Kimkim Trip Reviews for Japan

Outstanding job by Greg in planning our 3 week trip to Japan! He developed a well thought out itinerary, arranged travel within Japan seamlessly, and was extremely responsive throughout both the planning and during the trip. Recommend most highly.

Activity Reviews

Imperial Palace East Garden and Heritage of Edo Castle Tour

Tokyo

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very knowledgeable and good English

Izakaya food tour in Shinjuku (14 small tastings)

Tokyo

Outstanding - the guide (Hawaii Joe) knew his stuff and was entertaining

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Working with Angel via kimkim was fantastic! She was very patient with my many questions, requests, and concerns. She was very responsive as well. She planned a fantastic, kid-friendly trip to Japan. I wouldn't have changed anything! I would definitely use kimkim again, and I would recommend Angel if planning a trip to Japan!

Activity Reviews

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

Japan

Yoshiko was a fantastic tour guide! She was very patient with us and with the kids, despite our slow moving pace. She was kind, knowledgeable, and explained everything so well!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kanazawa Full Day Walking Tour

Kanazawa

Our full day tour with Ai from Kanazawa Tours was fantastic! She is very knowledgeable and passionate about the history and culture of Kanazawa. The entire tour was interesting and educational, and she explained everything so it was easy for the kids to understand. Speaking of the kids, she interacted with them so well! It's clear that she loves children and went out of her way to make sure they were having a good time. I would absolutely recommend requesting Ai for this tour, especially if traveling with children!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Japan included four cities and 7 people arriving from different parts of the world. There were a lot of moving parts, and Shona was tasked with all of the transfers which was a monumental task on its own. The drivers all communicated with us and arrived on time so there was no stress. We were able to get in touch with Shona every day that we needed to.

We developed a nice mix of planned tours and time on our own. The tour guides were excellent and prompt. We did some touristy things like the Sumo wrestling club and the Cup of Noodles museum, but they were more fun than expected.

Very pleased overall. Two points of feedback: during the planning stages, it would be helpful if the travel agent was clear about how much time it would take to get from one location to another. We had one day planned on our own with a driver that was too rushed due to the distance from our hotel, the later pick up time, and operating hours of the spots we were visiting. The second issue was that the Kim Kim website wasn't updated with our final itinerary, so when we went into it we would see older itineraries and it all got very confusing. Part of the issue is that until you are actually in the country, it is hard to understand what you don't understand about the requirements of the day.

Hotel Review

Hotel Grand Phenix Okushiga

Nagano

Highly recommend this hotel. It is at the end of the bus line, so it is about a hour to take the bus back to things like Shibu Onsen or the snow monkeys. However, it is slopeside for the skiing. Ski rentals were in-house. If you are looking for a vibrant apres-ski scene, this is not it, but for a family gathering it was perfect. There was a full lap pool that I had all to myself. On an upper floor there are the public baths that overlook the slopes. There was a lounge with a real fire for post-skiing drinks or for lunch. They offered an in-room massage therapist who accommodated our schedule. The two restaurants were amazing. Our large group got a private room in the Japanese restaurant. The Italian restaurant had a fixed meal menu that changed each night. We had two pescatarians that they accommodated on the spot, and then remembered who they were the next time we ate there. All the food was exceptionally delicious. Service was flawless. After checkout when we drove away, the front desk person ran outside, bowed, and waved us off!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Osaka Discovery with Cup Noodles Museum

Osaka

Cup of Noodles Museum is mostly for children, but the inventor was a rock star in Japan and the history was very interesting. Glad we did it.

Full Day Kyoto City Tour with Tea Ceremony

Kyoto

Guide was prompt, knowlegeable and friendly. Would not want to miss the golden pavillion, for sure. The tea ceremony was about an hour and very informative relative to the culture.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Snow Monkeys, Zenko-ji Temple in Nagano

Nagano

We visited these sites with a private driver and no guide. There is nothing wrong with doing it this way, but the issue we had was that from our hotel, it was over an hour to the temple and we didn't leave until 11:00AM. So we were rushed the whole time. The town around the temple is nice to explore but we barely had an hour. The walk into where the snow monkeys are is over 30 minutes and the park closes at 4pm.

Tokyo: Sumo Show Experience with Chicken Hot Pot and a Photo

Tokyo

We had some sceptics on the trip, but this turned out to be a lot of fun, plus we learned about the sport. It is a tourist experience, and the food was meh, but the host and the wrestlers were such fun. Glad we included it on the trip.

We have nothing but good things to say about our experience with Kimkim Travel and our trip to Japan. From the moment we started planning the trip with Bella, we were treated very well. Bella arranged everything and even helped with some super last minute changes.

We arrived in Tokyo and were greeted by Mr Tang who loaded us up and got us to our hotel. He was great and helped us feel at ease right away.

We then were met by Mr Hiroyuki Kinoshita (Roy) at our hotel to start our adventure. Mr Roy treated us like family. He made sure we understood the culture and history behind each place we visited. We loved our time at the fish market and the different shrines. Mr Roy was amazing! Mr Roy accompanied us, along with Mr Tang, to Hinote to see Mt Fuji and experience some of the ropeways (gondola). We had an incredible time experience Japanese culture and food. We dressed up in Kimonos and ate traditional meals.

Next was our bullet train right to Kyoto. Wow! 500 km in 2 hours! Made it to our hotel and had a great night's rest. Next, Mr Eiichi Shirakawa met us in the morning and showed us around Kyoto. Over the next three days, he guided us to see Shrines, Temples, Osaka, modern buildings, castles, and all around amazing sites of the area. Mr H was very knowledgeable and did his research of the various places we visited. He took us around like a pro.

Our time overall was great and we felt like we got to see and experience Japan with the 10 days we had. All of our accommodations were top notch. The hotel staff was great.

Hotel Reviews

Sotetsu Fresa Inn Kyoto-Kiyomizu Gojo

kyoto

Staff was incredible. Got several recommendations for local foods and even got help ordering in one night. Breakfast was great and amenities were great. Two connecting rooms made it great for our family of four.

Location

Staff

Very helpful. Helped with local food and delivery.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hakone Hotel Kajikaso

Hakone

Traditional experience was great! Dressing up in Kimonos for dinner and breakfast is a must. Onsen was great.

Authenticity & Character

karaksa hotel TOKYO STATION

Two connected rooms was great for our family of four. Staff was very nice. Breakfast was great! Clean!

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Day trip to Osaka Exploration from Kyoto : Castle, Cuisine, and Sky-high Views (full day tour by public transport) without meals

Kyoto

Mr H did an amazing job getting us around the castle and the sky skraper. He even took some extra time to experience some detours along the way.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private transfer from Tokyo to Hakone via Mt. Fuji

Japan

Mr Tang was a great driver. Mr Roy was a great guide. We had a comfortable ride to Hakone with several stops on the way.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-Day Tokyo Tour by Public Transport：Tsukiji Outer Market, Sumo Show , Akihabara & Concert!

Tokyo

Mr Roy was an incredible guide. The sumo show was fun. Akihabara was intense. The concert was an added bonus.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hidden Paths of Arashiyama: River Journey, Moss Temples & Bamboo Whispers（Private Guide, Public Transportation）

Kyoto

Fun river adventure. The possibility of getting wet is there. The bamboo forest is beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day tour by public transport in Kyoto: Fushimi Inari Shrine, Nikishi Market , Samurai and Ninja Museum and Tea Ceremony

Kyoto

Mr H navigated us to each location with expertise. The experiences were a must for our trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was great! Mr H all the way!

Transport

We worked with Angel for 12 months. She knocked it out of the park. It was the perfect trip from start to finish. She answered all our questions that came up through out the entire process. She was so thorough and very prompt to respond. All tour experiences were 10/10. They were exactly what my husband and I asked to experience. We only wished we had spent one less day in Kyoto and one more day exploring Miyajima Island. Other than that we have zero complaints. Angel took the time to hear our wish list, find the perfect accommodations, and make traveling between cities and tours seamless!! Thank you Angel and team. It was the trip of a lifetime for us!

My daughter and I had an amazing time traveling from Osaka to Kyoto to Hakone and Tokyo. Marii was incredibly thoughtful in suggesting activities based on our interests and worked with the tour operators to accommodate her food allergy. The kimkim team was so helpful in sending daily reminders for activities, answering our questions while traveling and preparing tickets ahead of time. It made the trip much more relaxing while allowing us to fit in several cities over 8 days.

The time of year was lovely- pre cherry blossoms so fewer crowds- but we did see plum trees in bloom! The group tours were small and very personalized. It was nice to have time to ask questions. Our favorite activity was traveling from the Hakone hot spring (lovely!) to Tokyo with such a friendly driver who took us to several spots to view Mount Fugi, including by cable car and boat. We were fortunate with a clear, sunny day. It is a special site to see! Also highly recommended any tours to see the temples and Gion district in Kyoto and Osaka dotonbori district at night for the lights and food!

Activity Reviews

Hakone to Tokyo Private Transfer: Mt. Fuji and Hakone Full-Day Tour with English-Speaking Driver

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

No

Transport

Transfer from Odawara Train Station to Hakone Hotel

Hakone

Quality of Experience

M

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kyoto Casual Pontocho Evening Food Tour

Kyoto

Talk was an incredible guide a delightful to spend an evening with trying loc as l food and sake. He was particularly helpful quite navigating a food allergy. Highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day trip to Hiroshima and Miyajima by bullet train from Osaka

Osaka

Efficient way to see Hiroshima and Miyajima in one day but it did not felt rush. Incredible tour guide!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

O

Transport

Cannon provided exceptional service before and during our vacation in Japan. As first-time visitors we were a little anxious, but we worked with Cannon to build an itinerary that was perfect for us. His tips and ongoing support were invaluable, and he always responded to our questions quickly and thoroughly. Thanks to Cannon, our first visit to Asia was wonderful with minimal stress. Our experience with kimkim, and Cannon particularly, exceeded our expectations, and we would definitely use kimkim again and recommend our friends do so as well!

We had a terrific experience planning our trip through KimKim. Our agent, Leny, was fantastic to work with. She provided excellent hotel and travel suggestions and helped us design a wonderful itinerary. When we needed to make changes to our trip, she handled everything quickly and smoothly, which made the process stress-free.

One highlight was our stay at the FuFu resort in Hakone. It was absolutely amazing. The food and the onsen were 5 stars! The private driver and guide Lenu arranged were also delightful and made exploring easy and enjoyable.

We would definitely use KimKim again for future travel.

Activity Review

Day Trip from Osaka to Hiroshima with Bullet Train

Osaka

We used kimkim to book our honeymoon. We cannot recommend it enough.

It was an incredible trip and everyone made sure to make us feel so special! We went to Tokyo, Atami, Hakone, Kyoto, Osaka, and Nagano — and honestly it exceeded every expectation we had. From setting up accommodation, travel and guides, it was worth every penny! The communication was smooth through the planning process. The platform on Kimkim made it super easy to connect.

We were matched with Oshinobi Travel, and worked with Hiroshi and Emi. From the start, they were courteous and careful in planning everything for us. From taking our desires into consideration to recommending specific excursions throughout our trip, they went above and beyond to make sure that we had the most amazing trip we could have hoped for. Our guides on the ground were just as amazing — Hiro took care of us in Tokyo and Hakone, Sally was our guide through Osaka and Kyoto, and Ryoma led us on the Fushimi Inari hike. Every single one of them was knowledgeable, warm, and genuinely made the trip so much better. They brought the history and culture to life at every shrine and temple we visited and we came home knowing so much more about Japan than we ever expected.

The food alone was worth the trip. We did a sushi making class and an Osaka-style Okonomiyaki class at CFlat which were both so fun — highly recommend! And the restaurants throughout were just outstanding. Our guides helped us with recommendations in each area, making sure we had the best experience and that we tried every lasty local dish.

We also got to snowboard and soak in some onsens up in Nagano which was the perfect way to wind down. The whole trip felt so well-balanced between culture, food, adventure, and just enjoying the scenery.

Can't recommend it enough. Already thinking about our next trip back!

Hotel Reviews

The Okura Tokyo

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shunran no Yado Sakaeya

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hakuba Yamano Hotel

Hakuba

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Osaka Marriott Miyako Hotel

Osaka

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cross Hotel Kyoto

Kyoto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shin Kado Ya

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Asakusa View Hotel Annex Rokku

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

A Day to Unwind and Relax in Tokyo

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Relax in onsen hot spring

Yudanaka Onsen

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

★Savor Japan: homely experience of cooking okonomiyaki with a japanese grandmother (Private Experience)

Osaka

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

★Paths of Japan: Osaka Private Guided Tour: Castle, Street Eats & Local Energy

Osaka

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

★Private tea ceremony experience with a tea master

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

★Paths of Japan: go on a hike and Take a closer look into the depths of fushimi inari

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

★Unfold japan: get immersed in a full course interaction with a maiko

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

★ Guided Tour of Kyoto: Timeless Beauty & Cultural Highlights

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Scenic Hakone Adventures and Transfer to Kyoto

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

★Paths of Japan: Hakone Private Guided Tour: Discover Nature & Art

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Luggage transfer service

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

★Experience a Sushi Making Class in a Sushi Restaurant

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

★Tsukiji and Toyosu Fish Market Walking Tour

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

★Full-Day Guided Tour of Tokyo: Iconic Sights, Culture & City Vibes

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

For the most part, our family enjoyed the trip prepared by Ada Huang and the Kim Kim team. We had three families totaling eleven people that created a logistic challenge. Getting the group from Tokyo to Hakone to Kyoto back to Tokyo and to Sapporo was achieved with great efficiency and all transportation was on time, professional and high quality equipment. We did have a few issues during the trip that should be addressed for future consideration. 1) Accommodations for the most part were high quality. We especially enjoyed the Asakusa View Hotel when we arrived. They met our request for adjoining rooms and their breakfasts were the best of all our western style accommodations. In Hakone we had an enjoyable one night stay at the Hotel Kajikaso ryokan. Unfortunately our requests for adjoining rooms for our families with children was problematic at the Hilton Kyoto Garden Inn. Not only were their offerings not adjoining but not even on the same floors when we arrived. We understand that there was no guarantee for our requests but the hotel staff indicated no notes were in the reservation making such request. Fortunately we were able to get each family situated on the same floor for our stay in Kyoto. Also important to note here that at the Hilton Kyoto Garden Inn you cannot get to any other floors besides the lobby and the one your personal room is on so there was no way to visit our families other rooms without swapping keys. My daughter called ahead to the Gate Hotel Tokyo to make sure our request was indicated before we arrived back in Tokyo and the Gate Hotel met our requests nicely. Follow-up and follow through for hotel requests are the most important component to travelers and should be the highest priority for a travel specialist to concentrate on. Our stay in Sapporo was fine at the Cross Hotel Sapporo.
2) We were counting on the expertise of Ada to provide information regarding the itinerary that she produced. It was a first trip for our family to Disney Sea and some information on procedures at the park would have been very helpful. Instead of simply providing transportation and tickets for the day, it would have been nice to have some information regarding park passes, website, etc. so standing in lines could have been reduced. When we toured Kyoto, it would have been important to know that it was a holiday for the Emperor’s birthday and the Kyoto Imperial Palace would be closed so we could have opted for another day to tour. We had multiple days in Kyoto and could have adjusted our schedule accordingly. My wife had specifically asked to see 2 locations and both of those locations were closed for the holiday.
3) We had five group oriented tours during our stay. Kumiko Aizawa toured us through Tokyo & Hakone. She was a wonderful & knowledgeable guide. Taku Tanimoto guided us through Osaka and was also a great resource of useful information. Sumie Shibata led us through our tour of Kyoto very professionally however my wife was not very happy that the 2 places she requested to see was not on the itinerary nor was she informed prior to the tour we were not going to be able to go to those places. Alternative locations were chosen to add to the itinerary but the focus of our family tour, which is more food oriented, was lost at the new venues. We passed a couple of key street food spots and only found out we had passed them once we were already onto the next location. Finally, Yumiko Kashiwagi guided us through Sapporo for our final tour. All four guides were high quality individuals providing great background history during our tours. We knew putting together a memorable journey for three families with eleven people to Japan would certainly be a challenge. Everyone was pleasantly surprised how smooth transport was throughout the trip. Accommodations were more than adequate. Our itinerary was a nice mix of guided tours and free days to relax or shop. Thank you for all your efforts in putting this journey together and please consider our comments as you continue to provide your services in the future.

From a year out and the initial planning to daily check in and quick replies…Shona was beyond amazing… we knew there would be hiccups, but really there weren’t

Yuki was our guide to Mt Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi and Kirin whisky tasting, we had the best time, he was so knowledgeable and so friendly!

Tomoko guided us through the world of Samurai and Geisha in Kanazawa. From the beautiful Kenrokuen gardens to the dangerously fascinating Ninja Temple, she explained as we explored such an amazing city.

Yoshiko navigated us through Kyoto and Nara seeing the historical shrines and temples. Our favorites were the 10,000 Torii gates, the world’s largest bronze Buddha and of course the respectful and adorable bowing deer in Nara Park.

Jimmy took us for a foodie tour in Osaka Dononbori famous tastes we will never forget and drool remembering.

Our hotels, tours, and transportation optionswere spot on what we wanted, close to all our favorites and comfortable.. My favorite, in Kanazawa, the hotel Onyado Nono with natural hot springs that rejuvenated the soul and late night ramen to warm the body..

Whether it’s your next vacation or your trip of a lifetime, let the guides and experts at KimKim be who get you there, you won’t regret it!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Gracery Osaka Namba

Osaka

Well, this hotel did not provide a public bath Its bathroom within the guest room was a miniature version of a public set up with the bench bucket and shower area. A nice spot with great food and a comfortable room made our stay great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Socks ended up soiled walking on the carpet within the guest room

Mitsui Garden Hotel Kyoto Kawaramachi Jokyoji

Kyoto

Centrally location to shopping and cultural sites, this hotel even had its own shrine right next door. The best and accommodating staff, clean rooms and great food options at breakfast and dinner!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Onyado Nono Kanazawa Natural Hot Spring

Kanazawa

Such an amazing hotel, from the time you enter and leave your shoes in the front lockers to the invigorating hot springs in the crisp air, this hotel was a favorite on our trip. Dormy does such a great job providing little extras for their guests.. yakult drinks in the morning, popsicles and ramen late at night.. a breakfast buffet that has so many fresh and hot options. This was a super spot and convenient to transportation throughout the town!

Authenticity & Character

The best of our stays in Japan

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Keihan Tsukiji Ginza Grande

Tokyo

This hotel is close to Subway entrance only a couple stops away for most of the places in Tokyo we wanted to visit . it was clean and the staff was so friendly. they had one of the best breakfasts on our trip. We were both well fed and well rested. I loved that they had laundry services that we were able to use!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to many subways and locale

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Osaka-Nara Day Trip

Osaka

Our trip to Nara with our guide was a surreal experience. She truly felt like part of the family by the end of it. Her kindness, consideration, and deep appreciation for the culture made the trip memorable. The rich culture and history of the area were beautifully presented.

Kanazawa Highlights: Gardens, Castles & Samurai Secrets

Kanazawa

The Kanazawa Highlights tour of the Kenroken Gardens, castles, and samurai secrets was truly amazing. Our guide Tomoko added a personal touch with her deep knowledge and long experience, making the tour feel more intimate and engaging. The cultural and historical aspects were humbling and enlightening. Overall, it was a remarkable experience.

This was an absolutely incredible trip and Kimkim and Cory made the planning and traveling process as easy and smooth as could be. Not only were we able to customize our trip to what our interests were, we had support throughout the whole planning stage as well as once we were actually in Japan. We definitely plan on using Kimkim again in the future as well as returning to Japan in the future!

Hotel Reviews

Shiba Park Hotel

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Keio Prelia Hotel Kyoto Karasuma Gojo

Kyoto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Laforet Club Hakone Gora Yunosumika

Hakone

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Miyako City Tokyo Takanawa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Akihabara Anime & Gaming Adventure Tour

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Samurai Ninja Museum with fun experience

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Osaka Local Foodie Tour in Dotonbori and Shinsekai

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony with Kimono Wearing (Higashiyama)

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Japanese Calligraphy Experience (Nara)

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sushi Making Cooking Class near the Tokyo Tower

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Izakaya food tour in Shinjuku (14 small tastings)

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hilda did a wonderful job coming up with things to do and then coordinating everything. I had no idea where to start. I told her what kind of things we like to do and she designed a great trip centered around what we like to do. She also stayed in contact with us throughout the trip and made sure we knew how to navigate all of the travel between cities.

Mina was a crucial part of planning a week-long visit to Japan with my two teenage kids. She was responsive to feedback, made changes at our request and was extremely thorough going over all the details, especially in the days leading up to our trip. We particularly enjoyed her recommendation for a casual dinner on our first night after arriving at a wagyu beef-centered restaurant. Kudos as well to our guides Franziskus (Tokyo), Seika (a delicious Shibuya food tour) and Zef (Kyoto).

One note for U.S. travelers: a "double" room doesn't necessarily mean two beds in international hotels -- so if you definitely need a room with two beds, make sure you specify it clearly before booking.

We had already book trip for skiing in Japan but needed some details filled in for transfers, place to stay in Tokyo and a tour. Winnie was very helpful. The hotel in Tokyo was spot on and our food tour was great. All transfers were seamless and on time.

I choose KimKim because I simply don't have time to sort out all details on any given trip. They are flexible and willing to help with full trip planning or just helping with details.

Hotel Review

Shiba Park Hotel

Tokyo

Very comfortable, walking to many attractions, breakfast included gets day started right.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tokyo Night Foodie Tour in Shinjuku

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was great. Nice young guy that managed our group and helped explain why we re tasting various foods.

Transport

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

Tokyo

This was a good tour for our day in Tokyo. Our guide was insightful and we enjoyed the tour.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This is my third trip to Japan but my second time utilizing Kimkim. Wanted to try them again to see if there are improvements if I were to go Kyushu. So I booked a trip with them to head to Kyushu, Chugoku and then Osaka.

So my journey was Fukuoka, Kagoshima, Miyazaki, Kumamoto, Hiroshima and then Osaka.
Lets start with the positives.

The journey itinerary was mostly planned well, activities had somewhat sufficient time for most locations. Shona had made a sturdy plan in theory. And had hired a good team of guides to show me around.

My favorite would be the boat ride in Takachiho Gorge followed by the Food tour in Hiroshima. That was amazing.

Now on small things to work on. This is alot better than when I used them for the first time.
Firstly, for locations that require longer travel distance by public transport, do either make sure the guide is hired for sufficient time, sometimes, 8 hours in insufficient to cover 4 locations.

For me specifically, Miyazaki, it is a location far and also public transport has an interval of 1 hour and 30 mins. There was a rush between Aoshima Shrine and Udo Shrine. And also the guide could only cover 2 out of 4 locations. I personally could not cover Haniwa Garden within the time limit before it closed.
Do try to check in during the planning stage on potential transport requirements due to this

Lastly for Kumamoto, I was not able to go to Mt Aso, but its understandable due to the weather and the recent tragic accident on the crater. But even if we had tried to go, the time is quite tight and within the day period, we could cover only 3/4 theoretically speaking.

Overall to help with feedback, my advice is to understand the distance between locations and reserve the guide and drivers for the right amount of time. This is of course best done in the planning stage given the months to do so

But overall, it was an amazing trip, Shona did try to be as helpful as possible to alleviate the trip needs which I do feel is commendable. Thank you for the improvement from my previous engagement with you.

Looking forward to utilizing them again should the need arise.

Hotel Reviews

Citadines Namba Osaka

Osaka

This is my most favourite hotel in Namba. If you are staying in Namba, this is a good place to stay especially for anime fans

Authenticity & Character

You really feel like you are in your own apartment rather than a hotel. Thats my feeling on its character

Location

it is just a few minutes walk away from Namba station and the closest to DenDen Town.

Staff

super helpful staff. Or maybe my minimum japanese did help make conversations more fun haha

Cleanliness & Comfort

No doubt, its like you have a clean house

The Royal Park Hotel Hiroshima Riverside

The name is quite royal but the place is alright. The rooms are quite small. Luggage wise you will need to have a think fo where to set up. It is abit of walking distance from Hiroshima Station but with that, reasonably price. TV options are its weakpoint when you are chilling. Not much channels and also the VOD card is more for... special viewings...

Authenticity & Character

it has that hotel look in the USA.

Location

alittle bit of walk to Hiroshima station but you walk past a very nice river.

Staff

Very polite and friendly helpful staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

it is clean thought abit squeezy potentially

THE BLOSSOM KUMAMOTO

Very very easy to access as its just infront of Kumamoto station. The rooms are super nice similar to Solaria Nishitetsu series. They have a public bath for guests to use. but with that being said, your room doesnt have a bathtub for you to soak privately

Authenticity & Character

Maintains its high profile look

Location

Just beside Kumamoto Station. Easy to access Train, buses and Trams

Staff

Polite and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Its very comfortable

JR Kyushu Hotel Miyazaki

The hotel is easily accessible from the Train station and located at the main bus terminal, ease of access around the City. You can also walk about maximum 20 minutes to core food and nightlife areas

Authenticity & Character

Good for quick, easy movment. Nothing too fancy

Location

its in the heart of the transport system. Eae of access around the city

Staff

Helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

abit more smaller than nishitetsu. Definitely made to just stay for sleep without anything too fancy

Solaria Nishitetsu hotel Kagoshima

Again Solaria Nishitetsu, you cant go wrong with this choice

Authenticity & Character

It incorporates the Yatai village for people who want a quick Yatai feel and has that professional feel

Location

Near the train and bus services. Ease of access around the city and alittle outside

Staff

Helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

It is comfortable for solo travellers. Maybe huge travellers might find it uncomfortable to walk through room with a corridor. It is comfy for asians like me

Solaria Nishitetsu Hotel Fukuoka

Fukuoka

The Solaria Nishitetsu is a hotel chain that you cant go wrong with. Accessibility is good to public transportation. Rooms are super clean and have sufficient space for solo travellers

Authenticity & Character

Its standardized service and professional style

Location

Near subways and trains. Ease of access

Staff

Helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Its clean and has the needed amenities. Enough said

Activity Reviews

Miyajima Half-day Trip Historical Walking Tour

Hiroshima

Hiro was a great guide and has excellent english to guide

Quality of Experience

Miyajima is a great sight with very cute deers

Food

momiji manju is yum. It goes well with Georgia Sarutahiko coffee

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hiro is excellent at guiding

Transport

easy enough to take the ferry

Hiroshima Bar Hopping Food Tour

Hiroshima

this is a definite must for first timers. To try all types of food. And with the friendly company of Kensuke. Its great

Quality of Experience

The food was great. amazing variety

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kensuke was friendly and engaging.

Transport

Easy enough to chill and walk around

Shrine and Takachiho Gorge 1 Day Highlights Tour From Kumamoto

Kumamoto

Takachiho Gorge and Amanoyasugawara are great sights to go to. Couldn't go to Mt Aso but its weather and road conditions and also accident so it cant be helped

Quality of Experience

Takachiho and Amanoyasugawara made it worth

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Zeal was an understanding and good planner

Transport

Ride was comfy to get from point to point

A Journey Through Myth and Nature

Miyazaki

Miyazaki was almost perfect. What was lacking is the realization that public transport intervals are horrendous. But Aoshima and Udo Shrine are definitely breathtaking places

Quality of Experience

Everything was great except for transport. Made me rush at Aoshima

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Elvis was great at managing as best given the situation

Transport

The buses are bad. Intervals horrendous. Would have liked transport

Full day to Kagoshima with Sakurajima

Kagoshima

Sakurajima and Sengan-en and ending with the sunset at Shiroyama. Amazing planning by Eve

Quality of Experience

Sengan-en and Sakurajima is a must to go and see

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Eve is superb at planning. Everything fell into place

Transport

ease of transport as long as you plan

Full Day Nagasaki Peace Park and Glover Garden Tour

Fukuoka

A great day trip here. Loving the peace and zen fo the park and some understanding on the history of the bobing

Quality of Experience

Nagasaki is a good experience outside of the bustle

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jyo plans the route well

Transport

ease of access around the area. just need to take the right train to Nagasaki

Full Day Fukuoka Castle Ruins ,Hakata Folk Museum,and Canal City Tour

Fukuoka

Had Jyo for my guide. she is a vert smart guide and knowledgeable. And she had good planning for the flow of the itinerary

Quality of Experience

The vibes of the place

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jyo is a good planner

Transport

easy access to the locations

Another great trip planned by Olivia and the team at KimKim; it was a true winter adventure. The prefecture of Hokkaido is not to be missed in winter. The Sapporo snow festival and visit to Otaru were my cultural highlights of this trip and would have been missed without Olivia’s guidance! Thank you ensuring we experienced those.
And of course was the snowboarding! The japow! Unforgettable experience again with true ski in/ski out facilities.
Thanks again and can’t wait for the next one!

Hotel Reviews

Hilton Niseko Village

True ski in/ski out!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mitsui Garden Hotel Sapporo West

Sapporo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shiba Park Hotel

Tokyo

Activity Reviews

2026 Sapporo Snow Festival

Sapporo

Otaru Winter Stroll: Canals, Lights, and Love

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tokyo Bar Hopping Night Tour in Shinjuku

Tokyo

Our guide was great - knowledgeable and great energy!

An absolute 10/10 trip. My time in Japan was 2 weeks, next time it’ll be a month, and I’ll probably work with kimkim. Li, Mie and Satoko were all friendly, copacetic, and wonderful one on one. As part of a group, you will feel informed and with your friends. My trip was solo, so if you work one on one, you’ll have made a friend. Thank you for the best trip I’ve ever had, and I’ll definitely be coming back. Ja matta!

Hotel Reviews

the b asakusa

Tokyo

Great location! Asakusa has everything Tokyo had to offer, but you should still visit the rest of Tokyo. Great staff, great breakfast! Thank you

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Miyako City Osaka Hommachi

Osaka

Good breakfast. Overall great experience. I like the lounge

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Vischio Kyoto by GRANVIA

Kyoto

Excelllent! Liked the robot! Came in handy

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ryokan Aura Tachibana

Hakone

Excellent stay. Lovely onsen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchi & Oishi Park

Japan

Beautiful experience I’ll never forget

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From sorting trip details- airport transfers, hotel suggestions, tour… things went pretty seamless for our group of 8 traveling to Hokkaido to ski. Managing how to get from point A to point B with all of our ski gear. Then 4 of us went on to tour Tokyo. Kimura our tour guide in Tokyo was very knowledgeable and going to the temples, shrines, fish market, gardens and lunch spot was fantastic. He even made us a dinner reservation!

Hotel Review

Shiba Park Hotel

Tokyo

Beautiful hotel in great location- right near shiba park and Tokyo tower. Subway nearby. But if up for walking- also easy to get to nearby neighborhoods

Authenticity & Character

600 year old bonsai tree. Great book collection

Location

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Tokyo Highlights Day Tour with Tsukiji Outer Fish Market

Tokyo

Kimora was very knowledgeable and thoughtful. Took us to beautiful temples and shrines. Made us a dinner reservation! Our driver was very safe and courteous as well. Would highly recommend this tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All were fantastic

Transport

Clean vehicles with space for our group and ski gear

Great trip to Japan! (Kyoto, Nara, Tokyo). Olivia was a fantastic planner and her recommendations did not disappoint. She helped make our trip (with children) as painless as possible and even helped us postpone and rebook when an unexpected family emergency popped up. If you want to get the most out of your time, I can highly recommend KimKim.

Hotel Reviews

Gion Ryokan Karaku

kyoto

This was a fun way to spend an authentic Japanese night in Kyoto. As expected we slept on mats on the floor, the room had a traditional Japanese table & chairs (very low on the floor.) . The complimentary breakfast was traditional Japanese style also with rice and miso soup and fish. If you have mobility issues or you want a typical North American breakfast this is probably not the experience for you but if you're looking for adventure, our Canadian family with young kids loved it! The location was very conveniently located at the end of the shopping district. Subway was about a 10 minute walk, or you can take a cab for 15 mins to get to Kyoto station.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

RIHGA Royal Hotel Kyoto

Kyoto

The complimentary breakfast was amazing, showcasing many traditional Japanese breakfast elements, with plenty of European / North American options for the less adventurous. Their auto-coffee / hot chocolate / matcha machine was incredible. A wide selection of alcoholic beverages (complimentary) at both breakfast and the evening appetizer event each night. There were traditional activities each afternoon. The subway station was a 8 minute walk and takes you straight to Kyoto station and the rest of the network for Kyoto / Osaka / Nara. Room was comfortable and the hotel was quiet and private with a 10 minute walk to massive shopping district from narrow street bizarre type feel to high end luxury goods. This is a great location to stay in Kyoto.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Ninja Training in Kyoto: Ninja Experience - 2 HOURS / SWORD INCLUDED

Kyoto

This was a fun activity. We dressed up as ninjas and got to shoot blow darts and throw ninja stars at targets. We also got to fight each other with foam-covered swords. This was most fun for our kids (8 & 10) but we got some nice photos out of it. The first portion was an hour, then the second portion: we walked about 1km to the ninja museum and got a 30 minute tour through the 3 storey facility on the history of Samurai & Ninja culture. Great displays and a very well done tour / history lesson. This was more fun for the adults. I'm not sure what the "SWORD INCLUDED" refers to. We did get a plastic throwing-star as a "prize" for the person closest to the target, but no swords.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Geisha and Maiko Makeover Experience in Kyoto

Kyoto

Wow, what an amazing transformation! My daughters (8 & 10) loved it, and my wife who isn't much for dressing up or putting on make up, enjoyed the experience too. The professional photos that were included are really fantastic. Definitely the highlight of the trip for one of my daughters.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kyoto: Authentic Sushi-Making Cooking Class

Kyoto

We did the bento-making class with kids and had a great time! We learned a lot (feel comfortable to try on our own at home) and the food was delicious. A great way to learn about this history of the food, and the ingredients and have a great (large) meal too.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Asakusa Sumo Club: Sumo Show Admission with Chankonabe in Tokyo

Tokyo

Wow. What an amazing experience! I didn't know what to expect but this was really well done, catering to visitors who want to learn more about sumo culture. Explanations of the history, rules and lifestyle of sumo wrestlers plus an authentic match between 2 former professional wrestlers and the opportunity to wrestle one yourself. The sumo-meal that is included was fantastic too.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tokyo Highlights Day Tour with Tsukiji Outer Fish Market

Tokyo

What a great way to experience a nice cross-section of Tokyo in a single day. We walked about 20,000 steps but mainly used the subway to jet all over town. It was a brilliant introduction to what otherwise could be a very intimidating city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kumiko was fantastic!

Transport

It was a great introduction to the Tokyo subway system at various levels of congestion during the day.