Kimkim Trip Reviews for Japan

This trip exceeded our expectations. It was culturally immersive, family-friendly, and thoughtfully designed. We came away with a deeper appreciation for Japan — not just its landmarks, but its rhythms, values, and everyday beauty.

We would absolutely recommend KimKim to anyone planning a trip to Japan, and we would happily work with you again.

Activity Reviews

Tokyo Highlights Day Tour - East & West

Tokyo

Osaka Local Foodie Tour in Dotonbori and Shinsekai

Japan

One Day Miyajima Island and Hiroshima Tour

Japan

Transfer from Kyoto to Osaka via Nara

Japan

Enjoy Temples & Bamboo Grove in Kyoto with Your Family

Kyoto

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

Full Day Lake Kawaguchi Cruise and Shinobi no Sato Ninja Village Tour

Tokyo

Asakusa Sumo Club: Sumo Show Admission with Chankonabe in Tokyo

Tokyo

Sushi Making Tokyo Roll and Authentic Japanese Sushi Class

Tokyo

From planning to ensure the perfect itinerary in Japan for our family to Japan to continued amazing assistance during our trip, we are grateful to Angel and Kimkim for a trip of a lifetime!

Activity Reviews

Ninja Training in Kyoto: Ninja Experience

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Mt. Fuji and Lake Ashi Tour with Hakone Tozan Railway

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Asakusa Sumo Club: Sumo Show Admission with Chankonabe in Tokyo

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sushi Making Tokyo！Cooking class in Japan！

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Spot Early-Blooming Cherry Blossoms in Tokyo

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a wonderful trip to Japan. Hotel quality and locations were perfect. Our scheduled activities were very enjoyable although a few were a little touristy for our taste and didn't feel like authentic experiences (e.g. the tea ceremony in kimonos). Prebooked travel cards and Shinkansen journeys were great and Bella ensured our concerns regarding luggage were addressed with her seat choices on the Shinkansen.

Our guides were helpful and keen to meet our needs but we did feel that a lot of our activities did not particularly need a guide and could have been managed independently, offering us more flexibility. While we were grateful to have photos taken, at times early in the trip it seemed to be the primary focus of the guide, to the extent that we felt we were just being rushed from photo opp to photo opp without actually taking anything in. Perhaps for the instagram generation that is how they travel but it wasn't a priority for us and somewhat took away from our enjoyment.

In summary, we were very happy with Bella's choice of hotels, itinerary and travel arrangements but if we were doing this again we would only want a guide for a couple of days as it is always nice to meet and chat to someone local but we prefer the flexibility of independent travel, as with our previous KimKim itinerary in Norway.

Activity Reviews

Day Trip to Himeji: Exploring Japan’s First Famous Castle and Tranquil Gardens （by public transport）

Osaka

Spectacular castle and reading about the work done in the last century to restore and maintain it was fascinating. Make sure you visit the second part of the castle with Princess Sen's history outlined. The Samurai Garden was also a lovely place to visit. That evening we went back to Osaka Castle where for a small fee we got into the Sakura night festival, which was a really nice alternative way to experience the castle views and blossoms.

Quality of Experience

Osaka Highlights & River Cruise（Private Guide, Public Transportation）

Osaka

We really enjoyed the various castles we visited on this trip (Kyoto, Osaka and Himeji)- each with a different story but all interconnected through history as explained by our guide.

Day Trip to Miyajima Island: Floating Torii Gate & Kayaking &Hiking

Hiroshima

Probably our favourite day of the trip. The boat trip out to Miyajima was scenic, we had a wonderful guide for our kayak trip through the floating torii gate and Taki San was a good sport hiking to the top of Mount Misen with us despite being tight on time! This is a very touristy place to visit so I highly recommend taking the kayak option to get a proper feel for the ancient approach to the shrine. The shops and eateries are busy but lots of fun to wander through.

Hiroshima's Legacy: Peace Memorial & Okonomiyaki（public transport）

Hiroshima

The museum is a harrowing testament to what happened to this city but very worthwhile despite the inevitable crowds

Kurama & Kibune Forest Hike – A Journey into Kyoto’s Spiritual Mountains (Private Guide, Public Transportation)

Kyoto

Another lovely hike into beautiful Japanese mountain scenery - no rain this time!

🏯 Walk and Swing: An Active Cultural Journey in Kyoto (Private Guide & Public Transportation)

Kyoto

We did this hike to the top of the mountain on our own in the rain which made it less busy than it might otherwise have been, and also quite atmospheric!

Kyoto Heritage & Tea Ceremony Experience (Private Guided Tour by Public Transportation)

Kyoto

Kyoto was a highlight and our morning wander with guide Taki San was very enjoyable. The kimono aspect of the tea ceremony didn't add much and felt a bit performative rather than authentic as we were just put into the clothes whereas I had hoped to learn a little more about this traditional way of dress.

Fuji Five Lakes Tour, Transfer to Hakone

Japan

Very rushed getting onto the boat and the health and safety standards were somewhat questionable . . . Views of Mount Fuji from the water were great but we saw even better on our subsequent day's activities. An impromptu stop at the Mount Fuji visitor centre was interesting and informative.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

felt quite rushed at the stops, all of which were very touristy and busy

Transport

lovely comfortable car for early morning journey with stops along the way

Explore Tokyo's Rich Heritage: Tsukiji Market,Sushi-Making Class, Imperial Palace, Cherry Blossoms & Shinjuku Gourmet Walk

Tokyo

Kana, the chef who led our personal sushi making class was lovely. Personable and with excellent English. One of our activity highlights.

Quality of Experience

Tokyo’s Cultural Heritage & Modern Energy: Asakusa, Sumo Experience & Shibuya Highlights（Private Guide&Public Transportation）

Tokyo

Sumo experience was a fun and lighthearted intro to the sport of Sumo but very tourist focussed.

Food

Our guide for the first excursion in Tokyo was Haiyan. She was very helpful and knowledgeable. We saw the Imperial Palace, as close as we could get, since entry was not allowed. The we went to the Senso-ji temple, very impressive. She also helped us get to a location that I wanted to see, The Samurai Store. We never would have found it if it was not for Haiyan.

The following day we took the Shinkansen to Odawara where we were met by Yasuhiro, called Moshi. He is an English professor and spoke perfect English and also Spanish, as does my wife Norma. He took us to Hakone, and unfortunately it rained all day so we did not get to see Mt. Fuji. He took us up the Hakone Ropeway to the top where we had lunch and toured the shop. When we came down we took a tour boat around the lake. He dropped us at our Honten for the evening. We really enjoyed the traditional accommodations, including the private natural hot spring onsen.

Our guide for the first excursion in Tokyo was Haiyan. She was very helpful and knowledgeable. We saw the Imperial Palace, as close as we could get, since entry was not allowed. The we went to the Senso-ji temple, very impressive. She also helped us get to a location that I wanted to see, The Samurai Store. We never would have found it if it was not for Haiyan.

The following day we took the Shinkansen to Odawara where we were met by Yasuhiro, called Moshi. He is an English professor and spoke perfect English and also Spanish, as does my wife Norma. He took us to Hakone, and unfortunately it rained all day so we did not get to see Mt. Fuji. He took us up the Hakone Ropeway to the top where we had lunch and toured the shop. When we came down we took a tour boat around the lake. He dropped us at our Honten for the evening. We really enjoyed the traditional accommodations, including the private natural hot spring onsen.

The next morning came early as we had a 7:45 Bullet traln to Nagoya. There we did a self guided tour to Nagoya Castle and then to the Tokugawa museum and gardens, which I was most interested in seeing. Also seen was a Shinto Shrine.

Next day we took the Shinkansen to Kyoto. Our first excursion was to the Tea Ceremony Experience. We dressed in Kimonos and were shown the intricacies of the tea ceremony. it was fantastic. After that we went to the Samurai and Ninja Musem. This was one of my special choices and it did not disappoint.

The next day we were met by our guide for the day, Ichiro. We went to the Kinkakuji and Nijo Castle Tour which was fascinating. We had a very full day visiting shrines and ending up at Fushiminari. Fantastic!

On Day 7 we were met by our guide Naoko who was wonderful. We enjoyed her very much. We spent the day in Nara, so fascinating.

On our final tour day our guide once again was Ichiro. We went to Osak for another of my desired destinations, Himeji Castle with the cherry blossoms in full bloom. The castle tour and gardens were amazing. We finished up with the ropeway to Mount Shosha, another of my must see destinations. It was amazing. And Ichiro was so very knowlegeable.

The next morning our driver met us for an early morning drive to Osaka airport in the rain. Goodbye Japan.

Hotel Review

Matsuzakaya Honten

Kanagawa

We loved this traditional hotel and onsen. We highly recommend it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

World Heritage Himeji Castle Visiting & Mount Shosha visit

Osaka

Our final tour was to Himeji Castle with the cherry blossoms in full bloom. The castle tour and gardens were amazing. We finished up with the ropeway to Mount Shosha, another of my must see destinations. It was amazing.

Quality of Experience

We were so lucky to get to this beautiful place when the cherry blossoms were in full bloom.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Again, Ichiro was so knowledgeable!

Full Day Nara City Tour with Public transportation

Japan

On Day 7 we were met by our guide Naoko who was wonderful. We enjoyed her very much. We spent the day in Nara, so fascinating.

Quality of Experience

So much beauty

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We loved Naoko!

Transport

Kari, the driver was great.

Half Day Kinkakuji and Nijo Castle Tour

Kyoto

We went to the Kinkakuji and Nijo Castle Tour which was fascinating. We had a very full day visiting shrines and ending up at Fushiminari. Fascinating!

Quality of Experience

Seeing so much beauty and culture

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ichiro is so knowledgeable

Samurai Ninja Museum & Tea Ceremony Experience

Kyoto

We took the Shinkansen to Kyoto. Our first excursion was to the Tea Ceremony Experience. We dressed in Kimonos and were shown the intricacies of the tea ceremony. it was fantastic. After that we went to the Samurai and Ninja Musem. This was one of my special choices and it did not disappoint.

Quality of Experience

Private Hakone’s natural beauty Tour

Hakone

Yasuhiro, called Moshi. He is an English professor and spoke perfect English and also Spanish, as does my wife Norma. He took us to Hakone, and unfortunately it rained all day so we did not get to see Mt. Fuji. He took us up the Hakone Ropeway to the top where we had lunch and toured the shop. When we came down we took a tour boat around the lake. He dropped us at our Honten for the evening. We really enjoyed the traditional accommodations, including the private natural hot spring onsen.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We arrived safe and sound

Full Day Tokyo City Tour with Senso-ji Temple

Tokyo

Our guide for the first excursion in Tokyo was Haiyan. She was very helpful and knowledgeable. We saw the Imperial Palace, as close as we could get, since entry was not allowed. The we went to the Senso-ji temple, very impressive. She also helped us get to a location that I wanted to see, The Samurai Store. We never would have found it if it was not for Haiyan.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly and very knowledgeable

Transport

We had an amazing time. I appreciate that you were able to squeeze so many activities in for us because we are busy bodies. It was nice having the assistance of drivers and tour guides for the personal touches they offered. Especially loved Yukiko Yoshida, our guide in Kyoto. She was incredible! She had great energy to her, was incredibly knowledgeable, gave us really cool history lessons and context to understand better everything we saw. The food tours were also great because they helped us acquaint ourselves with the cities in a casual way. We enjoyed the ramen class but we felt it took too much of our time in retrospect, so we will likely not do cooking classes again in the future unless we don’t know what else to do. The kendo class was silly fun but we thoroughly enjoyed it, and it was a fun contrast to the formality of the tea ceremony! Of course skiing in Nagano was incredible and getting to see the snow monkeys while it was snowing was magical. We can’t wait to come back and explore more of the beautiful and dynamic country!

Hotel Reviews

Kokuya Ryokan Shibu Onsen ( Shibu Onsen Kokuya )

Our experience at this hotel was one of the most pleasant on the trip. It was very private, very peaceful, very magical. Our meals here were some of the best we had on the trip, having a private on sun was incredible and suited our comfort level with public nudity haha. We felt very taken care of here and wished more places were like this!

Authenticity & Character

We felt immersed in Japanese culture

Authenticity & Character

We felt immersed in Japanese culture

Location

Perfectly situated in the onsen town

Location

Perfectly situated in the onsen town

Staff

Overly helpful haha

Staff

Overly helpful haha

Cleanliness & Comfort

Well taken care of, very comfortable. Very clean. Mattress pads on the ground can only be so comfy haha

Cleanliness & Comfort

Well taken care of, very comfortable. Very clean. Mattress pads on the ground can only be so comfy haha

Shiga Kogen Prince Hotel

Nagano

Comfortable hotel but it does show its age a bit. The staff was wonderful and the facilities were easy to navigate. Ski in/ski out was awesome though! The rental shop is smaller than big resort shops so be patient. I unfortunately had to wear ski boots that were half a size too big

Authenticity & Character

Very authentic. The MCM vibes were strong in the room.

Authenticity & Character

Very authentic. The MCM vibes were strong in the room.

Location

Ski in/ski out, some of the best runs on a powder day.

Location

Ski in/ski out, some of the best runs on a powder day.

Staff

Very respectful, cordial, and helpful. Took every opportunity to please us

Staff

Very respectful, cordial, and helpful. Took every opportunity to please us

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean, beds were comfy, but the space overall shows it age and feeling a bit lost in time. Nothing was wrong with it, it just felt like it was straight from the 70s

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean, beds were comfy, but the space overall shows it age and feeling a bit lost in time. Nothing was wrong with it, it just felt like it was straight from the 70s

Mitsui Garden Hotel Jingugaien Tokyo Premier

Tokyo

Beautiful, clean modern, it was a sophisticated way to spend our first nights in Japan. Conveniently located, made it easy to walk from there or take public transportation.

Authenticity & Character

Delicious breakfast

Location

Walkable to cool areas

Staff

So respectful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pristine

Activity Reviews

Learn the Secrets Behind Ramen in a Cooking Class

Osaka

It was a fun experience to learn how the broth and Ramen are made, but in retrospect I think what I was really hoping to make was more of an udon noodle. We appreciate it, however that the techniques we are in there are very easily reproducible at home, especially because we already have a noodle adapter for our KitchenAid.

Quality of Experience

Gyoza and Ramen are delicious! It was fun to cook too!

Quality of Experience

Gyoza and Ramen are delicious! It was fun to cook too!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They were super friendly and helpful. They were very careful to make sure we were doing everything correctly so that we could take our technique home with us.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They were super friendly and helpful. They were very careful to make sure we were doing everything correctly so that we could take our technique home with us.

Hiroshima Peace Walking Tour at World Heritage Sites

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Osaka Local Foodie Tour in Dotonbori and Shinsekai

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was hilarious and well informed. She went out of her way to take nice pictures of us and also was good about giving us tips somewhere to eat the rest of the week.

Samurai Sword Experience for Adults in Kyoto

Kyoto

How can you not have fun learning how to wheel a sword?! Playful, short and sweet, though I wish we had time to spar or something.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

We had so much fun, getting dressed up in traditional garments and learning about the tea ceremony. Everyone got an opportunity to take pictures in the Japanese garden in our fineries, and it was very pleasant.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tokyo Highlights: Sensoji, Tsukiji & Imperial Gardens

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tokyo Night Foodie Tour in Shinjuku

Tokyo

We had a lot of delicious food, but most importantly it was a really nice primer for the area

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kyoto’s Timeless Treasures: Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Kyoto Imperial Palace & Fushimi Inari Taisha

Kyoto

Our tour guide on this trip was incredible. She was super informative, was great about giving us lots of background information, and kept us moving so that we didn’t miss out on anything.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We really did have such a wonderful time! The only feedback I would offer is that it would be helpful for the guides to have a deeper knowledge of the specific tours they’re leading.

Our most incredible guide was Yukiko—she was so knowledgeable, engaging, and just a joy to be around. We truly loved her! Takashi and Mayomi were also great, but Yukiko really stood out. She taught us so much, and it made the experience even more fun and meaningful.

Thank you so much for all the time and effort you put into planning everything—it truly was an incredible experience. The hotels were amazing as well, especially the last one—The Patina…wow, it was so beautiful.

I also absolutely loved the hot springs. Such a unique and memorable experience, and we felt amazing afterward!

This was our first time using KimKim and we could not have been more pleased with the arrangements that were made for us. Shona made all the plans and booked all of the activities for us. She booked activities such as a cooking class, foodie tour, digital art museum, Shibuya Sky observation deck, etc. These were activities that I didn't know about, or would not have thought of, but each one was enjoyed. She, of course, also booked all transportation, tour guides, and hotels.
The tour guides made our lives easier because they know their way around and speak the language. We could have made this trip without using KimKim, but it would not have been as good and as easy as it was with KimKim.
I highly recommend using KimKim, you will not be disappointed.

From beginning to end our recent trip to Japan exceeded our expectations,

Bella, our Travel Specialist, designed and coordinated our dream trip. She was extremely knowledgeable of Japan, very responsive to the myriad of questions we posed to her, professional, and very personable. She made the planning of this trip very easy. Bella coordinated all the transfers and tickets and we never felt alone in Japan.

From the moment we set foot in Japan our guides Roy and Hiroshi were very knowledgeable of the history, culture, country, cities, and places we visited. We had many questions of what it was like to live in Japan and as well as the customs and practices of the Japanese people. They shared their knowledge and experience of their life in Japan in an easy and personable manner. We invited them to dine with us and they were superlative dinner guests. They made themselves available to us even after they dropped us off at the hotel. They watched over us to the point of assisting Larry with walking and carrying his backpack. Roy, just before our Go Kart experience in Tokyo, turned to Larry and said "Take care of Patty".

We have used Viking cruises and Viator to travel in Europe but by far KimKim provides the easiest, most immersive experience, fun, and pleasurable experience! ,

This is my second time using the KimKim service for my family vacation. Cannon was very responsive to all our questions and had provided many activities and planned free days where the whole family was able to enjoy. We really liked the hotels picked and convenience of locations for all of them. The itinerary went very smooth and fell in love with the country. I definitely would love to visit again.

My friend and I have incredible memories from the wonderful places and experiences we had in Japan, thanks to Leny and her team! From Tokyo walking tours to cooking class in Takayama to Jun driving us from Kanazawa to a small mountain village with 400 people, to the beautiful cherry blossoms at the Bamboo Forest and a garden built by a famous actor from the 1920s, then onto the beautiful Riverwalk OMG so gorgeous! Leny and her team even found a lovely Reiki person to provide a session for me last minute! The dinner with Maiko at a private upstairs room was remarkable. Osaka tour brought us to the Times Square of the city. So many people, great shopping-bought my first vintage bag there! Overall a fantastic time! Thank you Leny and team!

We had a great experience booking our trip to Japan with Yeny and her team. With two teenagers in the mix we had a wide range of interests to satisfy. Yeny and team were able to provide a balanced schedule.. meeting all our must sees! From riding in a drifter car through Tokyo and winding up at a car meet, to wandering around all the anime, manga, and arcade places you could ever want, to MASTERING the train systems in Japan (thanks to the excellent instructions from Yeny and team), to Sumo wrestling, Cup Noodle museum, hiking up a mountain to feed monkeys in Kyoto, to everything else that was strategically placed into each day…. We so enjoyed our time… and plan to book again.

They even helped us find restaurants that catered to our dietary restrictions.

The only thing that we felt was missing.. was planned transportation to the airport when leaving. Although I am sure others would have enjoyed the flexibility to spend every last minute in Japan.. I wished we would’ve talked through the last day.. check out time.. transportation to the airport, luggage storage.. etc.

I had no interest in being herded around on a group tour on and off buses and being told where and when to eat and shop yet needed guidance as this trip would have taken hundreds of hours to plan properly. Kim Kim was the perfect compromise. The trip was customized for us after an initial conversation and then a two hour zoom with Leny. We had 5 private guides in different areas each one better than the next. We were reminded each day of our next day’s plans with specific instructions if we wanted to take the train. For full day tours the guides picked us up at our hotel. The cooking class with Bob in Takayama was so great and authentic, as was the tea ceremony and the dinner with Maiko who is like a Geisha in training. We also got amazing deals on vintage designer bags in the Namba area of Okasa which is like a combination of Times Square and the San Genaro feast on steroids. We ran the gamut with a visit to Mt Koya to be in touch with our spiritual side. This was a trip of a lifetime and we could have never done it without Leny and her team who were on call and immediately responsive throughout the entire trip when we had questions or needed clarity. Absolute kudos to them. I cannot recommend them highly enough.

I created a specialized itinerary and Kim Kim agent Angel was able to coordinate beautifully. Japan is a lovely country with so many great sites not to be missed. We hit the highlights of Tokyo, Hakone, Mt. Fuji, Kyoto and Osaka. What I like most was working in partnership with KimKim to have the type of experience we wanted: a little hustle, a little laid back, key historical sites without being overwhelmed with too much, and lots of fun activities.
Pros:
1. Angel is an absolute gem to work with. She was responsive to my needs, listened carefully, alway with kindness, humor and professionalism.
2. The itinerary was affordable, considering we did not want to be on a tour bus with 20 others each day, allowing us independence while able to join in group activities on some days.
3. Each day, Angel would check in with the daily itin and schedule, including all tickets, maps, timing. Loved that.
Cons:
1. With the exception of Tokyo and Hakone, the hotels in Kyoto and Osaka were located far away from anything...more like office park areas, not walkable to anything. As this was my first time to Japan, hotel locations are essential to enjoyment, and this was dissapointing.
2. Due to those 2 hotel locations, we had to use uber or public transport to get anywhere, costing a lot of money and time that I didn't expect. I would suggest KimKim to review hotel locations that are tourist friendly and walkable to restaurants, stores, etc.
3. I was quoted a price for my initial itinerary, complete with hotels. Two weeks before departure, I was reviewing the itin and realized I needed more transportation built in, like train to hotel transfers, pick up/drop off from tours. I requested this and was quoted a huge amount, which was then negotiated down as we discussed the actuality. However, in the last quote, included was the price for my first hotel stay of 3 nights. This was odd and unexpected, I thought this was included in the initial quote, which it appeared to be. Confusing and not good.
Overall experience:
Loved this trip and Angel was a delight to work with.

Our family vacation to Japan was amazing! Our excellent advisor Shona designed a great itinerary and made sure all of our needs were met. When hiccups occurred, she was quick to figure out a solution and went out of her way to make sure we were satisfied every step of the way. We highly recommend Kimkim, and especially Shona to make your next vacation one to remember.

Activity Reviews

Full Day City Tour with Osaka Castle

Japan

We had a great time with our guide Yuki. He was very friendly and organized and was flexible with us when we wanted to change things during the day. We loved seeing the traditional areas of Kyoto, as opposed to the modern feel of the city centers of Kyoto and Tokyo.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Nara City Tour, Overnight in Osaka

Japan

We had fun seeing the deer, but be ready to be swarmed by aggressive deer who want crackers, and will definitely let you know if you’re taking too long handling them over by nipping your arms and legs. I’d recommend just watching those less informed feeding them. The area is very nice, but the museum is terrific! Definitely make it a point to spend some time seeing the many artifacts/national treasures inside.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Tour of Arashiyama Bamboo Grove & Sagano Scenic Railway

Kyoto

The walk through the bamboo forest was nice, but very crowded. We absolutely loved the grounds surrounding the bamboo forest, as they were very tranquil, and just beautiful with the cherry blossoms in full bloom.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

Our family of four, with two sons on their twenties, really enjoyed the tea ceremony. It was fun to dress in traditional clothes and learn about the history and traditions behind it. It’s fun for all ages.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Meiji Shrine,the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace and Harajuku Tour

Tokyo

Our family enjoyed visiting the Meiji shrine, a peaceful oasis in a busy city. The grounds were very pretty and our guide Kaiko was terrific! We loved learning about the history of the shrine from our guide and from visiting the museum.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had such a memorable time in Japan. Ben really understood what my family's interests were and chose fantastic locations and experiences for a first trip to Japan. Our guid in Tokyo, Yoko was very knowledgeable and efficient at zigzagging us all over the city.
In Kyoto, Ursula was amazing and was able to sneak in a few extra stops to maximize the sakuras at their peak. She was also helpful in giving us some tips on where to go in Osaka.

Judy from Kim Kim was very helpful and listened to what we wanted as a family. Judy paired us with a private tour guide called JJ from Nara to Oaska, JJ was a great guide and well informed, she even it took one for the team when the deer's were chasing us food.
Thank you, highly recommend Judy from the Kimkim Tour group.

Hotel Reviews

The Bridge Hotel Shinsaibashi

Osaka

Hotel was in a perfect location to food and transport & night life. Rooms were smallish especially when sharing but all in all it was clean and had great amenities. Breakfast was included and enough variety available.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kyoto U-BELL Hotel

Hotel was in a good location to food and transport. Rooms were reasonable with queen bed especially when sharing but all in all it was clean and had great amenities. Breakfast was included and enough variety available.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great location to transport & food

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tokyo Bay Ariake Washington Hotel

Hotel was in a good location to food and transport. Rooms were small especially when sharing but all in all it was clean and had great amenities. Breakfast was included and enough variety available.

Authenticity & Character

Clean and good amenities

Location

Near train stations restaurants

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Osaka Local Foodie Tour in Dotonbori and Shinsekai

Japan

Hide our foodie tour guide is a legend, he was funny, easy going and pleasant to share meals with. He was a great guide and answered questions not related to food as well.

Full Day Nara City Tour, Overnight in Osaka

Japan

Our guide JJ from Nara to Oska was informative and very pleasant to deal with, she was always helpful in answering our questions.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

We got to experience wearing a Kimono, the staff were very helpful and informative when dressing you. Our host teaching us the traditions of why they have a tea ceremony was very informative and pleasant.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

In January 2026 we traveled to Japan- three areas including Tokyo, Kyoto and last, Niseco for skiing! This was our 3rd trip working with kimkim and similar to past vacation explorations, it was a wonderful experience all around! Sandy was our local contact in Japan and she worked enthusiastically and diligently to tailor our trip to our specific needs, also nudging us kindly to consider things we wouldn't normally have chosen like "Sumo Experience" in Tokyo - which we truly enjoyed! Charlie was our Japanese American guide (friendly, knowledgeable and fun!) for the Sumo tour and we fully learned much from him and the kindly retired but still practicing Sumo wrestlers living at the Sumo Stable. Even had a taste of sparing for fun! Sandy connected us with our Tokyo tour guide Ayumi (friendly, knowledgable, gracefully passionate about her country) who proved to give us an outstanding tour of Tokyo sights (like Tokyo skyscrapers, rare fog free view of Mt Fuji from Tokyo, Imperial Palace Gardens and beautiful history lesson about Japan and the Imperial family, natural and tranquil Shinto shrines and introduced us to the most delicious, bountiful and steaming hot Ramen on one of our chilly days. We traveled on a high speed train from Tokyo to Kyoto that was so swift yet very quiet. In Kyoto, the cultural capital, our tour guide was Taku and he really gave us a thorough and enjoyable tour. It was very clear he had great passion and humble pride about his country. We really enjoyed our time learning from and exploring with him! Taku brought us to our traditional Ryokan accommodation with Onsen/hot spring baths. The proprietors could not have been more welcoming and accommodating. Had a second enjoyable day with Taku where we ventured through a Bamboo forest, snow monkey park, Nijo Castle, food market, learned about the beautiful and refined Geisha and more junior Meiko traditional Japanese entertainers who attend training in the Gion district of Kyoto. Headed north by plane to Niseko ski country and spent several days skiing the remarkably light and fluffy snow. Our kimkim designed Japan experience was THE BEST!!

Angel was the most amazing organizer; informed, personable and fun to work with. We were 4 women who enjoy adventure and talking to local people. We each have done a fair amount of traveling on our own and arranging our own trips with family and friends but this time relied on KimKim to make our arrangements.

Their local day trip guides were extremely knowledgable, thoughtful, kind and with a sense of humor. We appreciated times when the various local guides adjusted the schedule or site given to avoid the crowds. Sometimes we explored new places and had to adjust the schedule given unknown circumstances. The experiences felt unique while at the same time we were visiting major sites. So many places we went were so special. We made a number of requests in the beginning and made a few major adjustments just before embarking. When we had an unexpected emergency she responded immediately --anticipating the next steps with calm.

I wish Angel could arrange all my trips.

Our Japan trip was truly memorable! It was my daughter's first international trip and she did so well. Eleanor has planned it in a way where my daughter can keep up and not get overwhelmed and still check off all the places and experiences we wanted to have. Our local guides and drivers were also superb. Shoutout to Yuka, our guide in Shirakawa. She was a lovely person and my daughter played with her a lot. Overall, the beauty of the places we've seen, the culture, the hospitality made it magical and enchanting for us. It reset our minds and spirit. I can actually say my soul was deeply moved. We were absolutely captivated by Japan!

We recently returned from a truly wonderful tour of Japan. Eleanor at KimKim was the primary reason it felt so effortless. From the very beginning, she was incredibly thorough, managing every small detail and keeping us perfectly posted with updates and reminders exactly when we needed them. She managed to hit that elusive sweet spot between guided and self-guided time, selecting fantastic guides while still leaving us enough room to breathe and explore on our own. Eleanor was easy to work with and made changes when we thought of them.

One of the best decisions we made was following her advice to spend three days staying on Miyajima instead of staying over on the Hiroshima side. It was a highlight of the trip, though we do have one funny "pro-tip" for anyone else heading there: once the day-tourists catch the ferry back, almost every restaurant on the island shuts down by 6:00 PM. It left only a few spots open outside of the hotels, which we turned into a bit of an adventure, though others might find it a bit of a shock if they aren't prepared!

If we were to tweak anything in the itinerary, there were really only two minor exceptions in Kyoto—the boat ride and the tourist train. Only one person in our group enjoyed them. But in the grand scheme of such a well-planned trip, those were very small notes. Eleanor’s planning was top-tier, and while KimKim provided a great backend for the whole process, it was her personal touch that made the experience what it was. We would highly recommend her to anyone planning to travel to Japan.

The highlight of the trip was the 1,000 photos I captured along the way. I resonate with the Japanese style and their conscious use of space, line, and form in almost everything they create.
The gardens were especially relevant to me. Each one had a similarity but also its own unique elements, which made looking through my lens truly exciting. In fact, they have inspired me to revisit my own gardens, not trying to mimic a Japanese garden, but to take the time to think about, look a little longer and deeper, and try to incorporate these elements into mine.
My favorite was Miyajima - I loved the Island, the cable cars, and the Tori Bridge. It is a beautiful island. I especially love the Miyajima Hotel Villa. They had free snacks (and ice cream!) and the room was very comfortable with a lovely water view. The deer roam freely and are so friendly to the tourists.
I will contact Eleanor when we decide to return to Japan. I will use KimKim to plan travel to other countries.