Trip to Hokkaido and Kyushu, Japan
Japan
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Feb 7 - Feb 19, 2025
We had a wonderful trip to Japan thanks in large part to the help of KimKim Travel specialist Shona Zhang. We traveled from Sapporo in the Northern Island of Hokkaido to the Southern Island of Kyushu.
The guide in Sapporo was Yuko Sayu who did a great job explaining history, culture and any questions we had. Her communication skills we very good and her knowledge of Sapporo and of the Snow Festival. Se were able to see things we would have never experienced on our own. Yuko is a lifelong resident of the Hokkaido and gave us great insight into the lives and culture of the people there. The Hotel that KimKim Travel had arranged for us was comfortable and the the location was perfect as we were walking distance to the ice and snow sculptures as well as a myriad of eating options and shopping. Yuko recommended some excellent places and things to eat locally as well as things that were unique to Hokkaido…”Genghis Khan” bbq pork, local crab and sushi, Sapporo style ramen, as well as the Sapporo Brewery museum and the world renowned Nikka Yoichu Distillery in neighboring Otaru city. The night ice sculptures and lights along the Otaru canal were beautiful. The transportation was well planned out, on time and very accommodating.
We next flew to Fukuoka in Kyushu where we met up with our guide Asako Iwai who was born and raised in Kyushu. We were able to take a van from the airport on an excursion to Nagasaki where we visited the
Atom Bomb Memorial and Museum. That was a moving experience and more so because Asako knew so much about that history and the thoughts of the local Japanese. We spent 2 nights in a very nice Hotel convenient to the train station and close to places where the local people ate and shopped. There were many pleasant surprises in Fukuoka including old castle grounds, beautiful gardens at Ohori Park, Fukuoka tower, all with a rich history that Asako explained to us. We sampled local cuisine, including the local sake and pastries. We then rode the bullet train from Fukuoka to Kagoshima…a real treat to see the efficiency and speed of that rail system.
In Kagoshima we met our guide Mikiko Horikiri. She guided us on a ferry to Sakurajima Island where we were able to enjoy a free foot bath in the warm volcanic heated water, and visit an observation point to get a clear view of the Sakurajima active volcano. So much of area’s culture is based around the Volcano and the effects it has on the local people and the enviroment. Miki gave us a great overview of life there. She pointed out numerous places to shop and eat and had great recommendations of what to try…Kurobuta (black Pork) tonkatsu, Unagi, and a special Chicken dish served at the Senganen Garden. One highlight was the Shimadzu Satsuma Kiriko Crystal Glassworks where we viewed craftsmen blowing the glass and artisans etching the intricate designs into the glasses. We even got to try our hand at etching our own glass shochu cups to bring home as keepsakes.
We had very good accommodations and transportation while in Japan and all three of our tour guides were top notch! We especially appreciated Shona at KimKim Travel who took a personal interest in us and make sure all our questions and needs were addressed in a timely manner.
Thank you so much!
Reid Saito
Hotel Reviews
The Ibis Styles was perfect for out stay. We were able to room 3 in one room which was significant savings. The Japanese breakfast showcased authentic Japanese cuisine with many choices. The western style breakfast was also available. The service and Front Desk were very helpful although they did not always speak English but with the cell phone translators we were able to get by fine. The location was great with walking distance to the Ice Scuptures and Snow Sculptures during the Sapporo Yuki Matsuri (Snow Festival). There are many eating places, pubs, and shopping malls within a few blocks making this hotel a great place to stay during the busy ski and festival winter season.
Nice hotel with a very good location in Fukuoka. The combination in Japanese and western style breakfast buffet was excellent and provided us with a chance to eat without leaving the hotel in the morning. The staff was very helpful and accommodating when we shipped our luggage to the next hotel.
Our room was very good size and was able to accommodate three adult adults. The Breakfast buffet was both Japanese and western food and was all very good. The hotel location was central to downtown Kagoshima and had easy access to restaurants and stores.
This hotel had a great location in the Shibuya District of Tokyo. It provided easy access to shopping and restaurants and was located very close to Shibuya train station. They provided both Japanese and western style breakfast buffet every morning.
Activity Reviews
A fantastic display of snow and Ice Sculptures taking months to make every year. The scale, diversity and number of sculptures is truly amazing.
Our Guide Mikiko, born and raised in Kagoshima took us on tour of the city and of Sakurajima Volcano. It is truly an amazing sight to see so many living in the shadow of an actively erupting volcano.
