Kimkim Trip Reviews for Japan

It was a pleasure working with Greg, Japan specialist with KimKim. He was flexible and accommodating. Based on our discussions, he put together a full itinerary packed with great activities and excellent hotels. Except for a couple of minor snafus and delays which prevented us from doing everything, the choices Greg made were generally excellent. At our request, Greg arranged for private tours in Tokyo, Kanazawa, Kyoto, and Hiroshima. The hotels selected were generally excellent. He prearranged all train tickets between cities and provided good guidance in explaining how to navigate local transportation. The best guided tours were the Shinjuku food tour (absolutely top notch sushi (I think the guide's name is Takeshi)) and in Kyoto ( our guide Pam was one of the best guides we've ever had - highly engaged, great sense of humor and extremely accommodating). The private tea ceremony and small group session with a geisha (who conversed with us, played a game and performed a traditional dance) in Kyoto were very special and particularly memorable. We found crowds somewhat overwhelming in popular spots in Kyoto and the Hiroshima peace museum (absolutely packed and could not really see the exhibits well). But all-in-all the planned activities were well worth it, and the package was very well organized. One piece of advice - do as much research on your own in advance so that you can make sure any particular items of places of interest will be included in the agenda which can be custom tailored to your interests, and leave some free time in order to relax, explore on your own, etc.

Activity Reviews

Private Tokyo Night Food Tour in Shinjuku

Tokyo

Guide took us to a relatively obscure sushi restaurant featuring a private session with a sushi chef who explained and prepared everything before us. Sushi was fresh. Probably the best I've ever had!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sumo Show with special, sumo nabe lunch included

Tokyo

Entertaining and educational. But not a true sumo match. Still worth it.

Quality of Experience

A lot of the events on our itinerary felt like tourist traps or promotional items that KimKim is paid to advertise. For example, on one occasion, we grabbed lunch at a random hotel, and did a food tour where one of the restaurants was staffed by people who barely spoke Japanese. Our tour guides were great; locals who were much more skilled at Japanese than English, for better and for worse, and offered us amazing recommendations for places to go and restaurants to eat at... only to take us to the restaurant booked by KimKim, which they had very little to say about. However, on one occasion, KimKim let us pick the restaurant we ate at, which was pretty amazing. That same tour hit a bunch of authentic temples, which while deeply over-commercialized, were great to see. I'm biased toward that tour because we saw more nature than shops. If there's a tree on Mount Fuji, we didn't drive anywhere near it... but Kiyomizu was breathtaking.

The reason for the stars off is primarily the amount of tour that felt like a cookie-cutter, copy-and-paste operation. We adjusted our itinerary to be close to family and friends, but the parts that we moved made me question our guide's experience. Because we were further away from the usual events, our typical day began a little after 7AM with an hour or more of transit. Sure, we incurred that when we asked to be further from some of them... but as an example, we were closer to Mt Fuji than her normal tour. She had us leave our hotel at 6AM sharp to be to Tokyo station in time to catch the shuttle... right back to where we started. Literally we drove past our city on the way back to Mount Fuji. This is the sort of thing I paid a planner *specifically* to prevent, and it wasn't an isolated incident: We had to leave the very next day at 7:25 AM to catch a bullet train between our two hotels... which allowed us to arrive *over two hours* before we were able to check in. After we were back in the city from the copy/paste itinerary, things smoothed out. But basically, just look up someone else's itinerary! KimKim won't do a good job on customizations.

My group had a lot of fun on this trip. The rating is because I genuinely believe we'd have had *more fun* if we just planned it all ourselves.

Hotel Reviews

Kyoto Tokyu Hotel

Kyoto

This hotel was pretty amazing, but it was more of a roller coaster. The breakfast bar was great; I'd have been blown away had I not just been at a Keio Plaza that set my expectations sky-high. This hotel's breakfast had most of the same stuff, though our other hotel literally had a soft serve ice cream machine... how do you compete with that? Additionally, this hotel's restaurants had very weird hours. Some were only open alternating Tuesdays/Thursdays, for example. The dinner restaurant required reservations... at a hotel. Otherwise, the amenities were on point, and I particularly appreciate the hotel shuttle to Kyoto Station. The rooms had a good deal of floor space but were short on furniture, meaning there weren't many places to set things, so luggage just had to sit on the floor. At least doing so left plenty of walkway. The fixtures (showers and toilets) were all great, there were no problems with water temperature or pressure, and the hotel had blackout curtains and other lighting control. The hotel paid a lot of attention to aesthetics; the lobby was stunningly beautiful. However, there was only one set of elevators in the whole hotel, so we managed to stop on every floor on our descent from level 6, just to watch people elect to wait for the next elevator.

Authenticity & Character

Stunning lobby, good Japanese breakfasts

Location

Very close to a cool temple, and within a comfortable commute of Kiyomizu and many others.

Staff

Helpful and friendly staff, very accommodating for English speakers

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were comfy and the whole hotel was very clean, neat, and pretty. More room to set stuff would have helped.

Keio Plaza Hotel Hachioji

Tokyo

This hotel's breakfast bar is carrying it. It was that wonderful. The hotel had water pressure problems and the shower flailed wildly between unpleasantly cool and painfully hot. But I worked around that by drawing a bath, and I'd do that every day for the breakfast bar, which blew the other hotel from our trip out of the water. The beds were comfortable, though on the firm side, which I believe many will appreciate. Beyond that, our experience was perfect. The rooms were small but there was space to put our stuff under tables and on a shelf above the beds' headboards, so we did better here than at our other hotel which had more floor space but no furniture to put things on.

Authenticity & Character

Features fancy Japanese toilets and modern lighting fixtures. Blackout curtains, good lighting control with multiple color temperatures. American hotels could learn a thing or two.

Location

We wanted to be in Hachioji specifically, so this was convenient for us. If you're vacationing mostly in Tokyo, this will not be convenient for you.

Staff

Very friendly and accommodating to English speakers.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was neat and tidy. Housekeeping did great.

Activity Reviews

Full Day Kyoto City Tour with Fushimi Inari-Taisha

Kyoto

This experience really made the trip for me. Kiyumizu was breathtaking; a real must-see among the temples. We actually hit multiple on this tour, and our guide was so friendly and accommodating; she made plenty of time for all the stuff we wanted to do. Dinner selection was on us, which was also stunning. If I ever book through KimKim again, I'd just tell them I want more of this. It was night and day in so many respects. We met the guide at our hotel, at an hour we set; she provided us bus passes so that we didn't have to worry about transit for these events (or anything else that day), we did everything we wanted at the temples, had a great meal, and left ecstatic.

Quality of Experience

Everything about it. The places, the guide, the pacing, the meetup.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

She was fantastically accommodating; beyond what I'd ever expect, especially given our other tours.

Transport

Transport was provided; everything was included.

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

Experience oozed authenticity; any deviation from that was carefully noted by our hostess. Good for tourists as there was time for photo shoots in our kimono, which was strongly encouraged. The place featured a small "zen garden" kind of structure for it, and while said garden was pretty much in the heart of the city where I'm not sure grass can actually grow, they made it work. Sitting on my knees is hard, but the hostess was very accommodating in that respect.

Quality of Experience

The authenticity of the experience, along with how sharable a moment it is (from a tourist point of view).

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly and informative, with good English skills.

Transport

We brought ourselves, so N/A

Mt. Fuji & Arakurayama Sengen Park Standard Lunch Course (Round Trip from Shinjuku or Tokyo Station)

Japan

The tour guide was friendly, spoke great English, and took us through some basic Japanese language and culture lessons, which was cute. These stops were over-commercialized tourist traps that managed to be all about Mount Fuji while exhibiting surprisingly little nature (our final stop was better, as it was a shopping center located next to a very scenic lake). The stops on Fuji itself were just tourist traps that charge you (separately and individually) to so much as use the restroom (there *is* a free one on site, as well). I was told to avoid Mount Fuji because it's a tourist trap, and I accepted the risk because hey, I'm a tourist. What I didn't expect is some extremely poor planning on the part of KimKim that made the whole day a huge pain. We had to leave our hotel before breakfast opened (which would have been at 7AM) to make it to the meetup point on time (a bit after 8 AM). To add insult to injury, the bus we boarded in Tokyo passed within a few hundred meters of said hotel an hour later. I was livid. My party constituted three of the five individuals on this tour, and the other two were from a separate stop; KimKim should have arranged a stop for us. Breakfast was not provided on the tour, nor did we have time to catch any before departure. Lunch was some sad prepackaged meal offered at a random hotel along the way. I enjoyed our time by the lake, though.

Quality of Experience

Better scheduling with our existing itinerary.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was wonderful; friendly, informative, helpful, patient.

Transport

We were on a bus most of the time. How much walking we did was up to us, and we didn't need to worry about rail.

Master Tokyo's Must-Sees: 5-hour Tsukiji, Akihabara & Asakusa Highlights Tour

Tokyo

A lot of good sights, especially the thunder temple, and a good guide to tell us about them. Japan has largely over-commercialized these temples, but it doesn't feel so bad because it's all cheap, all done on the honor system (within the temples; stands around them are pretty touristy), and all deeply rooted in their culture (even most of the local shops and food stands). Some of the pacing could be improved; I'd rather walk and talk when possible, but this tour still left some wiggle room so we could do what we wanted in the area, and the guide made time for photos and helped us out with them. The tour also left us plenty of time to structure the rest of our day around it.

Quality of Experience

Flexible schedule, friendly guide, and good food at a quality restaurant.

Food

Food quality was good, quantity was acceptable, and timing was such that we could do what we liked in town afterward.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was very friendly and helpful, spoke English pretty well, and did his best to make the experience great for us.

Transport

Guide told us where to go, we just had to provide bus fare

Tokyo Night Foodie Tour in Shinjuku

Tokyo

Our guide was great. The choice of eateries was questionable. The food selection was predetermined, rather than just setting a budget, so some members of our group left after eating very little (of the 8 pieces of sushi and 3 tempura that were offered at the first joint). The second joint seemed to be higher quality and was far more impressive. We actually bailed on the third place because it was just some type of ice cream and our group was falling asleep, nearly out of phone battery, by that point in the day.

Quality of Experience

Restaurant selection, food variety

Food

Variety, selection... these were two of the three worst restaurants we ate at on our whole trip. They weren't *bad,* there were just *better,* all around.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was very friendly and informative. We learned a lot from him.

Transport

Most of this experience was just walking somewhere to eat two fistfuls of food, the pacing of meals and stops was terrible, and we had no time to adjust for things the group was actually enjoying.

This is was a trip of a lifetime. Every city was different and memorable. All of our guides were knowledgeable and timely. We are not big shoppers so they were able to accommodate our extra time with additional sights. Shona, our local specialist, was able to help us adjust a train ticket within an hour and helped us navigate minor bumps during our trip.

Greg planned an amazing 11-day trip for us in Japan. We got to see a lot of Japan, do a whole range of activities, eat a bunch of local foods (often via food tours), and travel around the country like locals on Japan's awesome public transportation. Some of Greg's instructions on how to get places, and what our timing was, were a bit confusing, but he offered to get on a call with us, which we did, and were able to clear up the confusion. So make sure you're clear on all of the details and know where to find what you need either on the KimKim app or from other source given to you by the travel agent.
One of the real highlights was that the company Greg used for our tours (Magical Trips) keeps the groups very small and uses local guides. We got to ask all sorts of questions of the guides and really connected with them, as well as the other person or people who were in our group. Through those conversations we learned the most about Japan's culture and daily life and this really made our trip.

Activity Reviews

Kyoto Arashiyama Bamboo forest & Garden Half-Day Walking Small Group Tour

Japan

The store was excellent because it took us off the beaten path so that we got to see some temples and gardens that we never would’ve seen. It also got us away from the crowds in the bamboo forest. We learned a lot and and really enjoyed talking to our guide Ayuri.

Sushi Making Cooking Class near the Tokyo Tower

Tokyo

We thoroughly enjoyed this class! We had taken a sushi making class at home, but this one blew it away. Not only did we learn how to make sushi like a pro but the sushi we made was some of the best we’ve ever had. Our instructor was great and fun and knowledgeable and spoke English perfectly. Definitely recommend!

Quality of Experience

The instruction, the instructor, the food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We just returned from our anniversary trip to Japan, and I can say with complete confidence that booking through KimKim was one of the best travel decisions we’ve ever made. In fact, this is our third trip using KimKim. From the very first planning email to the final farewell in Osaka, the entire experience was seamless, personal, and unforgettable.
Ben, our travel specialist, was phenomenal. He helped us build the perfect itinerary—listening to everything we wanted, adding thoughtful suggestions, and tweaking the schedule along the way to fit our style. Thanks to him, our trip struck the perfect balance of culture, food, adventure, relaxation, and those “wow” moments we’ll be talking about for years.
And then there were our guides: Peter and Ursula.
These two were an absolute gift to our journey.
Peter, our Tokyo & Hakone guide, made navigating Japan’s transportation system feel effortless. He taught us subway skills worthy of a Mario Bros. level-up, showed us how to experience Shibuya Crossing like locals, and gave us incredible historical context at temples and shrines. He even congratulated me on my sumo match at the lunch show (yes… I stepped into the ring and no, my training was not focused enough 😂).
Ursula, our guide through Kyoto, Nara, and Osaka, was equally fantastic. From sake tastings in Fushimi to zen moments at the Golden Pavilion, she blended humor, storytelling, and deep cultural knowledge in a way that made every day feel like traveling with a friend. She helped us navigate the language barrier, made sure we didn’t get lost on trains, and offered endless tips to help us blend in better than we probably deserved. Both guides were great to pack in as much adventure each day while still leaving us with free time to roam and explore on our own.
Every single day was packed with memorable highlights, many of which KimKim helped coordinate:
✨ Sushi-making with a 4th-generation master (we are now “certified” Nigiri makers and have enough footage for a full-length documentary).
✨ A tea ceremony and learning to whisk our own matcha at a university.
✨ Visiting a capybara at a café—one of Emily’s bucket list items.
✨ Riding the bullet train to Kyoto with snacks in hand and Mt. Fuji peeking through the clouds.
✨ Walking through Arashiyama’s bamboo forest and a rickshaw ride through its historic streets.
✨ A full cultural immersion day in Fushimi Inari, weaving through the famous vermilion torii gates.
✨ A relaxing soak and stay in Hakone with incredible views of Mt. Fuji.
✨ Exploring Osaka Castle and ending our trip at the Umeda Sky Building with panoramic nighttime views.
And beyond the excursions, the guides helped us handle everything—from ordering meals to using the Suica card. They answered every question, solved every hiccup, and made us feel completely supported the entire way.
KimKim didn’t just plan a trip—they helped create a collection of memories that feel like a chapter from our own personal, globe-trotting storybook.
If you’re considering a trip to Japan—especially if it’s a special occasion—book with KimKim. Ask for Ben, and if you’re lucky, you’ll get Peter and Ursula too. They helped make our anniversary adventure everything we dreamed of…and then some.
Arigatou gozaimasu, KimKim team.
We’re already thinking about following the green light to our next chapter.
—Ray & Emily

I visited Japan with my best friend I've known since middle school. Ben has been very responsive with planning out the trip. Maru-san was our guide in Kyoto and he was awesome. He knew so much history everywhere we went. Betty-san was our guide in Hakone and Tokyo and she was a lot of fun as well! She knew all the great places to take a good photo.

I recently organized a group trip to Japan for 15 travelers through KimKim and worked directly with Angel as our specialist. This was my sixth time working with KimKim and once again the level of customer service, communication, and genuine care stood out in a major way.

Even though I did not travel with this group myself, Angel and her team were responsive, patient, and committed to supporting a very full itinerary across Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. Managing a group of this size with many moving parts is not easy, and overall the coordination, accommodations, and activities were excellent.

Our hotels in all three cities were beautiful, centrally located, and convenient for exploring on foot or by train. The activities chosen for the group were engaging and memorable. TeamLab Planets was a highlight for many and became one of the most talked about experiences of the entire itinerary. Travelers also enjoyed the castles, shrines, markets, and cultural touches throughout the journey.

We did encounter a few hiccups during the trip, which I believe are helpful to name for growth on both sides. Some of the full day excursions were too long and packed too tightly, which made the days feel rushed for travelers who wanted more time to absorb the history and culture. Time management and pacing are especially important for first time visitors to Japan, and future itineraries would benefit from shorter days, more breaks, and a bit more built-in flexibility.
We also had inconsistent experiences with local guides. One of our female guides was phenomenal, thoughtful, and highly communicative. Another guide struggled with communication and cultural expectations, which created some strain during one of the full day tours. That said, Angel was receptive when this was brought to her attention and took action to support the group.

There was also an issue with the tea ceremony and samurai museum tickets not being booked in advance even though they had been paid for. This was understandably frustrating for travelers who were looking forward to these activities. I appreciate Angel and Sandy stepping in quickly to help resolve this, and I am currently processing reimbursements on my end with their support. Mistakes happen, and I appreciate the team’s transparency and willingness to correct it.

Despite the challenges, what impressed me most was the care, grace, and helpful attitude Angel consistently demonstrated. She was in daily communication with our trip leaders, monitored the group’s needs closely, and made every effort to keep things running smoothly. Her dedication did not go unnoticed by the travelers or by me.

Overall, this was a meaningful trip for my community. My travelers experienced Japan through culture, food, history, and shared connection. The minor issues do not overshadow the fact that KimKim curated a beautiful journey for us, and our group made incredible memories together.

I would absolutely work with KimKim again and with Angel again. With a few adjustments to pacing and guide selection, I know future Japan itineraries will be even stronger. Thank you, Angel and Sandy, for your time, flexibility, and support through the entire process.

Ben was very helpful planning the trip. When asked, he made a number of helpful suggestions which were all well thought out and were a good fit for us. When we forgot some clothing at our hotel in Hakone, Ben worked with the hotel and the clothes were delivered to us a couple of days later. The guides(Peter and Ursula) were both great. We loved our trip and would not hesitate to use KimKim again. Highest recommendation!!

Activity Reviews

Day Trip to Miyajima Island: Floating Torii Gate & Hiking

Hiroshima

The island was beautiful, we enjoyed the hike and cable cars we took to get to the top.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day trip to Hiroshima by public transport

Japan

One of the highlights of our trip was visiting the Peace museum . Very moving experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kyoto to Osaka via Nara by private transfer

Japan

Nara was beautiful. Seeing the Great Buddha and feeding the deer were highlights.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to Arashiyama: Rickshaw Ride ， Bamboo Grove, Monkey Park and Tea Ceremony in Kimono

Kyoto

Taking a rickshaw through the bamboo forest was a real treat. The monkey park was a pleasant though challenging hike, and great views of Kyoto.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day tour by public transport in Kyoto: Golden Pavilion，Fushimi Inari Shrine, Traditional Arts Performance, Pontocho Alley

Kyoto

The Fushimi Inari shrine and Golden Pavillion were beautiful and very interesting, not too crowded.,

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fuji Five Lakes Tour, Transfer to Hakone

Japan

Beautiful scenery, spectacular views of MT. Fuji. The museum was also very interesting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

local knowledge

Transport

Explore Tokyo's Rich Heritage: Tsukiji Outer Market,Imperial palace,Sushi Making Class, Ghibli Museum by public transport

Tokyo

The sushi making class we great fun, The tour of the fish market and Ghibli musuem were also execellent!

Quality of Experience

Food

Great sushi!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ilse was incredibly responsive and planned an amazing trip for us. We enjoyed Japan and had a huge variety of experiences. Oku Japan was very helpful with some minor mishaps we needed help with. They really came through for us when we left our passports in a hotel safe. We had all the vouchers and information we needed and the trip had a beautiful flow and tempo. I highly recommend Kimkim and Oku Japan

Hotel Review

Taoya Kisoji

Tsumago

Very large resort hotel in the mountains. Very different experience from our ryokans but incredible . The most beautiful onsens you can imagine set in lovely Japanese gardens. Room was luxurious and buffets were extensive with all you can drink.

Authenticity & Character

Not personable; very large facility

Location

Mountain setting

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Kyoto - At leisure

Kyoto

So much to see in Kyoto. Nara was a bit too crowded and touristy. Would not do that again. Fun to walk around neighborhoods.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My son and I took a trip to Japan and planned it through kimkim. Our local agent Angel was amazing to work with and connected us with the best tour guides in Tokyo and Kyoto. She stayed in touch with us throughout the trip and made sure we had all the information we needed to travel efficiently. We could not have asked for a better experience. I definitely will use kimkim again when booking a custom luxury vacation.

Hotel Review

Courtyard by Marriott Shin-Osaka Station

Osaka

Authenticity & Character

Could tell it was an American brand

Location

Near train station

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sightseeing in Arashiyama - Boat Ride and Bamboo Grove

Kyoto

Due to weather our boat ride got cancelled but our guide made sure to keep us busy with other sites. In addition to the bamboo forest we visited another site that was not on our list but one that I had heard about. Yoshiko was very accommodating.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Driver was extremely professional and very accommodating

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

This was so much fun! I loved getting dressed in the kimono and learning about the traditional tea ceremony customs.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Samurai and Ninja Museum with Experience

Kyoto

Although this was interesting, the museum was very crowded and was my least favorite part of the trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The staff and guides at the museum felt rushed.

Transport

Fushimi Inari Taisha and Kinkakuji Temple

Kyoto

Our guide in Kyoto, Yoshiko, was such a pleasure to tour with. She was very knowledgeable and despite the rain (and crowds) she made this day interesting and memorable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gion Geisha Walking Tour

Kyoto

This tour was very informative. Our guide gave us a ton of historical information about the area and the Geisha culture. We didn’t get to see everything I would have liked to see but still very interesting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Drive to Hakone from Tokyo

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vehicle was extremely comfortable

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

Japan

This was one of my favorite days. Motoki was once again very accommodating and made sure we got to see everything we wanted. Our driver was also very accommodating and there to pick us up whenever we were ready to move on to the next stop.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tokyo Night Foodie Tour in Shinjuku

Tokyo

Minnie was a great guide and the food was incredible. Loved that it was a small group and we got to know our guide and the other couple in the tour.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tokyo Highlights Day Tour - East & West

Tokyo

Our tour guide Motoki was fantastic. He made sure that we got to see and do all that we wanted in addition to what was on our itinerary. He also shared stories of the Japanese culture that added to our experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Motoki was the BEST!

Transport

Angel did an awesome job curat the iternerary for us and suiting it to our interests. All of the guides and activities were excellent. The accomodations were also great. We had a perfect mix of planned experiences and free-time. Angel also did a really good job with the pacing of our trip between cities. Will probably use kimkim again!:)

Hotel Reviews

Mercure Tokyo Haneda Airport

Tokyo

Nice place to stay for our final night in Japan.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Candeo Hotels Osaka The Tower

Osaka

Fancy hotel; enjoyed our stay here.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Vischio Kyoto by GRANVIA

Kyoto

Overall nice place to stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easy to get to town from here.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hakone Hotel Kajikaso

Hakone

This hotel was such a memorable experience -- it is in a beautiful area and there is so much to do in the hotel. They also give you yukatas to wear and free tea / juice. One of our favorite things was around 9PM we were exploring the hotel and there was a small spa area where we were able to just walk up and schedule a massage before sleep. Loved that we did not need a reservation or anything and that it was open at night-- super cool! The hotel also had a game room and kareoke room and late-night ramen bar. One thing is that the dinner was very traditional, so that part would not suit everybody's taste; during the dinner there were Geisha performances which was cool. Also, there was a cute store in the hotel with a lot of Hakone-specific items; I took back several different things as souvenirs.

Authenticity & Character

Very traditional.

Location

Pretty in a mountain area.

Staff

Kind and accomodating.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Comfortable and clean.

Asakusa View Hotel Annex Rokku

Tokyo

Amazing location; great hreakfast; clean and spacious room. Loved this for our Tokyo time!

Authenticity & Character

Location is perfect.

Location

Asakusa is a really fun part of Tokyo with a lot of cool shops and restaurants and history -- glad we stayed here and got to see a lot of it.

Staff

Attentive; kind.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was clean and neat.

Activity Reviews

Full Day City Tour with Osaka Castle

Japan

So happy to have Hiro again for this tour -- getting the same tour guide for Kyoto and Osaka was really cool and added to our experience because it was like we were traveling with a friend!:) He also gifted us polaroids of the day as a parting gift -- so nice and I am keeping them forever!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Again, Hiro is awesome.

Transport

Osaka Local Foodie Tour in Dotonbori and Shinsekai

Japan

Loved trying the different foods Osaka is known for; would do again!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kyoto Cooking Class

Japan

So much fun and turned out delicious!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kyoto's Cultural Treasures: Fushimi Inari-Taisha, Nijo Castle and Kinkaku-ji

Japan

Super fun day; we learned and saw a lot! Also loved our guide Hiro -- he was so nice and funny and knowledgable and REALLY good at taking photos. It was like we had a perfect two in one guide and photographer.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchi with Oishi Park

Japan

So beautiful and such a fun day! We enjoyed the boat ride, and we really loved the gardens in giew of Mt. Fuji. Our driver was very nice.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Authentic Sumo Experience in Tokyo : Enter the Sanctuary ( join in, small group )

Tokyo

Super fun; the sumo wrestlers had really great / funny personalities.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Tokyo City Tour with Shinjuku Gyoen (cherry blossom)

Tokyo

Our tour guide was so nice and knowledgable! Loved her! Got to see a lot of different places in Tokyo and she took us adjusted the trip to suit what we wanted like if we saw something along the way that was not scheduled she let us check it out and get pictures. She gave us cute paper cranes as a goodbye gift.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Loved Ikuko!!

Transport

Planning: Sharon was great. As we were planning, she was very patient with us as we made modifications to our plans and wishes. She also helped us navigate a couple changes that were required during the trip and made sure we were always aware of what we needed to do.

Tokyo: Blair was an incredible guide. We loved getting a feel for the city and Blair helped us find a couple smaller eateries in addition to doing everything "touristy" we had planned. She also gave us a really good feel for modern Japanese and Tokyo culture.

Kyoto: We enjoyed visiting the temples and appreciated Ellie's knowledge as she showed us around. She helped us understand the differences between cultures in Tokyo and Kyoto and helped us find a couple items outside of our planned tour (a restaurant and a limited-time exhibition) that we enjoyed.

Shona was truly the most incredible travel agent. From the planning, booking and trip, everything was perfect. During the almost year leading up to the trip she was so attentive and knowledgeable with any questions I had. Going to a new country where your language is not their main language can be very nerve racking but Shona made the entire process so easy. I had messed up our flight days coming into Japan and before I knew it Shona had everything taken care of and fixed. She truly took care of everything. From drivers, hotels, train tickets. It was all so organized and well thought out. I can’t thank her enough for making my husband and I’s dream trip a fantastic reality!

Hotel Reviews

HOTEL THE LEBEN OSAKA

Osaka

A stunning hotel within walking distance of the Shinsaibashi shopping district!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rihga Gran Kyoto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Keihan Tsukiji Ginza Grande

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day City Tour with Osaka Castle

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Osaka Local Foodie Tour in Dotonbori and Shinsekai

Japan

Getting to try different foods was very cool but we only tried 3 foods in 3 hours. I was expecting a bit more. The tour guide was walking so fast that the group had a very hard time keeping up. We were a group of 3 couples and 1 older lady on her own. None of us were aware we were taking the metro so we didn’t come prepared with suica cards so getting through the station was a mess which caused a lot of frustration for us and the other people trying to get through the station. The food portion of the tour was finished but the guide was going to show us to the famous running man sign. This is where we lost a person of our group. She was an older lady who was there by herself. Again the guide was walking so fast and after about 5 minutes, we realized the older lady wasn’t with us. The guide tried to call the office she goes through because she did not have access to her phone number. The office ended up being closed. We never saw that lady again…

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kyoto Highlights: Kinkaku-ji Temple, Nijo Castle and Fushimi-Inari Taisha

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

This was genuinely such a cool experience! Getting to learn the history of a traditional Japanese tea ceremony while wearing kimonos was such a fun time. My husband and I are on the bigger side and they had plenty of kimono options for us to wear. We didn’t feel left out because of our size which we appreciated so much!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchi with Oishi Park

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tokyo Discovery with Shibuya & Harajuku - West

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kumiko was so much fun! She was so knowledgeable about the areas we were in. She was always ready to take a great picture of us that we will cherish for a lifetime!

Transport

We just got back from our honeymoon trip to Japan, and Greg made the entire experience absolutely amazing. From the very beginning, he was incredibly responsive — anytime we had a question or needed help with something, he got back to us right away, which took a lot of the stress out of traveling.

The itinerary he put together was perfect for us. We had such a great time exploring Kyoto, Hakone, Osaka, Tokyo, and Nara. Every place we visited felt thoughtfully planned, and all the details were handled so smoothly that we were able to just relax and enjoy the trip.

We couldn’t have asked for a better first big adventure as a married couple. Thank you, Greg, for helping make our honeymoon so special!

Our trip to Japan was memorable and full of beauty. The itinerary gave us a wonderful mix of cultural, historical, and scenic experiences. Kamakura was by far my favorite stop - peaceful, rich in history, and beautifully guided by Kimura, who was phenomenal. He was kind, engaging, and incredibly knowledgeable. We learned so much and felt truly cared for.

Unfortunately, our experience in Nikko was disappointing. Our guide, Martin, seemed ill, which was especially concerning because my mother is immunocompromised. His clothes and glasses appeared dirty, and the tour itself felt unorganized. We learned very little about the sites, didn’t have time to browse the shops, and there was no break for lunch, which left everyone hungry by the end of the day.

We raised our concerns, and the kimkim team responded quickly by assigning Edward for our Mt. Fuji excursion. Edward was wonderful - professional, thoughtful, and attentive. Thanks to him, we finished our trip on a positive note.

Our travel specialist, Shona, was kind but missed the mark in a few areas. Our hotel was changed twice after payments had already been made, our Disney tickets were not secured early enough to make restaurant reservations, and I also noticed that our Disney tickets were purchased for the wrong day leading to a bed to change around our itinerary very close to our departure date. Shona also mixed up the time of our final call, which caused some confusion and didn’t allow for our entire group to be present. The travel documents we received also had small errors, such as listing the wrong months (March and April instead of October) and including information about an activity we weren’t doing. We asked for restaurant recommendations but received only a few food ideas shortly before departure, so we ended up doing that research ourselves. Finally, our Mario Kart tour was cancelled due to rain, so Shona was kind enough to refund us directly $112/pp for the tickets and driver fees. While in Japan, Shona was very responsive and made sure we were taken care of. I wish this was the sentiment before getting to Japan, too.

Despite these bumps, Japan itself was absolutely magical. Kamakura and Mt. Fuji were unforgettable, and Kimura and Edward were the true highlights of our journey. With a little more attention to detail in the planning and communication process, this trip could have been flawless.

Hotel Review

Sunshine City Prince Hotel Ikebukuro Tokyo

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Mt. Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi Tour with Whisky Tasting

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exploring the Natural Wonders of Nikko

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tokyo-Kamakura-Tokyo

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We have returned from a 21 day trip around Honshu, organized by the local specialist, Greg. Normally we plan our own adventures but were overwhelmed by the multitude of possibilities in Japan. Greg provided excellent planning to experience as much as possible, as efficiently as possible, within our time frame. Our trip included a few guided days as well as some local cultural experiences. We particularly enjoyed the kintsugi experience in Kyoto and loved visiting the tea farmer in Uji. For the other days, we had either specific recommendations (which sometimes included train tickets) as well as more loose recommendations for things to do at our leisure and on our own. The combination worked well! All the little details were covered, including a pocket wifi device which proved invaluable. Prior to the trip, Greg was alerted to the endurance/mobility limitations of one of our party and worked to create itineraries which would work with less demanding walking. Having someone in country familiar with the landscapes and distances was very helpful in our specific case. As the trip commenced, that limitation actually increased, but Greg was able to pivot to adapt to the changing needs, primarily consulting with guides to adjust the itineraries when it looked like we wouldn't be able to manage.

Hotel Reviews

The Prince Park Tower Tokyo

Tokyo

Located a short walk to the Tokyo Tower with views of the tower from the room. Breakfast was chaotic but offered views of Mt. Fuji on "lucky" days.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hilton Hiroshima

Hiroshima

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Thousand Kyoto

Kyoto

Beautiful hotel located adjacent to the Kyoto Central Station .. .in an ideal location for everything.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

IORI SHIROYAMA

Takayama

This villa is absolutely beautiful, with a sauna as well as indoor and outdoor baths. It is isolated with beautiful landscaping and outdoor spaces. The breakfast is delivered in the morning, but was a bit disappointing. I know Japan is a tea culture but there was no coffee (didn't know in advance to buy coffee for the machine). My only problem with it is that it is located way up a hill from the center of Takayama. It's a tough walk back up to the villa. We did take a taxi back to the villa and had to assist the driver to find the villa , even with his gps. Luckily I remembered some visual landmarks to get us to the space!

Authenticity & Character

Location

There is a shuttle to the villa at check in and check out - maybe shuttles at other times? It really is tough to get to on foot.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Hotel Sanraku Kanazawa

Kanazawa

Excellent location literally across from the fish market and close to bus transportation. Beautiful rooms with large baths.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Chisun Grand Nagano

Excellent location within a few minutes to the train station and center. Smaller rooms but clean and comfortable. We weren't prepared for the tatami mats at breakfast and the low chairs but the food was excellent.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Blossom Hibiya

Minato

Excellent location with an excellent breakfast buffet including many Japanese items.

Authenticity & Character

A very western hotel - but very well maintained

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Nishiki Market Brunch Walking Food Tour

Kyoto

Nishiki Market as included as part of our explorations with a guide. The hype about Nishiki Market I widespread but it was honestly a bit disappointing. It is packed with tourists and barely any locals. The crowds make it tough to even get to some of the stalls. It feels like it was a "necessary" stop but it was so removed from the original market.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover the secret gems of Kanazawa - Private Walking Tour

Kanazawa

Great afternoon exploring the market, including many tastes of the local fish and specialties (gold leaf ice cream!) and then far beyond in the town.

Takayama Half-Day Private Tour with Expert Guide

Takayama

Excellent energetic knowledgable guide thrilled to share hie new hometown with us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Kamikochi Tour

Nagano

Beautiful day exploring in the countryside with an excellent guide and driver

Full Day Tour to Kurobe Gorge and Unazuki Onsen

Japan

Kintsugi Experience at Shikata Urushi, A Centuries-Old Japanese-Urushi Shop in Kyoto

Kyoto

I knew about kintsugi prior to this experience but had no idea about the complexity involved. This was an excellent overview of not only the actual hands-on work but the background of the materials.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

e provided our own transport via taxi

Tea Plantation Tour and Organic Green Tea Tasting

Japan

We absolutely adored this exploration of the era plantation and tasting the green tea varieties.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Everything about my trip to Japan was exceptionally well-organized from start to finish. I loved every part of the experience, every site I visited and every city I explored, from Tokyo through Osaka and Kyoto to Kanazawa. It was a smooth, well balanced schedule with a lot of thought put into this itinerary. All the tour guides were friendly, professional, and always ready to help. In general, it was an unforgettable journey which exceeded all my expectations.

Hotel Reviews

Daiwa Roynet Hotel KANAZAWAEKI-NISHIGUCHI

Kanazawa

I'm giving this hotel a lower score only because it didn't quite live up to my personal expectations. I usually book boutique or upscale hotels for myself, so this was a little different for me. That said, the staff was super professional and friendly, which I greatly appreciated.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Candeo Hotels Osaka The Tower

Osaka

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Richmond Hotel premier KYOTO SHIJO

I'm giving this hotel a lower score only because it didn't quite live up to my personal expectations. I usually book boutique or upscale hotels for myself, so this was a little different for me. That said, the staff was super professional and friendly, which I greatly appreciated.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ryokan Aura Tachibana

Hakone

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mitsui Garden Hotel Jingugaien Tokyo Premier

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Gokayama and Shirakawago Tour from Kanazawa

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Osaka-Nara day trip with Osaka Castle

Osaka

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kyoto's Cultural Treasures: Fushimi Inari-Taisha, Nijo Castle and Kinkaku-ji

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchi & Oishi Park

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tokyo Day Tour with Tsukiji Outer Market & Senso-ji - East & Central

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport






For our part, we realize that planning should have begun earlier — probably 6 months in advance, because certain tours, hotels, etc were already booked. Nevertheless, Judy was terrific and resourceful, getting back to us quickly despite the challenges of being in different time zones. Our goals (arts and hands-on) were different from those of a typical tourist; Judy was good at accommodating them. We could have used more advice about the differences in those programs, so we researched them on our own. That meant we had to request additional things and changes as we learned about them.

Also, we made a scheduling error, not realizing that the flight arrived the day after it began, so Judy had to adjust our bookings to accommodate this. We threw her an extra challenge by asking her to add a day-trip to Hamamatsu for a family visit. Also, a freak accident on the take-off of our flight to Tokyo caused us to be re-routed through Europe, hence losing another day. Altogether, this meant our proposed 14 day trip had to be jammed into a shorter number of days. Upon retrospect, even without these unexpected adjustments, we should have allowed ourselves three weeks to do everything we wanted to do and to give ourselves more time for exploring on our own. An open day in each city would have been preferable and made for a more relaxed trip.

Tour guides - Guides in Tokyo and Kanazawa were excellent and flexible. However, Michiko (Kyoto), though eager to please was less well-informed and had weaker English. She was too focused on Samurai/Shogun history and wanted to take too many photos of us. We were surprised that her tour involved walking and buses, which worked out fine, but we were surprised as we expected a driver in each location unless specified.

Workshops and presentations - Our first workshop (sushi making) was a disaster. We were told to get there on our own by local train, but had no previous instruction about how to navigate. When we arrived at the address we were given, there was no signage and no staff there to greet us, so we didn’t know if we were in the right place. After contacting Judy, we discovered that the company had made a scheduling error, which they corrected as quickly as possible. The workshop was ok in spite of the space with was filthy with cigarette butts and used cups on the table. Looking online afterwards, we saw that there were many other sushi workshops that might have been better choices.

The other workshops were all excellent: washi paper making, dyeing, the artisan visit (embroidery), and an unscheduled visit to a gold leaf workshop that our guide created since we had extra time.

Transportation - There was a lot of transportation that we had to navigate on our own. We found it quite challenging, especially at first. We would have benefited from more advance information about how to manage the different systems and locations (some with QR codes, some with one ticket, some with two tickets). Even after we requested more direction from Judy, we still found it difficult. Fortunately, we were assisted by train station personnel or sympathetic travelers or residents who saw us struggling and shepherded us to the right place.

Hotels - Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka were excellent; the hotel in Kanazawa was fair (amenities were better than we thought at first due to a communication problem). Still, the room was very small and one side of the bed was against the wall.

Due to the popularity of Naoshima, we were booked in Okayama, which required a ferry ride each way. There too one side of the bed was against the wall. Although it was advertised as a beachfront facility. In fact it was a block or two from the waterfront (not a beach) and overlooked a bicycle track. There was a night race one of the nights we were there, which was unique.

Judy was an excellent planner, responding cheerfully under a number of challenging circumstances. It would have been helpful to be advised about how realistic it was to see so much in a short time, especially given our age. Although we’re in good shape for our ages we are in our 80s. As mentioned above, we needed more assistance with independent train travel. It would also have been helpful to have advice about restaurants near our various hotels. We were told that the guides could help us, but they had no more knowledge than what they or we could find online.

Hotel Reviews

Miyako City Osaka Hommachi

Osaka

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

SETOUCHI KEIRIN HOTEL 10 by Onko Chishin

Tamano

Inconvenient. Only recommended for bike racing enthusiats, adjacent to bike racing track. Description says beachfont but it’s over a block away from the water - essentially a small marina for fishing boats. No beach. We were only there because we weren’t able to book a place to stay on Naoshima and it was a 5 minute taxi ride to the ferry to Naoshima.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cross Hotel Kyoto

Kyoto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Intergate Kanazawa

Kanazawa

Functional, nothing special. Small room with one side of the bed against the wall.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mitsui Garden Hotel Jingugaien Tokyo Premier

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

beautiful but far from anything other than an olympic stadium

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

We didn’t realize that we’d have to wear kimonos. Wouldn’t have chosen to but it ended up being fun.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traditional Yuzen Dyeing Experience

Kyoto

Fabulous personal hands-on experience with a master artisan.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-Day Exploration: Arashiyama Bamboo Grove & Kinkaku-ji Temple

Kyoto

Unless you’re really into the bamboo grove and this particular temple, time would be better spent looking at pictures, avoiding the crowds and doing something else.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gion Geisha Show and Walking Tour

Kyoto

We arrived too late for the walking tour but the Geisha show was fascinating.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We took a taxi on our own.

Half Day Artisan Tour in Kanazawa

Kanazawa

Wonderful embroidery folks. Unexpected. We wouldn’t have selected embroidery but it was terrific as was the guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kanazawa Highlights with Art: Gardens, Castles & National Crafts Museum

Kanazawa

Intead of having a guide and driver, we traveled by bus with guide. Her English wasn’t as good as other guides and she was focused primarily on Samurai/Shogun. Sweet lady, though.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Driver rather than buses.

Tokyo Sushi Making Experience & Japanese Cooking Class

Tokyo

Scheduled at the wrong time, difficult to find, no signage, dirty.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exploring Futuristic Odaiba with Sumida River Cruise

Tokyo

Wonderful guide, flexible so we were able to make changes to personalize the day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The itinerary of the trip was unbelievable and Shona planned the trip of a lifetime…in the final analysis that is all that matters! We did have some minor challenges along the way which are worth mentioning to provide constructive feedback for next client. These include 1. Major issues w web site …after over a year of planning, the itinerary was dropped and had to be rebuilt. Our friends could not at first pay final payment because business office had no record of trip! We were never able to get two distinct trip plans….for example new plan did not reflect free meals at hotel in Hakone which was on earlier version ( although Shona eventually included). Minor issue but only 2 tee shirts provided at Christmas although 4 people traveling and paying money. Sometimes communication was challenging. Zoom calls did not work, for example. Shona worked really hard and generally available at all hours of day, leading us to worry that she might have needed more help from team. We learned the hard way that asking for extra steps, such as tickets to a tennis tournament, could be so challenging to not be worth the effort on the part of all. This I suspect is a function of the complex nature of Japan. The web site was confusing. Changes made in chat section not always accurately updated in trip plans, leading to some confusion, such as not knowing when rides to train would show up, location for foodie tour meet up spot was wrong, so spent an hour waiting in pouring rain to finally meet guide, etc. For the most part, these challenges were limited in number and guides, train tickets,etc. all worked like clockwork. Hotels were great, with exception of last night in Tokyo..room was so small it was hard for my husband and I to even move around free space. Your last night before a long journey home you really want to start w a good night’s sleep so that was disappointing. The hotels were in great locations and high quality, however, although the lake hotel in Nikko was far from town so long taxi rides for bike tour. In retrospect, we are still glad we stayed there as it was a very unique experience and the other choices would not have been as good. We had 4 guides that were over the top and made our experiences especially wonderful… we bonded so well with them that it was hard to say goodbye ( Tokyo, Kyoto, Nikko bike trip, and Nara transfer). All guides were good, but it was clear which ones were doing it to pick up extra money while in school, for example, versus having a true passion. We did not like the tours where you had to pay entrance fees yourself, such as with Kanazawa tours. For the most part, the itinerary did a great job ( with help of guides ) of avoiding crowds during high traffic season, which was greatly appreciated . The main exception was Tokyo sky tower on Sunday afternoon—- 2 hrs of lines and so crowded on top hard to take in view.

In summary, what I really liked about the trio was attention to making experiences unique, and not touristy, so we felt we really could experience the real Japan. The private guides did that, as well special events such as country bike trip in Nikko, monastery stay in Koyasan, geisha tea house ceremony, Nara deer interactions, visit to ancient home in third town on Shirakawago day trip, Kimono museum in Mt Fuji, etc. Please don’t take the comments above as taking away from the incredible service we got from Shona. This was not a cookie cutter trip to a very busy tourist site… it was well planned, unique, creative, flowed well and a great collaborative effort between ourselves and our guide!,

Hotel Reviews

Hakone Kowakien TEN-YU

Hakone

Dinners great

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

莲华定院 (Ren'gejo-in Temple (Pilgrim's Lodging))

Unique experience although hungry after meals!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Candeo Hotels Osaka The Tower

Osaka

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Hotel Sanraku Kanazawa

Kanazawa

View of electrical equipment on roof of building next door

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Chuzenji Kanaya Hotel

Big room beautiful location Rooms a bit dated but very charming . Far from town

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Daiwa Roynet Hotel Ginza PREMIER

Tokyo

Rooms too small. Breakfast good and location great

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room too small. View into office suite of building across way

Activity Reviews

Osaka Foodie Walking Tour at dark

Osaka

Guide good .. first restaurant just mediocre.. second good. Poring rain and we were told to meet at old meeting point ..had to walk in rain to catch up to guide

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transfer from Kyoto to Osaka via Nara

Japan

Highlight of trip was spending so much time w Hector… he even walked back to hotel check in w us to be sure no issues and kept sending useful advice after the long day w him ended. So much fun. Lived his knowledge, enthusiasm, sense of humor, shortcuts and tailored itinerary

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kyoto Arashiyama Bamboo Forest & Garden Walking Tour (Join-in)

Kyoto

Just ok

Half Day Fushimi Inari Taisha to Tofuku-ji Temple Hiking Experience

Kyoto

Guide was nice but harder to communicate with

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Geisha (Maiko) Tea Ceremony & Show

Kyoto

Thought it would be touristy but it felt very authentic and we really loved the Q and A w geisha

Quality of Experience

Kanazawa Full Day Walking Tour

Kanazawa

Guide was nice but did not feel as if we learned as much . Did not like concept of paying for lunch for all.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Shirakawago Day Trip

Kanazawa

Loved all 3 towns,but the most authentic was the last one.. especially house visit.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Night Tour of Kanawaza With Dinner

Kanazawa

Guide was just Ok . Restaurant was great and unique

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nikko 33km Scenic Cycling + Farmhouse Lunch (Approx. 5 Hours)

Nikko

Our tour guide was so wonderful ! Loved the entire day . Bikes good. Well organized .

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Get a Taste of Nikko's Nature and Culture: Toshogu Shrine.

Nikko

KENTO was as good as it gets … so much fun and we will never forget our time with him.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Mt. Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi Tour with Whisky Tasting

Tokyo

Yumi was outstanding

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Tokyo City Tour

Tokyo

Yumi was as good as it gets .. we became best friends before the trio was over. She spent so much time ensuring everything went smoothly and had unique suggestiins to make Tokyo and mt Fuji flow smoothly.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We (group of six) had a fabulous vacation! Some highlights for me were the sushi class at Akemis Kitchen, the Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya, our Kyoto city tour especially Nijo Castle and Fushimi Inari Shrine, and Miyajima Island. Having tickets pre-purchased for many of the sites helped us avoid long lines and time spent navigating to entrances- a real plus when trying to see as much as possible in a few weeks.

All three of our city guides (Jack, Sunny, Masako) were wonderful, taking time to answer our questions and very knowledgeable of the sites. The drivers were excellent as well- communicated promptly and clearly and used translation apps when language could have been an issue.

Our hotels were comfortable and well located. Rooms were small as was expected but very clean and well maintained. I enjoyed the breakfast buffets everywhere as well!

There were one or two things we felt could be improved. First, if the detailed itinerary had been provided a bit earlier, it would have allowed us more time to plan our independent activities. As first time visitors to Japan we were overwhelmed when attempting to slot in activities for our free time at the last moment. The other area of confusion involved the train travel. While we managed to find our way eventually by asking folks along the way and in the stations, a bit more detail about ticketing processes and how the tickets would be dispersed would have saved us some worry.

To sum up, I will have no hesitation in recommending Kimkim or booking another trip through the company.