Shona Zhang

We had a fantastic time in Japan and owe it all to Shona and the KimKim team. KimKim found the perfect balance for us. The hotels, guides, transportation, and sights were exactly what we wanted. We didn't have a good idea of how to tackle this ourselves since it was our first trip to Japan, and Shona guided us through the options of sights and activities, hotel service levels, guides and time on our own, and everything else. We were able to select options and hotels based on our budget, and the choices she helped us make turned out to be exactly what we were looking for. Everything ran perfectly, and we felt completely covered in every respect. We literally would not change a thing about the trip, and came away loving Japan.

Hotel Reviews

UNO HOTEL

Okayama, Tamano

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

Authenticity & Character

It is a great modern hotel, with all the amenities.

Location

across the street from the ferry

Staff

super helpful and friendly. Everyone spoke English

Cleanliness & Comfort

great modern rooms, super clean and well equipped.

Hotel New Otani Osaka

Osaka

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

Authenticity & Character

nice and well appointed. Room got hot at night though.

Location

very close to the castle

Staff

very friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mikasa Ryokan

nara

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

Authenticity & Character

totally authentic in every way.

Location

easy access from Nara city

Staff

very friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

very clean. you have to be ready to sleep on futons

THE SCREEN - Boutique & Luxury Design Collection -

Kyoto

Super cool designer hotel.

Authenticity & Character

unique designs, large rooms, well appointed.

Location

across from the castle, but off the busy street so it is quiet.

Staff

very friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

very clean and comfortable, though seating in the room was very close to the floor, so not great for older people.

Shiba Park Hotel

Tokyo

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

Authenticity & Character

Cool vibe, modern amenities, great mix of design and comfort.

Location

convenient, close to temples and activity, but super quiet on a side street.

Staff

unbelievably kind and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

the rooms are smaller, but are very comfortable and well appointed. very clean and cool feel to it.

Activity Reviews

Gion District and Nishiki Market

Kyoto

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.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Miyama Village Tour From Kyoto

Japan

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Enjoy a Full Day Tour in Nara

Nara

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.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Osaka Local Foodie Tour in Dotonbori and Shinsekai

Osaka

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ika was a fantastic guide.

Transport

Full day Tokyo city tour with Rikugien Garden

Tokyo

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.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day City Tour with Osaka Castle

Japan

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.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our three weeks in Japan were fantastic. Our local guide Shona suggested locations and activities that we would have had difficulty finding on our own but that made the trip very memorable. The accommodations she found for us, particularly the Ryokan in Kawaji Onsen, were among the best hotels we have ever stayed at and were staffed by some of the nicest people we've ever met. We felt very pampered.
Shona was always available and prompt in responding to our inquiries and issues even with the substantial time difference between us. She would also send us our itinerary for the day on our trip itself which made things very easy.
The guides she booked for us were very friendly and shared a lot of interesting cultural knowledge about Japan with us. One of our drivers was kind enough to suggest alternative activities on a day when the weather was not cooperating with what was initially planned.
There were a couple of instances where we had a guide booked for us that felt somewhat unnecessary - like days where we went hiking and probably would have preferred to have just had a driver instead. This is also on us in that we could have communicated this preference to her a bit better.
On the whole, Shona was a great planner for our trip to Japan and we would recommend her and KimKim to other travelers in the future!

Shona was exceptional in her communications and responsiveness to our feedback, when planning the trip. She provided great suggestions for activities and answered any questions I had, promptly and thoughtfully. Once travelling, Shona kept in close contact, checking in and advising us of activity details. She was always available with any questions we had and was very accommodating of some last minute changes we made. The trip components that she arranged were fantastic and the activities were always top-notch, fun and interesting. The drivers were great: great communication, reliable and very competent. The Private tour guides we had (Slash, Andy and Tan) all had different styles, which was fun, but they were all great. They were reliable, personable, knowledgable, great communicators and very flexible. They accommodated our interests really well. The small tour group guides, through Magical Trips (Max and, sorry, I did not get the name of the Sumo guide), were very good and those tours were really fun. We were so happy with the trip itinerary and everyone supporting the itinerary. Thank you!

Our foursome traveled to Tokyo, Hakone, Nikko, Kanazawa, Osaka and Hiroshima over 16 days. The travel arrangements were impeccable. We used private car, trains and buses. Our guides were great, each in their own way. We enjoyed Yoshi in Hakone. He made a special effort to show us Mt Fuji, despite the cloudy weather. Michiko and Chi were lovely people and a pleasure to be with. Hiro guided us in Kyoto. Yuki met us in Osaka. Yasu showed us Hiroshima. We were very pleased with all of them.
I loved our tea ceremony and took great pleasure in dressing in our kimonos. I, of course, loved all the shrines and the history behind them. The ryokan was amazing and the onsan very relaxing. We dressed in kimonos for dinner that night...very memorable. There were so many things we saw and experienced that it is difficult to think of them all.
Finally, I have to give the biggest shout out of the trip to Shona. She was like the invisible mother to us all, checking in every day and reminding us of times, places and people. She is the best tour coordinator I've ever worked with and she would be the reason I would plan another trip with KimKim.

If you are planning a trip to Japan, save yourself all the hassles and contact Shona. From first contact, planning, amendments to the itinerary, right until arrival back home, her communication, knowledge and insights is extremely valuable. Every detail of our almost 3 week trip executed perfectly!

Our two guides, Allen-Loon and Slash simply incredible!

Take a bow Shona, You are an exceptional lady, with immense knowledge, meticulous , and you ensured that we have made memories for life, and had the trip of our lives!

With heartfelt Thanks,

The Bekker’s
South Africa

The KimKim experience was overall excellent, particularly for a first-time traveler looking to hit the "must-see" events in a new country.

Shona and her team communicated clearly and fluidly each and every step of the way, including helping and adjusting schedules when I got in a (minor and self-inflicted) jam with train travel, facilitating when I wanted to change a few plans last minute, and staying in contact throughout the trip.

The tour guides appointed were lovely and thorough, and the hotels picked were top-notch, as were all travel accommodations within the country.

Generally an excellent experience, highly recommend, and being clear what it is you're looking to get out of the trip -- the more information you provide, the better they're able to tailor the experience.

I did my first trip to Japan, 16 days and all by myself. I found it incredibly challenging planning, navigating and booking the things I wanted to do. I had literally spent weeks researching experiences and reading reviews of tours and trying to figure out which ones to do before I gave up. So did another first - booked the whole thing through Kimkim. SO GLAD I did. Shona my local guide was amazing. She totally heard and understood my wants and needs and every step of the way was right there with answers and advice. The tours and experiences she booked were exactly what I wanted and all were excellent, and it all stayed in my budget. I'm absolutely going to book every trip through Kimkim from now on.

I just finished my 10-day tour in Japan, with my 18yo daughter. Out itinerary, offered by KimKim, covered Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. We had a wonderful experience overall. Shona, our agent, did an amazing job planning our trip and promptly following up on my questions and inquiries. All the tours and transportations were arranged properly and went smoothly.
There was one confusion at the very beginning, when we mistakenly got a ride from the Narita airport with random driver, instead of designated driver, yet KimKim acknowledged some miscommunication on part of designated driver and fully reimbursed us for the ride. Other than that, we had a wonderful experience - the entire itinerary was offered in a way to get an enriching experiences via day-long tours (like Mt Fuji/Hakone), Kyoto sigh-seeing with private tour guide (Jun was very engaging and knowledgeable), visiting popular tourist attractions, like TeamLabs Borderless, but also allowed some easy relaxing days to explore on our own.
Japan is an amazing country, and KimKim travel can help you get the most of it. Shona also provided me upfront with some good information about customs rules and regulations, traditions and practices of Japan, and other details.
I highly recommend KimKim, and Shona Zhong in particular, for planning a trip to Japan; I assume that planning travel to other destination will as smooth and enjoyable.

Hotel Reviews

Mitsui Garden Hotel Ginza gochome

Tokyo

Nice location at the heart of Ginza; friendly stuff. Rooms are small yet clean. Public baths with hot water is a plus. Minute walk from Higashi Ginza station and 7/11, which is very convenient.

Authenticity & Character

The hotel fits very well in overall landscape of Ginza - a modern understatement.

Location

Nice location at the heart of Ginza

Staff

All staff in Japanese hotels are nice and friendly. Mitsui Gardens is no exception

Cleanliness & Comfort

Good overall but pillows comfort could be a bit better. This applies to all the hotels we stayed.

Kyoto Tokyu Hotel

kyoto

Nice hotel overall but location is a bit off the center, unlike the hotel in Tokyo.

Authenticity & Character

Nothing special, but fine overall.

Location

No convenience stores around the area.

Staff

Japanese people hospitality and friendliness is unmatched, including hotel stuff!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pillow comfort is a bit compromised (just as in all other hotels we stayed); otherwise very good

Cross Hotel Osaka

Osaka

Perfect location in the heart of Osaka, few minutes walk to iconic Dotonbori, close to everything.

Authenticity & Character

Perfectly fit the environment - airy and modern.

Location

Perfect location in the heart of Osaka, few minutes walk to iconic Dotonbori, close to everything.

Staff

Cross Hotel personnel is attentive, friendly, and helpful - like all in Japan!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Same story with pillows; other than that nice and clean, and comfortable!

Activity Reviews

1-Day Mt. Fuji & Hakone Tour [Return by train] With Lunch, From Shinjuku

Tokyo

Very nice trip; unfortunately the foggy weather did not allow to see Mt Fuji in all of its beauty. Cable car ride to the top was a huge relief - a breath of fresh cool air comparing to hot and humid weather down there. I would not say that TK (guide) storytelling style was extremely fascinating but still he provided with adequate information and overall he kept the the tour at just right pace. I must admit I did not like much the canteen-style lunch experience, and food quality was just okay. The performance of traditional Japanese drummers did brighten up the things though.

Quality of Experience

Sheer beauty of the nature, escape from hustle and bustle of Tokyo

Food

I must admit I am not a big fan of Japanese food, so my opinion here is highly subjective. I felt the soup was a bit too greasy, and the rest tasted quite bland.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

TK is knowledgeable but his narrative style is a bit dry.

Transport

Bus ride was good, safe, and seamless

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

Unforgettable and unusual peek at Japanese tradition through real participation!

Quality of Experience

Recreation of things that I heard about before and considered exotic and fascinating.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The staffers and master of ceremony made this experience truly remarkable.

Transport

Not applicable - self transfer (we took a taxi).

An Insight into Local Religion: Fushimi Inari-Taisha, Nijo Castle and Kinkaku-ji

Japan

Very interesting tour; Jun is knowledgeable and engaging; it is a big advantage to have a private guide so we learned many things through easy and laid-back conversations. The visited shrines and temples are amazing. However, heat was excruciating, and hopping between buses, trains, and walks contributed to our exhaustion and took away from otherwise wonderful experience.

Quality of Experience

All visited temples and shrines were fascinating; the guide explained many things and gave us some insight into the Japanese history!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jun was friendly, engaging, and easy going - we learned a lot from him!

Transport

I'd prefer private driver vs hopping between public transports and relatively long walks, especially during summer months.