for more. The itinerary exceeded my expectations and I truly thank you for the cultural variety show in Gion. Happy to have experienced the subway, bus, trains, and of course the Shinkansen. The choice of hotels allowed us to do our own explorations of Shibuya and Kyoto. Enjoyed the shopping and foods. I highly recommend booking travel through you. Thank you for making my first visit to Japan memorable. Arigato gozaimasu. Mahalo and Aloha.

Hotel Reviews

Kyoto Tokyu Hotel

kyoto

Great buffet breakfast. Beautiful, serene, and clean. The shuttle to/from the train station makes travel and shopping convenient.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful lobby, garden, and staff.

Location

Shuttle to the train station makes walking to shopping convenient.

Staff

Cordial and helpful at all times.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room is all around clean and comfortable.

Ryokan Aura Tachibana

Hakone

The location in the mountain village with views is serene.

Authenticity & Character

Rather small and has an old world ambiance.

Location

Beautiful views and enjoyed the private in-room onsen.

Staff

The dining room staff was excellent.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Overall clean.

Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu

Tokyo

Excellent friendly and helpful service. Perfect location for shopping and travel to sites.

Authenticity & Character

Great buffet breakfast with views. Clean, green, helpful staff.

Location

Easy walking to shopping and travel connections.

Staff

Front desk gentleman was english speaking and was a tremenous help with our lost taxi driver.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Excellent bed. Very clean room. Appreciate the green theme.

Activity Reviews

Full Day Tokyo City Tour

Tokyo

Amazing historical tour. Lots of walking and never felt rushed or anxious.

Quality of Experience

Tsukiji market!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Ryoji was "first class".

Transport

Being able to travel the different venues with residents.

Full Day Nikko Toshogu Shrine, Kegon Falls & Lake Chuzenji Tour

Tokyo

All sights were breathtaking. Enjoyed it all.

Quality of Experience

The history at the shrine and natural beauty of the falls and lake.

Food

Eating the little lake fish from head to tail. Yummy.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ryoji is very well versed on the travel sites and guided us to a great fish lunch, shopping, and has a very pleasant demeanor and happy smile.

Transport

The variety.

Full Day Mt. Fuji and Lake Ashi Tour

Hakone

We had a beautiful clear day.

Quality of Experience

Clear skies, beautiful fall colors, and clear view of Mt Fuji.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Most excellent.

Transport

Full Day Tour with Tea Ceremony

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Tour to Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

9

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Nara Tour From Kyoto with Naramachi District

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tokyo Bar Hopping Night Tour in Shinjuku

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Both of our local guides were fantastic, very knowledgeable and willing to adjust the plan based on what we wanted. The only shortcoming of our trip was the choice of hotels. The Shinjuku hotel was right next to the red light district, not the best choice when traveling with an 11-year old. The ryokan in Kyoto was lovely but on the opposite side of town from our guided tour, which resulted in unnecessary travel time.

Planning and booking our trip was really easy with Fei, who was very efficient and quickly responsive. We visited Tokyo, Hakone, and Kyoto, and some of their respective surrounding areas.
Our local guides and our private transportation were excellent. We especially enjoyed Ryoji in Tokyo and Yoshiko in Kyoto. It’s hard to pick favorite sights but the magnificent Fujisan must be mentioned as we had a clear sky when we visited and she was visible in all her glory.
The shrines and palaces looked spectacular against the Fall foliage.. We were fortunate to have great weather.
Hotels were great, especially Shibuya Excel which was in an awesome location for Tokyo exploration.
Of course nothing can be perfect, but when hitches or problems came up in our itinerary, Fei and her team quickly worked with us to try and make the trip as smooth as possible.
We loved the food, people, and traditions. A lovely first trip to Japan and hope to go again some time.

We were a party of 4 and had KimKim (Angel was the person helping us) arrange for a trip that included visits to Kanazawa, Osaka, Kyoto, with most of our visit walking the Kumado Kodo for 6 days. Angel was wonderful in providing a wonderful assortment of places to stay during our walk, with detailed instructions for the various busses and trains that we took during our visit. She also checked in each day, and was very responsive to various questions as they emerged--which not only helped with logistics, but greatly reduced our concerns. In preparation, we were able to look at various options, and thus make the trip better suited to our interests. As our first trip to Japan, we didn't know what to expect, and were really happy with the wide variety of places we stayed, and with the selective guide service (e.g. for a visit to Arashima bamboo garden). This trip was great at introducing us to ryokan, minshuku and onsen experiences, and we also stayed at more urban hotels and one totally wonderful boutique hotel in Kanazawa. We had great service and of course fantastic food throughout the trip, and really credit Angel for this as she worked with us and found overall such great places to visit and stay. We will definitely return to Japan, and look forward to working with Angel again to help with exploring new places.

Hotel Reviews

Sansaro Cafe & Guesthouse

Koguchi

At Sansaro, we had limited interaction with our host, and sadly, the community onsen was closed for that day. We had walked a moderate day, but then rather than wait for a bus (few scheduled) we walked the additional 3 miles so arrived tired. The guest house has a nice central area and a series of small rooms which were small but comfortable. Dinner was modest, and we got very nice lunch bento boxes.

Authenticity & Character

It was nice to stay in this family home and get a feeling for rural life in Japan.

Location

If walking the Kumano Kodo trail, this place is away from the trail, so requires a bus to and from the trail. Since there are few buses, this is awkward. We opted to walk to get there. The bus back to the trail the next day was fine and right across from the hotel.

Staff

Our host was very busy so our interaction was limited, but we enjoyed our visit. She even passed along a beautiful Japanese 'coat' that a friend had given our host to pass along--a very nice gift.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room was quite small, and once the futon was down, there wasn't much room for luggage or even sitting. But, there was a common area to use and that was sufficient. The room was comfortable and quiet.

Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu

Tokyo

The hotel was very good, with good food and very clean room. It is more like a business hotel, which is logical in Tokyo, and it was conveniently located. We enjoyed our stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Kanazawa Zoushi

Kanazawa

This was perhaps the best hotel we stayed in for a variety of reasons. First, it was lovely--beautiful woodwork, lovely rooms and a pleasant small hotel atmosphere. The staff were absolutely wonderful--and treated us like family. We could have stayed many more days and been delighted. We walked to the temple being renovated, and would have loved to have seen more of the old part of Kanazawa, but didn't have time. We had the hotel's udon noodles which were wonderful, as was the breakfast. It was easy to move about town from the hotel, and easy to get to from the amazing Kanazawa train station (we walked). We would highly recommend this hotel!

Authenticity & Character

One of the most beautiful small hotels I've seen with beautiful woodwork, and wonderful ambiance.

Location

Easy walk from the train station, which itself is amazing. We walked around town easily.

Staff

So helpful and welcoming, wonderful food, and even a small gift at the end of our 2 day stay--which we would have loved to be longer.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms are immaculate and very comfortable and quiet. We loved the attention to detail.

GUEST HOUSE Kumano Yasai

Takahara

We had walked a long day to get here, and initially couldn't find it. A neighbor pointed the way, but still, there was no one there. The outside is unassuming, but...we slid open the door and the interior is absolutely beautiful. It has a large living/sleeping room with futons all ready; a smaller area for eating, a small kitchen and a lovely bath. Shino (who did all this lovely work) brought a delicious dinner, breakfast, and provided a bento box lunch for us for our trail walk the next day. We reconnected with her at her cafe after a few hours walk and had a great coffee. Her place was so welcoming it made you want to stay longer--and think carefully about how to incorporate her lovely design in one's own house!

Authenticity & Character

The building is (I believe) 140 years old, with a beautiful renovation preserving the original glass windows, and classic Japanese style house. We loved the character of the house, which was so comfortable and well crafted.

Location

Just off the Kumono Kodo trail, and took a few minutes to find. We didn't have the time (or energy) to explore the village, but Shino's place was quiet and delightful.

Staff

We hope Shino will come visit us in Montana! (We are worried she works too hard--given the fantastic food she prepared for us)

Cleanliness & Comfort

Such attention to detail, so comfortable--just a space to relax and enjoy. One of our favorite places.

Hitotoki

Chikatsuyu

Hideo san and his wife were wonderful hosts, and the meal she prepared was unbelievable--complete with special saki and plum brandy! It was very special to get to know this family just a bit for our one night stay while walking the Kumono Kodo trail. Our hosts were so kind and gracious--we only wished our Japanese was better so we could have learned more about them. Hideo san does this as his 'hobby' (though he admits his wife shoulders much of the burden). We really enjoyed meeting the family and our stay. We were worried about our next day (a long one, where we needed to catch an early bus)--but we were treated to a delightful early breakfast, and a ride to the bus stop which made our day much easier. We are so grateful to Hideo san and his wife for their hospitality.

Authenticity & Character

It was really nice to stay with a family and get a feeling for Japanese life. Our hosts went way overboard with our dinner--one of our most amazing dinners in Japan.

Location

For walkers, the place is a bit off the trail, which is awkward as the next day is long, and really requires a bus ride to make it more reasonable--but the family helped by driving us to the bus stop so it all worked out well.

Staff

Hideo san was wonderful, and with our paltry Japanese we were able to chat about many things. Such a lovely visit.

Cleanliness & Comfort

We were a party of 4 and each had a room that was clean and comfy. We shared the bath with the family and were very comfortable for the visit.

Ryokan Yunominesou 湯の峯荘

Yunomine Onsen

After a long walking day, we arrived for our first ryokan experience, and it was wonderful. The staff were so welcoming, the onsen lovely, and the dinner very special. We would have been delighted to stay longer at this ryokan.

Authenticity & Character

There are several onsens in this area, and this one was very nice with a lovely outside bath. The rooms were great (quite large, with a great balcony) and our dinner was amazing--many courses and directions for sequence for eating each course.

Location

On the trail, so an easy stay on the Kumano Kodo trail. We had a bus section the next day and the hotel took us a short distance so we would be assured a seat on the bus!

Staff

Very welcoming and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable

Hotel Urashima

Katsuura

We didn't know what to expect of this resort hotel, and stayed 2 nights here after our Kumano Kodo walk. The cave onsens were truly wonderful, and when we used them, the were not crowded at all. You sit in delightful hot water overlooking the coast--and I even saw fish jumping amidst the surf. The buffet style dinner and breakfast was great, and the place has its own 'Lawsons' (convenience store) with wonderful snacks and lunch food. Our rooms were great with balconies overlooking the bay, and largish rooms that were great. We decided to stay at the hotel (after an early look at the tuna auction) and lounge around in our Japanese coats provided by the hotel. It was a perfect way to end our walk.

Authenticity & Character

We didn't fully understand this resort hotel, which wasn't that busy--though we might have been there off-season (November). We explored the upper hotel section, which had few people, but a lovely walk out along the peninsula with great views. On the lower level, one part of the the hotel appeared to be unused--perhaps slated for renovation. The cave onsens were delightful, and we visited them many times during our stay.

Location

Easy bus ride from the end of the Kumano Kodo trail, a delightful seaside town, and lovely hotel overlooking the town, on a peninsula.

Staff

A large hotel, but front desk staff very helpful and welcoming.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our rooms were large, comfortable, clean, and a perfect way to relax after our walk.

Daiwa Roynet Hotel Kyoto ekimae PREMIER

Kyoto

More a business hotel, which is understandable in Kyoto. Very nice staff, great buffet breakfast, good location next to train station. We walked to several of the main Kyoto attractions.

Authenticity & Character

Fine for a business hotel, though we usually prefer smaller more intimate hotels. This one was very convenient and clean and comfortable

Location

5 min. walk to Kyoto train station. Walked to major temples, Nichi market and Gion area. Great food in area (and in train station!)

Staff

Very helpful for logistics, directions etc.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable, great breakfast buffet

Activity Reviews

The Kurobe Gorge Railway

Toyama

Quite unique to ride this old railway. The gorge is very steep but wooded, so interesting. We walked a few miles up the trail at the end. Cold on the way down (November)

Quality of Experience

Everyone was so nice--

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We drove up from Kanazawa and our driver was quiet but very friendly and helpful.

Transport

Easy for us, on time, convenient

Full Day Tour of Arashiyama Bamboo Grove & Sagano Scenic Railway

Kyoto

We had walked the Kumano Kodo trail, so the forest wasn't spectacular--and fall colors were late. But we had a wonderful guide for this day and we learned alot about the place, but also about Japan and current life there.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Yoshi was wonderful--felt like a friend immediately, and one you could ask any questions of--and we did. Our time with her was just delightful

Transport

Yoshi met us at the hotel, ushered us through the train station (with pre purchased cards) guided us around Arashima and the temple, and back to the hotel--all so easy and relaxing!

Angel did a fantastic job! Our trip had just the right amount of discovery on our own while having day to day details taken care of. We were able to successfully negotiate trains, buses, subways and even a ferry. We stayed at wonderful guest houses and onsens along the Kumano Kodo Trail. Our hosts were gracious and the food was terrific. The driver and guide were delightful and interesting people. Angel checked in with us daily which was nice to remind us of travel details for that day. I would definitely choose kimkim again for a self guided travel experience. And if anyone is considering Japan, I would highly recommend Angel.

Hotel Reviews

Ryokan Yunominesou 湯の峯荘

Yunomine Onsen

Really enjoyed this ryokan with it's outdoor baths and delicious food.

Authenticity & Character

classic tatami rooms

Location

Staff

Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu

Tokyo

I was worried the hotel was to big and impersonal but it turned out to be nicely located for Shibuya, catching trains and walking to the Palace. The views of Tokyo were also amazing.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Kanazawa Zoushi

Kanazawa

We loved this hotel!!! The staff were friendly and welcoming. The rooms were aesthetically beautiful. They had free drinks and made us udon noodles at night.

Authenticity & Character

Aesthetically beautiful

Location

Staff

very welcoming

Cleanliness & Comfort

Osaka Excel Hotel Tokyu

Osaka

We spent only one night. The staff seemed a little harried but was able to answer our questiosns.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

GUEST HOUSE Kumano Yasai

Takahara

What a find! Definitely worth the extra walk down from the trail to experience this delightful guesthouse.

Authenticity & Character

This is an 180 year old Japanese house that was redone beautifully in the inside with the original beams and glass. We had the whole place to ourselves

Location

Staff

Shino did the cooking for our dinner and breakfast. She runs a coffee shop and restaurant. Everything was delicious and the coffee was excellent.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hitotoki

Chikatsuyu

What makes this place exceptional is the two 75 year old hosts who coddled us with home cooking and amusing conversation.

Authenticity & Character

Typical Japanese home.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

A little cramped with bathroom space but all doable

Sansaro Cafe & Guesthouse

Koguchi

We were grateful this guesthouse was available. However, the owner wasn't aware that the onsen wasn't open so had to clean her own bathroom before we could get showers.

Authenticity & Character

Location

We would have chosen a place closer to the trail but again we were grateful for someplace to stay.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Urashima

Katsuura

What a quirky resort. The absulte BEST onsen with the hot springs in caves overlooking the ocean. It was a great place to relax after five days of treking.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Daiwa Roynet Hotel Kyoto ekimae PREMIER

Kyoto

Small rooms. If I were staying longer in Kyoto I would have chosen another place. However very close to the train station.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

The Kurobe Gorge Railway

Toyama

Delightful trip. Lovely hike. Beautiful gorge.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver turned out to be a music conductor. We had lots to talk about.

Transport

Full Day Tour of Arashiyama Bamboo Grove & Sagano Scenic Railway

Kyoto

Yoshi planned a beautiful day experiencing Arashiyama.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Yoshi was a great guide who answered all our questions the area and life as a Japanese woman.

Transport

Yoshi had everything planned so it all happened with little waiting.