Kimkim Trip Reviews for Japan

The guide were very helpful, and also provided a lot of suggestions on our free time. Arranged to mail my extra luggage from my first hotel to the last hotel, that made my trip a lot of easier!

The planning allowed us to see and interact with all the places and events we requested. The travel agents were able to accommodate our specific hotel requests. The guides throughout the trips were professional, knowledgeable, and able to react quickly to help us adjust to changes.

The planning was good overall but missed some critical local information like the availability days to attend an event and details of moving our luggage with us throughout the country. They would benefit from input from a local travel agent more familiar with Japan. The agents were quick to help fix issues and maintained good contact with us throughout the trip.

Overall we loved the trip and will certainly consider using KimKim again.

Activity Reviews

Full Day Tour of Arashiyama Bamboo Grove & Sagano Scenic Railway

Kyoto

The bamboo forest was awe-inspiring to walk through. The scenic railway ride was fun but I could have skipped it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Full Day Tokyo City Tour with East Gardens of the Imperial Palace

Tokyo

Great experience but be prepared to walk a lot in Tokyo.

Full Day Ghibli Museum and Pokemon Center Tour

Tokyo

Fascinating walk through the vision of creative artists.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchiko Cruise and Arakurayama Sengen Park Tour

Tokyo

We started the day with a cloud bank covering the top half of the mountain. By the afternoon, the clouds had moved off, and the full majesty of Mt Fuji was revealed!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Kyoto

A fun way to learn about Japanese history.

Geisha Dinner Show

Kyoto

The Geisha was very knowledgeable of Japanese history and also America. She was a delight to interact with and highly entertaining. The multi-course meal was spectacular!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Half Day Katana Maker Experience in Kameoka

Kyoto

The boys loved this event! Talk about getting a hands-on experience with a uniquely Japanese cultural event.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Full Day Osaka City Tour

Osaka

I loved seeing the heritage of Osaka. Fascinating to learn more about the differences across Japanese cities. The ancient merchants of Osaka vs. the ancient samurai of Tokyo.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Full Day Kobe Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum and Himeji Castle Tour

Osaka

The sake history museums were fantastic. Well designed to help any audience grasp the work, tools, and techniques of sake brewing. The Himeji castle was the most amazing of them all! The volunteer guide was so knowledgeable he enhanced the experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Full Day Shikinaen Garden and Prefectural Museum Tour

Naha

The gardens of the ancient Ryukyu kings was magnificent. I am sure it must have had a powerful impact on their visitors. The cultural influences of many countries were impactful to the people of Okinawa. What a great learning experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our trip to Japan got postponed by three years due to COVID and Japan's borders being closed. Gibwa was flexible and amazing to work with throughout this waiting period! She took time to understand our needs and put together a fabulous itinerary. Her communication was always timely even while we were in Japan and contained the necessary details . This made it easy for us to explore on our own using the itinerary as a guide. My son and I had a trip of lifetime to Japan during the cherry blossom season, thanks to Gibwa.

I think we made the most of the 11 days we had in Japan. Instead of going to Shibuya, we went to the Skytree and instead of going to Nikko, we went to Koriyama to visit family. The subways and trains are very convenient and efficient, there was no need for us to get a taxi or ride service.
Without KimKim, we would not have gotten the guided tour of Nara and our guide Emi was amazing. In addition to her knowledge of Nare, we asked her a lot of questions about Japan in general.
We also would not have booked the traditional tea ceremony without KimKim and that was another great experience. The hosts were very informative and allowed us to stay a little longer to ask additional questions. The kimonos made for a very nice family photo.
The running routes suggested by Myaen were very useful although I did like the path going north along the Kamo river better than the path going south. We also visited the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium to swim per her guidance. I would warn people to bring a towel. The gyms that I go to in the states provide locker room towels but the Tokyo gym does not.
Myaen was frequently checking in with us to make sure we were getting along well and was quick to answer our questions.

This was our second time using kimkim travel (last year they organized our road trip to Ireland)... and thank you kimkim and Myaen - another "home run!" We just returned from a phenomenal 2-week self-guided trip to Japan, which included several days in Tokyo, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Naoshima Island, and Hakone. Myaen was superb as our Japan specialist, helping us think thru what made sense for 2-weeks, as well as recommending the right neighborhoods and hotels to stay in. Our focus for this trip was Japanese contemporary art, and we were not disappointed... so many wonderful museums, exhibits, and places to see. We were also delighted that our contact with our trip planner, Myaen, did not stop once the trip was planned and paid for. Myaen contacted us regularly before the trip, reminded us about appropriate local travel passes to purchase, how to use the visiting Japan website (which makes entry into Japan easier and faster), etc. And Myaen reached out almost daily to make sure the trip was going well, and that any questions we had were promptly answered. We plan on using kimkim again for our next adventure, and wholeheartedly recommend them to others. Kimkim listens, and helps you plan the trip you want - not the most expensive package they can sell. And if you are planning to visit Japan - ask for Myaen.

Activity Reviews

Explore Asakusa

Tokyo

We stayed in Ginza, and as we started our trip in Tokyo, we were pretty jet-lagged and tired - and came close to not leaving Ginza. Boy are we glad we decided to make the short subway trip to Asakusa. Ginza is beautiful and modern, and not far away in Asakusa, you can get a feel for old Tokyo. Temples, shrines, and real neighborhoods. We even had dinner Sunday night outdoors on a small street where we were the only tourists.

Quality of Experience

Traditional Kyoto

Kyoto

We loved being in Kyoto. Within a few blocks of our hotel were temples, shrines, as well as many restaurants and shops. And it was very easy to get to the Bamboo forest and the Fushimi Inari Shrine. We spent three nights in Kyoto and could easily have enjoyed several more.

Quality of Experience

The Hakone Open-Air Museum

Hakone

We had heard this was a great museum... it was fantastic. The setting and the sculptures together added to the experience - it really needs to be seen.

Quality of Experience

Onsen, Ryokan, and Mt. Fuji Experience in Hakone

Hakone

We wanted a traditional onsen experience and we got one. Our hotel was very traditional, and had several beautiful communal baths right on the property... Our days typically started with using the baths before breakfast, and again after dinner. While it was unfortunately too cloudy to see Mt. Fuji, the Hakone area was beautiful and relaxing. A great 3-day end to our 2-week trip.

Quality of Experience

Tokyo Departure

Japan

We had a private car from Hakone to Haneda - very pleasant and stress-free way to end our trip. It was a snap to check-in and check our bags, and to get thru passport control.

Quality of Experience

We very much enjoyed our 2 week Japan vacation, thanks to the careful planning of Irish. Irish was a great problem solver when issues came up, she was a thoughtful communicator, responding quickly to questions and she was thorough and organized so everything was arranged on time and without issue.

Our guides were wonderful for the most part. We thought that Shu was exceptionally good in his knowledge, organization and consideration. Miyuki was also terrific, even though she pushed us to our limits of walking. Mike helped us get part of way from Hakone to Naoshima and he was delightful and efficient. Stephanie showed us around Tokyo one morning on a fun and informative food tour which was a lot of fun.

Together, they made our trip smooth and easy!

Hotel Reviews

Zentis Osaka

Osaka

Beautiful hotel, comfortable rooms, excellent service.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Century Southern Tower

Tokyo

Average corporate hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hakone Airu

Hakone

Beautiful hotel! The photos don’t do it justice. The staff was exceptional. We worked definitely return.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Naoshima Ryokan ROKA

Naoshima

We loved this hotel. A peaceful refuge in a beauty setting. The service is excellent, as is the food. We would definitely return!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

THE KNOT HIROSHIMA

Hiroshima

Great hotel, comfortable rooms, excellent location. The hotel restaurant is excellent!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

14-Day Ordinary JR Pass

Japan

We enjoyed having our JR pass. I wish that I would have ordered it myself online so that I could have made seating reservations online. That’s the only drawback.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arrive in Tokyo

Tokyo

Our greeter was very kind and helpful and helped us secure our JR pass and pocket Wi-Fi. Our driver was a little disappointing. We arrived in heavy rain due to the typhoon. He drove quite aggressively in the rain, and then dropped us in the pouring rain when we were not sure which was our AirBNB. Just put our luggage out on the street and drove off. It would have been really helpful if he could have helped us read the Japanese numbers and signage.

Quality of Experience

Edo-Tokyo Open Air Museum

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Yayoi Kusama Museum

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Akihabara- Tokyo's Electric town

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

TeamLab Planets Tokyo

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Red Tokyo Tower

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Buildings by the architect Shin Takamatsu

Tokyo

The visit to Shin Takamatsu's buildings was interesting and we enjoyed seeing his work.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mt. Fuji and Hakone Tour

Hakone

The Mt. Fuji and Hakone Tour was enjoyable, although we only saw the top of Mt. Fuji due to cloud cover.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to Uji and Nara

Kyoto

We loved it but the 2.5 hour walk to Todai-Ji was too much, especially in the rain. Would have preferred a more direct route.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exploring Arashiyama

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tokyo Departure

Japan

Quality of Experience

Nakameguro Food Tour

Tokyo

The food tour in Nakameguro was great. We enjoyed trying different types of food and our guide, Stephanie, was super helpful despite a minor miscommunication about timing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning Sumo Training Visit

Tokyo

The Sumo Training Visit was a unique experience and it was nice to learn about the culture.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chiku Chiku CAFE- A hedgehog home and cafe in Shibuya

Tokyo

The visit to Chiku Chiku Cafe was fun, but the hedgehogs could have been more alert.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traditional Tea Ceremony

Kyoto

The Traditional Tea Ceremony was one of the highlights of the trip. We really enjoyed learning about the culture and the matcha was delicious.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a fantastic vacation! Our favorite activity was the Ramen Cooking Class in Kyoto. Thank you!

Our trip was fantastic! It was well organized and we were delighted by our experience. The guides were so nice and gave us a great experience. The private car drivers were great as well. Local train reservations were very well organized. This was one of the most relaxing trips we had. Thank you for all the local travel planning as well.

From our earliest interview with Kim Kim, we felt heard and were accommodated throughout. We always received prompt replies to all our questions from Christine over several months of planning and while in Japan. Our accommodations were convenient, comfortable and of high quality. Our booked activities were exceptional. Our guides were knowledgeable, prompt and flexible. We wholeheartedly recommend working with Kim Kim on your next adventure.

Activity Reviews

14-Day Ordinary JR Pass

Japan

This is a must for any foreign traveler. The mass transit system is pretty amazing and the JR pass provides easy access without having to figure out tickets and fares.

Quality of Experience

Sumo Tournament

Tokyo

A one in a lifetime experience! Just magnificent to attend the Grand Sumo Tournament thanks to Kim Kim.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Toyosu Fish/Tsukiji Market Food Tour

Tokyo

Great sites and food! A bustling indoor/outdoor market.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Arashiyama & Kyoto Landscape Views

Kyoto

We visited in the rain but it didn’t dampen our amazement of this beautiful park.

Quality of Experience

Irish planned a wonderful family trip to Japan! She covered every detail needed, from our airport transfers, JR pass, and info needed for Universal Studios as well as the Shimanami Kaido, to selecting very conveniently located hotels which made moving from place to place very easy and comfortable. She encompassed all the experiences we were seeking - the excitement of Tokyo and Osaka to the very different experience of a peaceful mountain onsen in Hakone to the very sad yet well done peace memorial of Hiroshima.

Hotel Reviews

The Tokyo Station Hotel

Tokyo

Lovely upscale hotel with excellent service and conveniently located in Tokyo station. Every attention to detail is met.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hakone Kowakien hotel

Hakone

Beautiful onsen in an amazing and peaceful mountain location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Beacon Onomichi

Onomichi

Modern hotel conveniently located directly in the onomichi train station. I would book their loft rooms as the other rooms are a bit smallish, but very comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Granvia Hiroshima

Nice hotel with a grand lobby conveniently located adjacent to the Hiroshima train station.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Zentis Osaka

Osaka

Stylish and chic hotel in a great location, 5 minute walk from the main train station.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nohga Hotel Kiyomizu Kyoto

Kyoto

Stylish and chic hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

NOHGA HOTEL UENO TOKYO

Tokyo

Stylish and chic hotel, located very close to the ueno train station.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Traditional Tea Ceremony

Kyoto

The tea ceremony was a lovely experience in a nice old Japanese neighborhood. We got to make and taste matcha tea, and my son even bought some matcha powder to take home. The ceremony was very enjoyable and I would highly recommend it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

14-Day Ordinary JR Pass

Japan

The 14-Day JR Pass was very fast and efficient. Though it took me a while to get the hang of using the NaviTime app, which was crucial for navigating the trains and subway system. My kids and husband loved the bullet train experience, but it wasn't my favorite due to the high speed and being on rails. It’s an excellent and efficient way to travel. But I think it is important to note that they do travel at a very high rate of speed - 200+ miles/hour. I got used to it. The JR Pass did not cover all trains, so it's important to be aware of which trains are allowed.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Both our local guides were excellent. They were knowledgeable and assisted us with transportation issues. The local tour company did not communicate clearly to them or myself about a driver from Tokyo hotel to the airport. I’m not sure where the break down in communication was. Our local guide Yumi, went beyond what I expected by giving us details about train and bus transportation to the airport in Tokyo. She even noted that a driver was not included on her itinerary.

Hotel Reviews

Kyoto Tokyu Hotel

kyoto

Within walking distance to restaurants and shops

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Courtyard by Marriott Shin-Osaka Station

Osaka

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Osaka Discovery For Families

Osaka

So much walking, we were too tired to eat out. Called room service.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Less walking in subways

Tsukiji Market & Sushi-Making Workshop tour

Tokyo

The experience was fun and educational but the raw fish did not agree with my western stomach

Quality of Experience

Food

Vegetarian option

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was excellent

Transport

Full Day Tour with Tea Ceremony

Kyoto

The tea ceremony was great. Way too much walking

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide,Sonny was excellent

Transport

Half Day Arashiyama Bamboo Grove and Tenryuji Tour (Private Guide+Public Transport)

Kyoto

Too much walking, a break to rest would have been nice

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sonny was very knowledgeable

Transport

Too much walking

Full Day Tokyo city tour

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Yumi was excellent

Transport

One of our dream destinations to visit was Japan, and the whole experience booking with kimkim was great! From the planning phase, Christine was able to grasp our needs quickly and was able to make all the adjustments we were looking for our 16 day long trip. The activities booked (shout out to the Osaka food tour and the Kyoto tea ceremony) were very memorable and the accomodations (shout out the the Ryokans on the Nakasendo trail) were also great! During the trip, Christine was also available to answer our questions and get us a functioning pocket wifi devices quickly after we received a faulty one upon our arrival. All in all, our trip was simply amazing.

Hotel Reviews

Sotetsu Fresa Inn Daimon

Tokyo

Good breakfast and helpful staff.

Authenticity & Character

Relatively basic hotel, but the japanese breakfast buffet was delicious !

Location

Even if Minato City is not as vibrant is Shibuya or Shinjuku, it's close to transportation (and Tokyo Tower as well).

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Super clean, rooms a little small for western standards, but totally ok for Japan.

Wayfarer Hotel Kyoto Shijo

Kyoto

Nice little hotel, the tatami room was nice and comfy for 4 people.

Authenticity & Character

Tatami room was pretty nice ! Bathroom a little small for 4 people.

Location

Close to the subway stations and buses

Staff

Very friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

The futons were very comfortable!

Kinosaki Yamamotoya

Awesome Ryokan with a lot of character and good japanese breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Alot of 60-70s vibes with old-school japanese charm.

Location

Great location in Kinosaki, close to everything.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean, but futons were not the most comfortable.

Ibis Osaka Umeda

Osaka

Authenticity & Character

Typical hotel, not much character.

Location

Super close to the subway, well located in Umeda.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Comfy beds!

Sanco Inn Nagoya Shinkansenguchi

Nagoya

Nothing fancy, but clean and well located.

Authenticity & Character

Nothing remarkable

Location

Directly in front of Nagoya station

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Windows were facing another building, so no natural light in the room. Besides that the room was comfortable.

Kisoji-inn Daikichi

Nagano

Awesome Ryokan, staff super friendly and one of the best meals of our whole trip.

Authenticity & Character

Very authentic and amazing food.

Location

Very cute location in Tsumago

Staff

Super friendly and welcoming

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kaidou Roman Onyado Tsutaya

Kiso

Authenticity & Character

A little more "hotel" vibes, but still very nice.

Location

A little far by foot from the station, but still well located.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very nice outdoor Onsen bath.

Ryokan Echigoya

We had the Ryokan to ourselves, it had a ton of Edo japense charm. Our host was amazing, the food was delicious, the room was comfy and beautiful and the overall experience was exactly what we were looking for in a Ryokan.

Authenticity & Character

Old building with a ton of character and authenticity

Location

Directly in the middle of Narai's main street.

Staff

Yutaka-san was an amazing host.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Arrive in Tokyo - Train to Tokyo Station

Tokyo

It was nice to have a greeter help us buy our IC cards and bring us to the train, but she seemed in a rush and we were expecting to have our wifi devices atthe airport, which would have helped us find our hotel faster.

Quality of Experience

We were expecting pocket wifi and passes upon arrival, which weew at the hotel. Thus, getting the hotel was not the easiest

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our greeter was nice but a little in a rush.

Transport

We made it, but instructions could have been a little more detailed.

Tea ceremony and see shrine, temples

Kyoto

This review will only be regarding the Tea ceremony in Kyoto (Maikoya). It was really fun, relaxing and authentic!

Quality of Experience

We got to wear kinomo/yukata, the tea was good, awesome experience!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The staff was very insightful and nice !

Day trip to Nara and Uji

Kyoto

We didn't have a chance to stop in Uji, but even though it eas raining, we had a great time in Nara!

Quality of Experience

Visit Kinosaki Onsen

Kyoto

It was very nice being able to visit and use mutiple onsens.

Quality of Experience

The onsens were so nice and relaxing!

Welcome to Osaka

Osaka

One of the best nights of our trips, we ate and drank to our hearts content! We hung out with some locals, tasted delicious food and even went down a slide !

Quality of Experience

Magome to Tsumago

Japan

The hike was great, going through small towns and the country side! We saw watermills, water falls and awesome forest and mountain landscapes. The tea house on the way was really cool and the trail was well indicated.

Quality of Experience

Yabuhara to Narai Hike

Japan

Awesome little hike, nice fews atop the moutain in Yabuhara and very nice forest landscapes. Narai is probably the nicest post town we visited!

Quality of Experience

Exploring the Facades of Tokyo

Tokyo

Tokyo Departure

Japan

Not an actual activity, but we were very sad having to leaving Japan :( But we left with a ton of awesome memories!

The trip went smoothly and the bookings and recommendations aligned with our vision of the trip and were extremely enjoyable. I found it not always clear what was included and what wasn’t, but once I did, I had no issues.

Christine did an amazing job and was very responsive to all our questions during the trip. Koyasan was a great suggestion that I would not have thought of and I loved it.

Malissa did a wonderful job working with us to put together a fantastic itinerary for our ten-day trip through Japan (Tokyo > Hakone > Kyoto > Osaka). During the planning phase, she provided numerous options based on interests and budget and was quick to respond to questions. The itinerary documentation was detailed and allowed us to focus on enjoying our experiences. We had friendly and knowledgeable guides: Jared was welcoming when we arrived rather jet lagged and helped get us situated, Harold took us on unique activities and Seiho gave us lots of ideas for our free time. We loved soaking in the onsen baths at Hakone Kowakien Ten-y and making sushi at Cooking Sun Osaka.

Activity Reviews

Tour of Hakone

Hakone

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tea Ceremony in Kyoto

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sushi-making Experience

Osaka

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Kyoto

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rickshaw Ride in Arashiyama

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This trip was amazing! We loved everything about Japan. Initial process with Terry started slow but our trip was well organized and the itinerary was very detailed & precise. During the trip everything worked according to the plan. Our guides Yumi Takasi and Tanaka Masaaki were excellent. They were very knowledgeable and helpful. They were very friendly and became like family members with us and went above and beyond duty to make our trip comfortable and memorable. Kigami Masako was also very good and knowledgeable.

Tsuyama Hiro seemed more reserved and like just a translator than a guide but he did make sure we got on the right train. We felt like we didn't get the benefit of a knowledgeable guide like the other guides.

Overall, we were very happy with our trip.

Hotel Reviews

Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Staff was very friendly, courteous, helpful and polite.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hakone Suishoen

Hakone

Authenticity & Character

Location

Family style modern Riokan in a beautiful mountain setting

Staff

Extremely friendly, courteous, helpful and polite.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms, beds, bathrooms were amazing. The hot spring tub attached to private rooms were amazing!

Kyoto Tokyu Hotel

kyoto

Authenticity & Character

Location

perfect

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel MYSTAYS PREMIER Dojima

Osaka

Authenticity & Character

The breakfast arrangement was very disappointing. There was very limited choice.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hilton Hiroshima

Hiroshima

Authenticity & Character

Location

Beautiful hotel right in the middle of town.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Tokyo City Tour with Imperial Palace East Gardens (Private English-speaking Driving Guide)

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Drive to Hakone with Mt. Fuji Tour (English-speaking driving guide)

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Arashiyama and Kinkaku-ji Tour (Private English-speaking Driving Guide)

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full day tour to Koyasan

Osaka

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

One Day Miyajima Island and Hiroshima Tour

Hiroshima

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Odynovo Tours did a wonderful job planning and executing our trip to Japan. From the beginning, working with John to agree on a 2-week trip plan that was best for us, to Kalinda's travel coordination including obtaining transportation and tour tickets, it was all done very efficiently and with good and prompt communication.

Our individual tour guides as booked by Kalinda were all excellent and we learned a lot about the sites we visited with them. These guides were all very flexible and adjusted the tour visits to match our wishes and tastes. The group tours in Kyoto covered a lot of ground and were well explained.

The train stations were at times somewhat challenging to find our way around, but there was always someone to help us out very politely.

We would definitely book a trip through Odynovo again in the future.

Japan is an amazing country! We really loved our trip there! I'm so glad we had KimKim to help us plan a lot of the logistics, book, lodging, and make recommendations for experiences. I really loved all of the hotels that we stayed at. And the sushi making class that we did, renting kimonos in Kyoto, as well as staying in Hakone to experience natural hot springs. Christine also made reservations for us at an incredible restaurant called Nadaman which was a 5 star meal. The one thing I would have loved more of is more recommendations for restaurants and places to eat. We understood that a lot of restaurants were already booked up for Golden Week, and that reservations were not always possible. However, it would have been great to have a list of a few casual, walk-in type of restaurants/eating establishments that we could check out. We did have to do a bit of our own research, which is fine, but some guiding parameters from KimKim would have been really great. We were expecting a little more help and guidance with where to eat, which was really important for us as travelers!

Our specialist travel advisor Christine, started planning our trip from a blank slate…. we really didn't know what we wanted to do or see. We had limited days between other pre booked legs of our round the world trip, so a custom itinerary made more sense. We also wanted to travel independently rather than in a group. Christine made this all possible. She made several suggestions which together, we fine tuned, and within a couple of days of emails back and forth we had a firm plan.

The plan included Tokyo, Kyoto and Harkone.

The plan included Japan Rail Pass for our major travel requirements, all hotel bookings, a greeter on arrival at the airport who set us up with pocket wifi, which was invaluable for finding our way in a new country, Our greeter further helped us on our way through the crush of the start of a major public holiday.

Christine made suggestions for what to see in each city and to finish off a wonderfull adventure, a driver to whisk us back to the airport on the day of our departure.

The Hotels Christine booked for us were each of high quality and close to our arrival point in each city, in most cases right at the train station which made traveling by train with luggage so easy.

In summary Kim Kim and Christine made our dream come true.

This trip was organized by my daughter with KimKim. I enjoyed the trip thoroughly and I sense the joy and opening up from my family members as well. The trip brought us to Osaka, Kyoto, Nara and Tokyo to experience the different aspects of Japan. The Osaka city life and food, the religious and cultural aspects, the hotspring and nature (flowers, parks, mountains), the complex efficient transport network, unforgettable crammed hotel rooms, the demeanor of Japanese, the theme parks and Japan commercial products. There is also the interesting spring weather to experience in different locations from cold street weathers, gale in the mountain top, icy cold in Mount Fuji, beautiful sunset in a cherry blossom village Oshino Hakkai. The personal local guide and local transport driver add a touch of freedom and enjoy and experience Japan in a deeper manner. It seems to be costlier compared to the Japan trips made by others but the ability to experience so much in a 10 day trip make this a wonderful trip for me.

Not everything was perfect. Example, the driver came 30mins earlier than expected; the local guide detail was provided a little late than what we would be comfortable; an easier way to understand the complex Japan transport system which to be frank I doubt is very very hard. I like to think the imperfectness is what spices up also the trip in a different manner.

This is the second time I used KimKim for my family holiday. Kudos to them, I am glad to say that they have again done a nice trip for me and my family.

As this was such a big trip with many facets, I will split the review into 4 parts: kimkim’s service, the guides, the hotels and the places we saw.

KimKim’s service:
I have used KimKim before to book a similarly long trip to Indonesia and had an excellent experience so I was excited to do so again for Japan. It was an okay experience the 2nd time around but definitely not as polished or as organised. Our specialist (before she left the company) was Kristy. She was generally amenable to our changes but we noticed she was off on leave alot and did take quite a long time to respond to queries, often having to be messaged twice in a row. This was frustrating at times but when she was present, things were generally done well.
Once she left the company just before our trip, Claudia took over. She was generally on the ball and it must have been difficult picking up a huge itinerary with so many last minute things to organise but she did it generally well. There were, however, a couple of things we were not happy about. Some of the itineraries put together for us seemed to ignore the fact we couldn’t do long hikes up mountains and had no interest in doing so, yet put aside 3 hours of a day (in one instance in Miyajima) to do so.
Another thing that was a major source of frustration was the bullet train tickets. We were told in advance that we would need to book these in Japan and so we did (at huge time expense, standing in a queue for hours at JR booking office). However, we were very annoyed when we were messaged mid-holiday asking if we had booked our tickets to Miyajima. We were annoyed because we were not told at any point how we were getting to Miyajima (Hakone, for instance, was a coach tour and we knew this in advance) so did not book tickets. We stood in a line for a further hour on April 8th in the evening after a long day tour waiting to book tickets for a trip we could have booked days before, and when I expressed my dismay at this on the KimKim chat, did not even receive an apology for the lack of organisation and huge inconvenience this caused us. There was no recognition that your company had committed an oversight at the expense of their customer. To make matters worse, I was asked to put the details up on the chat, which I did on April 8th (that same evening) so that KimKim could pass on the details of the bullet train to our guide. Imagine my surprise when, one the eve of the trip to Miyajima, our guide messaged me asking me for details of our bullet train booking because KimKim hadn’t passed the details on like they said they would. This was 2 days after I had put the details up to be passed along…

The guides:
I will start by saying that in general, the guides were lovely and helpful. We understand there is a real issue with English language speakers in Japan and a lack of guides in general, so will not spend too long going on about language barriers.
Teruko, Kuniko and Noriko were all very friendly guides who showed great flexibility to amend itineraries in our best interests and to change routes to help with my mother-in-law’s difficulties walking and my pregnant wife. They all tried their best with restaurateurs who didn’t want to change menu orders for my wife who couldn’t eat many foods due to her pregnancy sickness. Overall they did a great job.
Special mentions go to Stephanie and Momoyo, who we absolutely loved. Our day in Nakameguro with Stephanie was a blast and she was very knowledgeable. She took us to excellent food places, got involved with the picture taking, which pleased the ladies in the group and took us to a mansion at the end when we couldn’t eat any more which showed excellent flexibility and understanding of her clients.
Momoyo was with us for 3 separate days and we loved her! Her English was excellent and she went out of her way frequently to help us with any and all difficulties. If we had her all trip, we wouldn’t have minded at all! She helped us book that bullet train to Miyajima, negotiated food orders and worked out the least tiring routes for us. By day 2, she knew our likes and dislikes and had planned in things to do with food for instance, that met all our criteria (like planning in a visit to Rikuro’s because my wife mentioned wanting Japanese cheesecake in passing on day 1)
She even bought us a gift at the end (which we of course had done for her too!), which was so sweet but showed how much we bonded with her.
Overall, the guides were a highlight of the trip.

The Hotels:
Park Hotel - we spent 6 days here and we generally loved it. It was a 2nd choice after we couldn’t quite afford the previous recommended hotel (the Pullman) but it worked out well. Amazing lobby, free hot chocolate and coffee, a good breakfast with excellent views, attentive and well-spoken staff, who wanted to help. The rooms weren’t on the same quality level, but they were comfortable enough and had everything we needed. They were cleaned immaculately! They also helped us when we lost our camera and had to have it delivered specially to the hotel. They paid for it while we were out and put it on the room, really allowing us to enjoy our time out in the city without worrying about payment etc.

Sakura Terrace The Gallery - we spent 5 days here and we would not recommend this hotel to anyone. We generally like luxury hotels and at the very least, need our creature comforts. This hotel, though very pretty, well located and offering big rooms, lacked in most departments and I am surprised this was recommended to us. The website made it look great but a specialist like KimKim should have known what its shortcomings were and that we wouldn’t be happy with it. Issues included hotel staff not always being available to help, a pointless breakfast ticket system that had us waiting in the cold when the breakfast room was full, no safes in the rooms (!), no wardrobes either just a small rail to put all clothes on, no plug sockets anywhere near the bed, incredibly poor cleaning standards (the room wasnt cleaned once the entire time we were there and hadn’t been cleaned well before we got in there) and finally, we had 2 rooms next to each other with completely different furnishings - we had a couch in our room but our parents didn’t have anything but the bed to sit on. All in all, a poor hotel experience.

Hotel Intergate Umeda - we stayed for 2 days and this was an excellent hotel. In a lovely area, incredibly clean and smart hotel, helpful staff always on call, a decent breakfast and the rooms were fantastic and immaculately cleaned and there was even a vending machine on our floor for if we needed extra drinks on top of the free water. We thoroughly enjoyed staying there and would have stayed there for longer.

The places we saw:
Japan is quite an experience! Tokyo is madcap and brimming with people and noise, Kyoto is filled with history and Osaka is a smart and elegant city.

Pleasant surprises:
We loved the Nakameguro food tour recommendation (with its cherry-blossom lined streets) and Nara was also an excellent day trip (the deer park was a fun experience with deer chasing us for food and crossing the road at zebra crossings). Arashiyama was a lovely place also but as a tip, the biggest photogenic sites like the bamboo forest should be put earliest on the day’s agenda before the crowds set in (our guide changed it round and rightly so! We wouldn’t have got any good pictures of the bamboo forest otherwise).
In addition, Shin-Sekai in Osaka along with a beautiful park our guide Noriko took us to in Hiroshima were wonderful surprises filled with many photo opps/moments of laughter and serene beauty respectively.

Expected but still wonderful:
Most of the other places we already knew about and requested but it is worth mentioning Kinkakuji, Osaka Castle and Fushimi Inari shrine. These were excellent places to visit early in the morning before the crowds got in. It rained heavily at Kinkakuji and it was still wonderful and awe-inspiring. Sanjunsangendo temple and Todai-ji temple were marvellous and jaw-dropping examples of Buddhist statues and worship. The gardens nearby to Todai-ji were picturesque and well worth a visit and stroll.

Overall, although the experience with KimKim wasn’t as smooth as in the past, the holiday itself was magnificent. The guides were well worth the money we paid for them and in terms of affordability, KimKim still provides bang for your buck. Japan is truly amazing and an experience never to forget!

Hotel Reviews

SAKURA TERRACE THE GALLERY

Kyoto

Poor cleaning standards, no safes, no wardrobes just a small rail, poor pillows, no plugs near the bed, absent staff. Good location, excellent breakfast, pretty, big rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right next to Kyoto station

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Park Hotel Tokyo

Higashi Shimbashi, Minato-ku

Incredibly clean, great lobby, excellent views, friendly and well-spoken staff, good location, nice breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Ieva was excellent but everyone was just as good - just didn’t catch their names!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Nakameguro Food Tour

Tokyo

Stephanie was an excellent guide, Nakameguro is a lovely, trendy neighbourhood lined with cherry-blossoms. Excellent food too!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nara Day Tour from Kyoto

Kyoto

Nara is beautiful and the city of deer. Deer park is an unforgettable experience, Todai-ji is one of the most impressive temples in the whole of Japan with rare opportunity to take pictures of Buddha statues (generally not allowed in Japan) and the gardens on the site are some of the best (cherry blossoms trees, a huge pond and every type of flower and colour imaginable!)

Quality of Experience

Sightseeing & Food Tour of Osaka

Osaka

Osaka is a classy, elegant city. Lots of modern skyscrapers, squeaky-clean, not as busy or intimidating as Tokyo (people are a little more laid-back here), Shin-Sekai is quirky and fun and filled with photo opps, the food is cheaper and you are spoiled for choice, shopping is just as plentiful as Tokyo (so a HUGE amount available). Osaka Castle is an amazing building and very thorough and worthwhile tour if you like history or 360 degree views from a height.

Quality of Experience

Miyajima 1-day Private Tour from Osaka

Japan

The Itsukushima shrine and torii gates are excellent, lots of food choices on the island too.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All on time, efficient

Beautiful Arashiyama

Kyoto

Bamboo forest is excellent but make sure you see it first thing in the morning if you want good pictures. Will be too packed with people otherwise. Monkey park, kimono forest (which isn’t a forest but a modern art installation) and tenryuji temple are nice things to see and do. Lots of nature and walking! Arashiyama is a lovely place and well worth a day-trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport