Kimkim Trip Reviews for Japan

The trip was everything and more than what we expected. The drivers, guides and management kept us informed the day in advance as to the upcoming pick up times and itinerary. The guides were extremely knowledgeable about the locations and history. The Sumo Experience in Tokyo is a must see, as well as, the Samurai Ninja museum in Kyoto.

Shona very helpful with setting up the itinerary and going through each day prior to departure. We will definitely use her services again. We appreciate all she did for us. Thank You for making the trip a wonderful experience!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Keihan Yodoyabashi

great breakfast buffet; cramped for 3 people in a room but were able to adjust furniture to make it easier to get around in.

Location

close to subway

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

cramped for 3 people but very clean

Sotetsu Fresa Inn Kyoto-Shijokarasuma

Kyoto

Great breakfast buffet; not as clean as it could have been; cramped for 3 people

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to subway

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

stains on the floor; if adding a 3rd bed furniture could have been rearranged to make it easier to get around the room.

Asakusa Tobu Hotel

Tokyo

Very good hotel; cramped for 3 people but has space under the bed for suitcases.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to subway stops

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

One Day Miyajima Island and Hiroshima Tour

Japan

Great guide. Interesting and informative

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove and Monkey Park Tour

Kyoto

The bamboo forest is a wonderful sight to see.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Kyoto City Tour with Fushimi Inari-Taisha

Kyoto

The guide has great information to share.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Kyoto

Samurai Ninja Museum is awesome and interactive. The Kimono tea ceremony was fun and you get to wear a kimono.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Tokyo

Even if you are not a whisky drinker the experience is a fun one.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Authentic Sumo Experience in Tokyo: Enter the Sanctuary

Tokyo

This was an awesome and fun experience. Great information and fun!!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hi

My trip was organised by Ben who was most helpful at every stage of the process. I initially contacted him at KimKim to help me devise an overall plan for what was to be my first trip to Japan.

He gave me great advice on what to see as o was a first timer and how long to spend doing it.

My guides Yoko and Ursula were knowledgeable and friendly. I’d happily use them again and would give them the highest recommendation possible

We had an unforgettable custom journey through Japan and South Korea, organized by KimKim. It included memorable Hiroshima, dazzling Tokyo, historical Osaka and Kyoto, spiritual journey at Mount Koya and a more intimate taste of Central Japan hiking the historical Nakasendo Trail. South Korea was no less stunning. Guides, properties and transfers were all first rate. Sandy provided an amazing local support. Highly recommended!

Hotel Reviews

NINE TREE BY PARNAS SEOUL MYEONDONG 2

Seoul

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ramada Encore by Wyndham Busan Haeundae

Busan

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shima Onsen Sekizenkan

Gunma

Breakfast and dinner though authentic were a little exotic and stark.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Karuizawa Tsuruya Ryokan

it is too bad breakfast was not included here.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Truly special. It is too bad we did not have breakfast nor dinner reservations.

Matsumoto Hotel Kagetsu

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The breakfast though authentic and healthy was a little stark

Kisoji Inn Iwaya

Kiso-Fukushima

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Though it was clean , the room was not so inviting and my daughter thought it smelled like smoke.

Taoya Kisoji

Tsumago

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Excellent dining experience.

Hotel Vischio Kyoto by GRANVIA

Kyoto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Jokiin

Koyasan

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Osaka Excel Hotel Tokyu

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

THE KNOT HIROSHIMA

Hiroshima

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Asakusa View Hotel Annex Rokku

Tokyo

Excellent service and clean, comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Seoraksan Tour From Seoul

Seoul

Traffic jam caused long delays and limited some of the scope. Would have like to hike in the park but did not have time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Korean DMZ and Seoul Tower Tour

Seoul

Limited interest and long drive.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Gyeongbokgung Palace and Bukchon Hanok Village

Seoul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Busan City Tour with Haedong Yonggungsa Temple

Busan

It was raining which spoiled some of the effects.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Karuizawa with Shiraito Falls, Kumoba Pond, Old Karuizawa Ginza Street & Karuizawa Prince Shopping Plaza

Karuizawa

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gamcheon Village, BIFF Square and Jagalchi Market

Busan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Narai to Kiso-Hirasawa

Narai

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traverse the Torii Pass to Narai

Narai

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hike from Nagiso to Nojiri

Kiso-Fukushima

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walk from Tsumago to Magome

Tsumago

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to Nara: Temples, Deer, and Historic Streets

Kyoto

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fushimi Inari Taisha and Kinkakuji Temple

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Bamboo Grove and Monkey Park Tour

Kyoto

bamboo grove overcrowded; should have arranged for private pousse-pousse tour which uses uncrowded paths.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Osaka Castle and Umeda Sky Building

Osaka

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

World Heritage Himeji Castle & Kobe Tour

Osaka

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Miyajima Island and Memorial Park Tour

Hiroshima

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Tokyo City Tour with Akihabara district

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchi & Oishi Park

Japan

Long drive - poor weather.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a wonderful time in Japan! Everything was seemless and well organized. Since this was our first time in Japan, we much welcomed the ease of not having to arrange everything ourselves. In particular, it takes some time to figure out the public transportation and there are not very many english speaking people outside of big cities so having had some things pre arranged helped a lot! The choices of accomodcation, activities and timeline were perfectly suited for us.
We had an unforgettable trip and will use Kim Kim again!
Thank you!

Easy planning and quick responses with Shona our local specialist. Went out of her way to get an item we had left on a transfer vehicle in Osaka delivered to us in the USA. Would like to have had more history and cultural experiences during the time we were in country, but all the guides were pleasant, prompt, and helpful.

We had such an easy and amazing time exploring a big chunk of Japan! Yas was our guide once we arrived and was very helpful in explaining how to travel while in Japan and Mina was a wonderful local specialist! She always answered all my questions and helped us whenever we needed anything! Would highly recommend this site, especially when traveling to Japan!

Hotel Reviews

Sotetsu Fresa Inn Hiroshima

Hiroshima

Very nice and spacious rooms! Breakfast was amazing as always in Japan. Very clean as well! Very comfortable nights rest!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

THE KANZASHI TOKYO ASAKUSA

Breakfast is amazing! Very nice and helpful staff, and very close to a lot of fun little shops, a temple, and more! Rooms are nice and clean. Very comfortable stay

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Royal Park Canvas Kyoto Nijo

Kyoto

Breakfast is buffet style! The rooms are very spacious and clean! Really nice after a long day of being on your feet! Very close to a train station and a 7-11 !

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ryokan Fukuzumiro

Very nice and amazing staff!! The rooms are very comfortable, and our helper was very attentive to our schedule and needs! The onsen are to DIE for and soooo relaxing! Very nice koi pond inside and an amazing view from the rooms!

Authenticity & Character

Very traditional japanese inn!

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Yaenomidori Tokyo

Chuo City

Staff are very helpful and friendly. Highly recommend the foot bath spa they offer! Very nice rooms, very comfortable! Delicious breakfast too!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to the Haneda airport and really close to major shopping districts!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Airport assistant premium Tokyo HND [8:00 - 20:00]

Tokyo

Very helpful in teaching us how to operate in Japan with our IC cards and explaining a bunch of our itinerary to us!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pocket wifi 1 day to 1 month

Japan

Very very useful to keep us online for google maps and in case I needed my local assistant! Very easy to use and return as well

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transportation card IC

Japan

Very convenient and easy to use / recharge.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Japan!

Japan

Very fun arrival, learning how everything works! Relaxed arrival to prepare for the busy days ahead!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hakone Jinja Shrine

Hakone

Very beautiful. Peaceful shrine with a lot of fun things to do right before the shrine as well!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Experience Ryokan

Japan

Amazing experience and very friendly staff. The onsen is very peaceful and relaxing after a long day of exploring. The food is delicious as well and having the view of the river as you sleep is unbeatable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kimono Rental + Outdoor photo shooting

Kyoto

Had so much fun taking the pretties photos with a kimono! The photographer is super nice and so is the staff at the kimono rental facility.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Goodbye Japan!

Japan

I was really sad to leave. Make sure you know what terminal your flight is on, to help prevent getting lost (like me) Transport was really simple otherwise.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Tokyo Skytree

Tokyo

Very fun activity! Dinner inside is a bit expensive but a very nice experience. Many souvenir shops, and very amazing views!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Leny was very helpful to customize and make MANY changes to our trip based on our requests.
Her team was also there during the actual trip to check up on us and help with any last minute needs.
I highly recommend her!

Hotel Reviews

hotel MONday Premium Ueno Okachimachi

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shizutetsu Hotel Prezio Kyoto-Shijo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Vista Tokyo Tsukiji

Good location Rooms are quite small.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sushi Making Experience: Craft Authentic Sushi

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Half Day Tokyo Tour with English Speaking Guide (Private)

Tokyo

Very nice and knowledgeable guide, but his accent in English made it a bit hard to understand him sometime

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had an amazing family trip to Japan. Leny and her team were wonderful to work with from beginning to end. We asked for her to cut the original cost in half, which she managed to do and still secure us a very nice itinerary and accommodations.

All of our planned activities as well as our self guided day suggestions were a great fit for our family. It was the best vacation we have ever had with our two teenagers, who are not always an easy age to travel with or keep engaged.

The night at the ryokan in Hokone was an unforgettable traditional Japanese experience. We also loved Hotel Brighton in Kyoto as we were able to rent bicycles from the hotel and enjoy Kyoto on bike.
We especially loved all of the animals we got to encounter while in Japan. The deer in Nara, the Monkeys at Arashiyama (Kyoto) and the Otters/owls/kapibara/meerkat at the “Cute otter cafe” in Tokyo. We also really enjoyed our ramen making class in Osaka as a family and our visit to TeamLabs in Tokyo.
A couple of items that weren’t on the itinerary that we loved was going to a Giants game in Tokyo, the Kyoto Railroad Museum, and visiting the Aquarium in Osaka.
Truly a trip of a lifetime. We will certainly be using KimKim and Leny’s services for traveling again in the future. It was our first time using a service like this and I can’t even begin to thank Leny and her team enough. They made our 2 weeks in Japan together go so smoothly. They were regularly checking in and reminding us of any updates and itinerary items. All of our documents were arranged and ready for us ahead of time and all worked as expected. This experience has changed how I will travel from now on.

Hotel Reviews

Kyoto Brighton Hotel

Kyoto

The Kyoto Brighton Hotel was really nice. It was a very nice hotel and added to our great experience during our stay.

Gora Kansuiro

Hakone

The onsen in Hakone was absolutely amazing. It was a whole different experience compared to a regular hotel. Our teenage boys even agreed that it was the coolest and best part of the whole trip. It was truly great.

Activity Reviews

Self- Guided visit in Nara

Japan

Our self-guided visit in Nara was one of the highlights of the whole trip. Nara's peaceful vibe, the deer, and the giant Buddha made it an amazing experience.

Afternoon Bamboo Forest & Monkey Bike Tour

Kyoto

The Afternoon Bamboo Forest & Monkey Bike Tour in Kyoto, also known as Monkey Mountain, was awesome. It was a highlight of our trip with its fascinating encounters and rich cultural insights.

Discover Tokyo with a Local (Private)

Tokyo

The Discover Tokyo with a Local activity was enjoyable, and the guide was great, but it didn't quite fit us as it included a lot of shopping and anime districts that weren't of our interest. We would have preferred a more tailored experience with a focus on temples and shrines.

I found the guides were very friendly and informative. Th e travel arrangements made it very easy to get from a to b and accommodations very satisfactory. Thank you.

Hotel Reviews

Candeo Hotels Osaka The Tower

Osaka

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cross Hotel Kyoto

Kyoto

Family Friendliness

Mitsui Garden Hotel Ginza Premier

Tokyo

Nice room, close to station, outstanding breakfast. Bit pricey in the lounge.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Tokyo City Exploration ( private group ) & Sumo show with chanko nabe lunch ( join in, small group )

Tokyo

Very entertaining. Good food

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Shona planned an amazing trip for my family which included me, my husband and 2 daughters ages 12 and 16. It was the perfect blend of learning about Japanese culture and activities that my daughters would enjoy. We had several activities that we liked a lot. On our 1st day, we had Yuto as a guide for 2 different activities. We did a bike tour all around Osaka during the day and a food tour at night. He made sure we were safe and allowed us to take breaks when we needed to (it was extremely hot that day). In Kyoto, we loved the tea ceremony where we dressed in kimonos and learned about the traditions of hosting a tea service. We also had a wonderful guide named Yasuko who took us to a temple, a shrine, and a boat ride down the Hozugawa River. This was a highight of the trip. Yasuko was very knowledgable and she took great care of us (getting our tickets, guiding us with the public transportation) during these excursions. In Tokyo, we had a lovely time with our tour guide, Yumi, who ventured with us in the rain. She was very patient with us as my daughter who loves anime and Harajuku fashion wanted to shop along a busy area in Tokyo. Again, we had another tour guide who kept us safe while teaching us about Japanese history and culture. Lastly, to celebrate my husband's upcoming 50th birthday, Shona planned a beautiful fine-dining experience on a boat going around Tokyo Bay. The staff made the experience a memorable one!
In terms of accommodations, the hotels were very clean and comfortable. Check-in was easy. We liked that we were able to do some laundry at the hotel during our trip and breakfast was included everyday. The location of the hotels were convenient and close to different restaurants and shops. Lastly, riding the bullet train was a blast. Although going through the train station was hectic with people everywhere (luckily, my husband is knowledgeable with using public transportation in different countries), Shona planned 1st class accommodations along with room for our big luggage which was key when traveling.
Overall, this was a trip of a lifetime. Shona planned the perfect blend of fun stuff for my kids (Universal Studios, sumo wrestling, anime) and historic stuff for me and my husband. It was busy and we were tired, but it was worth it! The communication before and during our trip was great. Everyday, we would get a text with all the information we needed for the day (tickets, which public transportation to use, locations on Google maps). As someone who usually plans our family vacations, using KimKim and having Shona plan everything made me feel at ease with no stress. Thank you to Shona, tour guides, drivers, and KimKim staff who made this trip one of the best we have experienced as a family. We look forward to having another trip with KimKim in the near future!

We had a great time planning and going on the trip! With 8 people it was a lot of coordination! All of our travel and check-ins were seamless. My one concern was two of the tours were a lot of walking, which would have been better to known given we had flagged we were traveling with someone who was seeing impaired! Other than that we had a great experience that could not have happened without the amazing specialists at kimkim, thanks Bastien and Elizabeth!

Activity Reviews

Kyoto Sightseeing Tour with Sake Tasting

Kyoto

So fun!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gion District Guided Tour

Kyoto

Amazing addition, learned a lot about culture which was very interesting

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Osaka Foodie Walking Tour at Night

Osaka

Amazing tour! Guide was above and beyond

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Tokyo City Tour with Senso-ji Temple

Tokyo

Truly only downside of the trip, we did a lot but wish things were communicated to us instead of just following the guide behind. There was a lot of walking and not a lot of explaining./

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tokyo Night Foodie Tour

Tokyo

Probably the best part of the trip! It was a great way to keep us going our first night there and the tour guide Yuki is above and beyond- everyone should go on tours with him!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I am so glad we hired Sandy from Kim Kim for our vacation. The service was white glove all the way. We did like 10 or so versions of the same vacation with me changing this like every week until we got the vacation we wanted. She was very patient through the process. And she even gave me really good advice and suggestions. During the vacation, we were able to get support throughout the vacation. The guides she booked were all wonderful. The accommodations were progressively amazing. Each one being better than the previous, and we loved all bookings. I will use her services again. for our next trip. We went for 26 days to Japan and Thailand.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel New Otani Osaka

Osaka

Great hotel and very comfortable lodgings right in the middle of the town. Walking distance to the castle.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Gate Hotel Kyoto Takasegawa by Hulic

Kyoto

5 star hotel in the middle of Kyoto. Right in the middle of the town, with easy access to the city's attractions.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Matsuzakaya Honten

Kanagawa

Step back in time to have an authentic old-fashioned Japanese experience. Loved the spacious room and the onsen.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Nice, picturesque mountains

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shiba Park Hotel

Tokyo

Nice accommodations. Great restaurant. I like how this hotel provides self-laundry service on every floor, though it was always busy and we couldn't use it ourselves. Great bar also.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kyoto-Nara -Osaka

Osaka

Very fun tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Miyama Village Tour From Kyoto

Japan

Very fun; got to do Japanese tie-dying, which was a last minute change due to another feature being unavailable. We had a blast with our tie-die. You should add this permanently to the tour. The village was fun, though far, and it gave us a unique experience. We are glad we did this tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

the guide was wonderful. She's a teacher and very friendly.

Transport

transport in an SUV, with comfy chairs!

Osaka Highlights Bike Tour

Japan

Loved this tour. Got to eat Okonomiyaki. Most of the biking is easy, with a lot of it downhill.

Quality of Experience

Food

Okonomiyaki is the best!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very knowledgeable and friendly; we thought this would be worse than it was since they changed the guide at the last minute.

Transport

Tea Ceremony in Kyoto FLOWER TEAHOUSE

Kyoto

It was fun although my least favorite of the experiences we booked. I have never been through a tea ceremony. So it's worth doing if you haven't done it before. Funny thing if you go into a regular tea place, they will do a form of this if you order matcha.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Half Day Sagano Bamboo Grove and Tenryuji Temple Tour

Kyoto

Beautiful grove, nice boat tour. I loved the tour of the temples. If you want to learn about Japanese history, this is the tour for you.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was a teacher and also knowledgable and friendly.

Transport

Full Day Kyoto City Tour with Fushimi Inari-Taisha

Kyoto

Very fun! Also a very edifying experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was knowledgeable and friendly

Transport

Yanaka Historical Walking Tour in Tokyo's Old Town

Tokyo

It was fun. Not what we thought, but we liked the shrine, the city, and the cat cafe was wonderful.

Quality of Experience

The cat cafe.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very knowledgeable guide.

Transport

Tokyo Highlights Day Tour with Tsukiji Outer Fish Market

Tokyo

I loved the Shibuya crossing and Parco Department store. Also we did some wonderful parks, shrines, and even the Emperor's Castle.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sam was amazing and very knowledgable.

Transport

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchi with Oishi Park

Tokyo

It was a cloudy day but great attractions. We got our Mt Fuji picture anyway thanks to some clever photography. Nice places to shop and eat close by. The funicular to the top of the hill was beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We still have the Singapore journey
The Japan portion was great
Kento, Hide and Victor were amazing. They were very attentive and knowledgeable
They were also very patient with us
Sharon was very thorough and responsive
The only suggestion I have is to remind us of the international time line
I would have factored that in and left a day earlier (US time)
That caused confusion on the first day
The bullet train from Hakone to Kyoto was great
Need to be more specific where the pickup will be
The train station is gigantic
Other than those MINOR inconveniences the trip was fantastic
We are looking forward to Singapore
We have already booked Colombia with Margarita in 2027

Cory planned a seamless trip for us and was available to fix any hiccups along the way. We had a short tour of three cities and we feel we saw the best highlights of all three. The information given beforehand was helpful setting up the best plans. I will use this service again!

Working with KimKim, and our local specialist, Shona, was simple and efficient.
Shona worked hard for us. She went above and beyond with helping us before and also during our trip.
We are very grateful for Shona's service, expertise, timeliness, and dedication to ensuring we had a great trip.
Shona had so many great ideas for our family to do each day in different areas around Japan.

All of our daily guides and drivers were also excellent, helpful, and patient. Our group was not always easy for them, but they did a wonderful job despite some challenges that occurred during our daily activities and tours.

A big thank you to everyone who helped make our trip a great success!

Hotel Reviews

Candeo Hotels Osaka Shinsaibashi

Osaka

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bathroom sink area was rather small it was very dimly lit.

Cross Hotel Kyoto

Kyoto

This was probably my favorite hotel I've ever stayed at. The design and decor was phenomenal. Everything was very clean. The breakfast buffet was amazing! The location was perfect.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ryokan Aura Tachibana

Hakone

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Asakusa View Hotel Annex Rokku

Tokyo

The location was perfect! The staff was extremely kind and helpful. Everything was very clean. The breakfast buffet was amazing!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Osaka Castle and Shinsaibashi Tour

Osaka

We loved learning about the history of the Osaka castle.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

One Day Miyajima Island and Hiroshima Tour

Japan

Miyajima island and the shrines on the water were so beautiful! Our guide had some extra challenges with our group that day, and she did an amazing job with dealing with the circumstances to ensure we could finish seeing all the things and the museum in Hiroshima.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Nara City Tour, Overnight in Osaka

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Sagano Bamboo Grove and Tenryuji Temple Tour

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fushimi Inari Taisha and Kinkakuji Temple

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

We loved learning about the traditional tea ceremony and dressing up in the traditional clothing and taking photos together.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From Hakone to Kyoto

Japan

We had good experiences riding the bullet trains.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchi with Oishi Park

Tokyo

The boat ride to see mount Fuji was disappointing because the mountain was behind clouds. This is not the fault of our guide. We also got caught in a thunderstorm downpour that day, which added some spice to our day. We were not able to complete the full experience our guide had planned for us because of the rain.

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

Full Day Yokohama Tour with Cup Noodles Museum

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a great time on our 13-day trip to Japan. With 6 people traveling (4 adults and 2 kids), Greg and the Kim Kim team were able to help us find great locations to stay while providing us with a unique experience that we will not soon forget. I recommend participating in the local foodie tours as they provide a great way to orient you in each of the cities we were visiting and submerse you in local history and culture. Our guides were very informative and provided a lot of insight into the areas and shops we visited and we will definitely be looking to use KimKim again on our future travels.

Hotel Reviews

Candeo Hotels Osaka The Tower

Osaka

This was probably our most favorite place to say during our trip. Our room with on suite onsen was specular. There are a number of tourists that stay in this hotel so breakfast can get pretty packed but they staff and amenities are specular.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tawara-An

Kyoto

Truly an amazing, one of a kind experience. The house was beautiful and it was great to change up our setting after being in two hotels in other cities. The house has a huge shower/cedar tub that was great for relaxing in after a long day of walking in the summer heat. We really appreciated the breakfast that was delivered to the house and that it showcased local food. If you are looking for something a little different and very authentic this is a great option.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Staff were very helpful - we had our luggage delivered from our previous hotel and the staff were very accommodating and offered to wait while it was delivered so that we could meet up with our local tour guide. There are not usually staff on the premises 24/7 because it is a residential home but they were only a quick email/whatsapp message away.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Japanese Calligraphy Class (Nara)

Japan

This was an amazing treat. We received instruction on Japanese Calligraphy from an amazing family in Nara. Our senior instructor had incredible skill and made the process look so simple. She and her daughters were gracious hosts helping us work on our brush strokes before getting to create a final version that they then framed. We ended the session with a light snack and some tea, which absolutely hit the spot before we continued our sightseeing at Nara park. We could have spent the entire day with these magnificent ladies and it was a true pleasure to learn from them.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Tokyo Night Food Tour in Shinjuku

Tokyo

We had an amazing experience with our host. One of our attendees didn't fully appreciate the intricacies of the Wagyu experience but he was an unfortunate outlier. Emily was an amazing guide and we greatly appreciated her knowledge of Shinjuku, it's history and insights into areas to visit again on another trip. My son has a peanut allergy and she was very sensitive to that issue and made sure we did not have anything to worry about in that regard and we were very happy to have her when we stopped at the retro candy store and she was able to double check all of the food labels for us!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Kyoto Temples & Gion Tour

Japan

Our tour guide Pam was incredibly knowledgeable about the Gion district, and Temples she took us to. Her knowledge and insight made the tour extremely interesting and is something we would absolutely do again. She even provided us with additional recommendations for places to visit or specific shops to see based on our interests.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Katsu provided helpful and interesting recommendations that helped make our Japan journey amazing! In addition, the detailed service on ground transportation and tour reservations allowed us to spend our time learning and enjoying, not trying to figure out a new country's systems and processes. We would definitely work with Katsu for another vacation - he was friendly, reassuring, funny, and a true expert. Arigato gozaimashita!

Activity Review

From Scenic Walks to Soba Making: A Cultural Day in Togakushi with Temple Inn Stay

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Great planning and preparation by Shona. We did hit a snag, but kimkim jumped on it and resolved. I highly recommend using them over others. The trip cost was a fraction of what others charge after getting proposals from several others for same activities.

Hotel Reviews

Candeo Hotels Osaka Shinsaibashi

Osaka

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The breakfast offered was awful compared to other hotels on our trip

Hotel Vischio Kyoto by GRANVIA

Kyoto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mitsui Garden Hotel Ginza gochome

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kyoto Historical Highlights Bike Tour with UNESCO Zen Temples

Kyoto

Great Guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Learn the Secrets Behind Sushi in a Cooking Class

Osaka

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ramen Cooking Class Experience

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Ho Pot was not good.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kyoto Night Foodie Tour

Kyoto

Food was awful! I cant believe I paid for a tour that involved food and it was awful in Japan. Only place we ate that was bad during 11 days.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was our first trip with KimKim — who was recommended to us by friends who recently had a great experience — and we’d have to say it was a pretty flawless ride. Completely easy and enjoyable start to finish, and ultimately unforgettable.

We are a family of four (including two college-age sons) and none of us had ever been to Japan. KimKim connected us with a regional specialist (Jasmine Z) who took time to get to know us a bit online and figure out what we liked / didn’t like, what specific anchor places/events would need to be worked in, and what our budget would be. After that we were working with a Tokyo-based travel company, Hiroshi T., and his colleague Emi M., (Oshinobi Travel) who could not have been more pleasant, efficient, and accommodating. We did essentially 5 cities/hotels in 14 days, including Tokyo on the entry and exit, plus about three day-long excursions. All main island (Honshu) this time. Our itinerary was documented day by day on a shared Google doc, and tweaked a bit through Q&A up to about a month ahead of departure. Pre-trip, KimKim hosted a phone call with Hiroshi at a mutually convenient time to walk through the whole itinerary and answer questions. Result: Amazing trip.

Hiroshi’s hotel choices were all Japanese-owned hotels, superbly located, and nicely varied, all very high quality and all with epic breakfasts, which made getting out of bed an event to look forward to. Hiroshi made a point of meeting us in person and spending essentially half of his day making sure we were able to find and attend a particular site that was difficult for non-Japanese visitors to negotiate. In every city, transfers/drivers as needed were available and on-time. They lined up superb guides in (Ms. Kyoko in Tokyo, and Mr. Shohei in Kyoto, and Ms. Miyuki in Kawaguchiko); we felt that the guides not only provided key history and cultural insights, but gave us a leg up on a hundred different travel basics & hacks, which gave us the confidence to make our way around on the days (most of them) when we didn’t have a guide. Our time was dramatically more efficient given the foundation they gave us. Hiroshi provided train tickets and explicit use instructions in a nicely organized portfolio, so it was easy to track chronologically through our itinerary, and saved us tons of time figuring out the amazing but rather complex transportation systems. As English (and non-Japanese) speakers, we appreciated their command of both languages. We’ll also note that communication was super easy — they were seemingly available all the time (including weekends) when needed, via WhatsApp, and copious itinerary, contact, and basic travel information was shared through Google docs. That info, coupled with our own use of Apple Maps (for transit and walking navigation) and Google Translate (totally useful in the clutch more than a few times) made for a surprisingly smooth journey through even the largest city on the planet.

Kudos and thanks to the KimKim team and Oshinobi (Hiroshi and Emi) for getting it right at every turn and for helping our family make some great memories.

I recently returned from a trip to Japan, and I can confidently say it was one of the most unforgettable experiences of my life—thanks in large part to Angel from Kimkim.

From the very beginning, Angel demonstrated exceptional professionalism, care, and attention to detail. The planning process was smooth and stress-free. Every aspect of the trip—from hotel selections to tours, transportation, and local experiences—was thoughtfully curated. Everything ran seamlessly, and I truly couldn’t have asked for a better itinerary.

Angel maintained consistent and timely communication throughout my entire stay in Japan. She followed up regularly to confirm each day's activities, ensuring that transportation and logistics were all in place. I felt incredibly well-supported at every step, which allowed me to fully enjoy the experience without any worries.

If you’re considering a trip to Japan and want it to be smooth, personalized, and truly memorable, I wholeheartedly recommend working with Angel. Her dedication and expertise made all the difference in turning a great vacation into a once-in-a-lifetime journey.

Hotel Reviews

Imperial Hotel Osaka

Osaka

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Thousand Kyoto

Kyoto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Gora Kansuiro

Hakone

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Imperial Hotel

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Visit Mount Koya: the Ultimate Destination of the Pilgrimage

Osaka

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

One Day Miyajima Island and Hiroshima Tour

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Osaka Local Foodie Tour in Dotonbori and Shinsekai

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Osaka Castle,Shitennoji Temple,Umeda Sky Building and Shinsaibashi Tour

Osaka

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Nara City Tour from Kyoto

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Tour to Arashiyama Bamboo Grove with Gion Area

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Kyoto City Tour with Fushimi Inari-Taisha

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tea Ceremony with Kimono & KAISEKI Dinner

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Drive to Hakone by Private Car

Japan

Quality of Experience

Transport

Full Day Nikko Toshogu Shrine, Kegon Falls & Lake Chuzenji Tour

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tokyo Discovery with Meiji Shrine, Shinjuku Gyoen, Gotokuji Temple & Shibuya Sky

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport