1. Japan
  2. Japan Trip Reviews
  3. Spend 6 days in Tokyo and 2 days in Kyoto and Osaka. I will be traveling with my daughter.

Wonderful experience in Japan
Japan | Aug 6 - Aug 14, 2024

R
Roman B.
San Jose, CA | Reviewed on Aug 16, 2024

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
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
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
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.
Local specialist: Shona Zhang
Shona
Shona Zhang
Local specialist in Japan | Replied on Aug 20, 2024
Dear Roman, Hope you have a great day. Thank you for your glowing review! It's wonderful to hear that you had a great experience on your 10-day tour of Japan with your daughter. It's great to hear that my team did such an amazing job handling any issues that arose. We're glad that you were able to enjoy enriching experiences and have some easy relaxing days to explore on your own. Japan is indeed an amazing country, and we're thrilled that we could help you make the most of it. We... Read more

Dear Roman,

Hope you have a great day. Thank you for your glowing review! It's wonderful to hear that you had a great experience on your 10-day tour of Japan with your daughter. It's great to hear that my team did such an amazing job handling any issues that arose. We're glad that you were able to enjoy enriching experiences and have some easy relaxing days to explore on your own. Japan is indeed an amazing country, and we're thrilled that we could help you make the most of it. We appreciate your recommendation and look forward to helping you plan future travels as well.

Best regards from Asia,
Shona

Read all Japan reviews