Kimkim Trip Reviews for Japan

Angel did an excellent job to tailor the trip to our requirements. She adapted the planning based on our continous feedback and once we were on the trip she kept in touch to ensure we had the logistical details for the next day activities (if any). We did some on the go changes due to the weather and also based on things we saw while in the trip that we wanted to explore and had not originally planned
Overall we had a fantastic holiday thanks to her!

From initial planning and considering different options, through to the support we had before, during and after the trip, the service has been absolutely amazing. Our guide/trip concierge, Soleil, was wonderful - very patient with our changing plans, made suggestions based on our interests that we would never have thought of, and which were bang on the mark, communicated regularly on the app, by a messaging app, and video chat, and we were lucky enough to meet in person, when she was lovely and helpful. We could not have hoped for better and felt very well supported and looked after throughout. Fully recommend this service to anyone considering booking a trip abroad.

Activity Reviews

Absolute Osaka Food Tour

Osaka

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kimono wearing and Tea ceremony (Sado) in Kyoto (Private)

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Welcome to Osaka

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome (Yokoso) to Tokyo!

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We both really enjoyed our trip to Japan. It was a long time dream trip that finally happened.
KimKim was introduced to us by a mutual friend who had benefited from your services before on a trip to Japan. We decided to contact you and are very glad we did.
Judy was very helpful, patient, accommodating and understanding as our primary liaison/contact with KimKim. She responded quickly when we had questions and showed flexibility when we suggested changes to the itinerary. In short, she was wonderful to deal with and we would not hesitate to work with her again.
All of our guides were superb!
Yuki, Hiroshi, Mayumi, and Moto were informative, friendly and courteous. We liked them all!

Thank you again for an amazing experience!

Working with KimKim and our agent Olivia was a fantastic experience. Being in the USA, we were very far from and unfamiliar with Japan. Having local experts plan our trip made all the difference. We were able to provide some highlights that we wanted, including a game at the Tokyo Dome, and Olivia made it all happen. The hotels (B Asakusa in Tokyo and Vischio Kyoto by Granvia in Kyoto) were perfect. The included breakfasts made it even better, and laundry on site was extremely helpful for our week and a half trip.
Drivers and ground transportation were arranged by Olivia and we had fantastic tour guides, Moto in Tokyo and Taku in Kyoto who shared so much knowledge with us. Ten out of ten all the way! Thank you team KimKim!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Vischio Kyoto by GRANVIA

Kyoto

Great, clean hotel. Located across the street from the train station. Don't get it confused with the other Granvia. We walked to the wrong hotel to start. Laundry on site and amazing breakfast to start your day! Be careful of the robot that wanders the lobby.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

the b asakusa

Tokyo

Great, clean hotel. Easy access to Asakusa area which has tons to do. Right next to subways. Laundry on site and good breakfast to start your day!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Daikoku Car Meet & JDM Culture Experience

Tokyo

This was wild. We didn't really know what to expect, but my son is at the age where he is really into cars, so we had to try it. Our guide Mike was great and is really knows a lot about cars! He first took us to a mega auto store where many people meet up and then head out to other locations for the night. Fair warning, there is a lot of driving around! From Tokyo we went to Yokohama which is about 40minutes away. We stayed at the meetup for about an hour and then went to another location, back towards Tokyo. Don't expect to get in early once you set out on this adventure! A must for any car enthusiast. You never know what vehicles you might see!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Samurai Sword Experience in Kyoto (Family & Kid Friendly)

Kyoto

The museum was fun, but the sword experience was unreal. We got hands on katana training from a real samurai instructor, Yama. He was fantastic and made sure we got the most out of our brief experience. It was an event to remember.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Tour to Hiei Mountain & Lake Biwa

Kyoto

The shrine is out of the way, up in the mountains. It's really cool to do things that most tourists don't get to. It was very peaceful and the views were great. The highlight of the day was Lake Biwa. The paddle board trip was excellent, the guides were so nice, and a swim in the lake at the end just made for the perfect day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Asakusa Sumo Club: Sumo Show Admission with Chankonabe in Tokyo

Tokyo

Loved it, absolutely a must do if you are in Japan. I believe it is a chain, we saw the show in Tokyo but also saw a club when we were in Kyoto. So fit it in whenever or wherever your travel plans allow. Not only was everyone friendly and awesome, they also let you try and wrestle the professionals at the end of the match. Highly recommend!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Judy was a perfect support provider during all the trip phases, from planning with suggestions till supporting during day by day trip (reminding all the steps for coming day).

He replied to any question before and during the trip with professionalism and competency.

Hotel Reviews

Candeo Hotels Osaka Shinsaibashi

Osaka

We stayed only 2 night in this hotel during our trip. Very nice position close to main street and Dotonbory area. Service provided was good, any particular claim to share.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cross Hotel Kyoto

Kyoto

we liked the position close to the downtown area of Kyoto and to the Geisha's area. Very easy to move to any touristic places in Kyoto using Metro, busses and JR Trains. Laundry service was perfect. The hotel is an eco-sustainability very careful to any consume of plastic, etc.

Authenticity & Character

Location

close to downtown area

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

GINZA HOTEL by GRANBELL

we stayed in this hotel for 2 + 1 days during the trip. The first 2 days we had a comfortable room. For last night we had a good room but not same level of the first one. At the end, we were satisfied by the comodations provided.

Authenticity & Character

Location

the position close to local restaurant and metro stops.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

We appreciated the organization, the preparatory ceremony that put us in the right mood, and the selection of the kimono and accessories. The ceremony provided the historical and cultural background needed to fully experience the event.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

1-Day Mt. Fuji & Hakone Tour [Return by Shinkansen] With Lunch (From Shinjuku)

Tokyo

The full esperience was really nice but unfortunately due to the wheather conditions, we were not able to see the top of Fuji all day. However we spent a very good day across Fuji and Hakone mountains.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

One Day Miyajima Island and Hiroshima Tour

Japan

We arrived to Hiroshima station from Osaka and our Guide (Masako) was waiting for us to the track. Then we moved to Miyajima Island for a wonderful experience. With the knowledge of Masako, we were able to reach all main points like planned avoiding big affluence of tourists.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from Kyoto to Osaka via Nara

Japan

Driver picked up us in the hotel in Kyoto. Then we moved to Nara to vistit shine and temple area like scheduled. We spent a nice day in Nara visiting this amazing area and meeting the famous Nara's deers too. Driver suggested us what visit, provided us main historical and cultural information but then we were able to visit the areas alone with our timing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Japan

Amazing trip around the Kyoto city main monument to visit. We spent a fantastic day with our lovely guide TAKU, very competent and friendly.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Taku has been a fantastic guide. He drived us to many interesting places explaining the Japanese History too to allow use to better understand what we were visiting. Fluent English speaker, we suggest to spend a day with him.

Transport

easy to take ad fast to move from different places.

My best friend and I planned a 'boys trip' to Japan with our teenage sons to celebrate both of our 50th birthdays. We have traveled together in the past are accustomed to 'do it yourself' itineraries, however we understood that planning a successful Japan adventure would require professional expertise along with a substantial measure of self-guided research.

We reached out to KimKim and began working with Olivia approximately nine months prior to our travel date, which was needed as we continuously revised and refined the itinerary to ensure that scheduled activities and excursions would not conflict with our own self-guided and planned events. The KimKim text-chat portal was an ideal asynchronous platform for us to communicate as it allowed us to do our research in order to provide Olivia with helpful responses to her questions and recommendations. The messaging system delivers by both text message-notification and email so we never missed Olivia's updates.

Olivia understood our requirement to pack an aggressive itinerary into a relatively short timeline and the results were flawless, and to say we made the most special of lifelong memories would be a gross understatement. One of many highlights of our trip was the excursion to Mt Hiei and Lake Biwa; for which we were surprised when our guide Taku told us that for his many years as a guide he had only done that tour three times in the past. The tour required of participants to capable and enthusiastic of a moderately-exerting day and I think Olivia understood that it was a good fit for our adventure-hungry group. Thank you to Taku for guiding us on that memorable day, and to Moto for memorable and educational days touring the Senso-Ji temple, the Imperial Gardens, Mt Fuji, and the Fujiyoshida Sengen Shrine. Also to all our drivers who were exemplary in their communications; special mention to Mi who took us out from Kyoto to Awaji Island for a self-guided day at the Godzilla museum and Yumebutai gardens and green house - note that the trip to Yumebutai was an add-on by Olivia to ensure that we made the most out of our day since it was a long drive to Awaji Island.

Every single day of our trip was packed with singular highlights and we have Olivia to thank for putting it all together. We relied on her expertise and we were well rewarded for that trust. There was not one communication or logistical issue and Olivia was messaging us daily on our trip with relevant scheduling notes and updates. We can't thank nor recommend her enough to others, and hope to work with her again in the future.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Vischio Kyoto by GRANVIA

Kyoto

Great centralized location next to Kyoto station. Amazing highly recommended breakfast buffet.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Central Kyoto next to Kyoto station

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Highly recommended breakfast buffet.

the b asakusa

Tokyo

Great location with access to mass transportation and two 7-11s across the street. A Don Quixote is less than a five minute walk away. Nice to start the day in more quiet area of Tokyo. Rooms were small (as expected) but completely functional. Highly recommended hotel breakfast before starting the day.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Access to two 7-11s, a Don Quixote and mass transit. Lots of great nearby dining options.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Samurai Sword Experience in Kyoto (Family & Kid Friendly)

Kyoto

We got sword training from a 5th generation Samurai. I don't think you can do better than that with anything.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Daikoku Car Meet & JDM Culture Experience

Tokyo

A fun and unique glimpse into car culture in Japan, however we thought the experience would be actually riding in "Fast and the Furious" type cars, but instead we were in a van visiting multiple car meet-up sites -- which actually was still very fun and interesting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Tour to Hiei Mountain & Lake Biwa

Kyoto

A great day visiting a UNESCO World Heritage site followed up by paddle boarding in magical Lake Biwa. The only day we didn't arrive home at the hotel not covered and exhausted by sweat from touring all day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Thank you Taku for an incredible day!

Transport

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchi with Oishi Park

Japan

A full picturesque view of Mt Fuji is only available consistent during winter months. For most of the rest of the year views of the mountain and peak are obscured by cloud cover. We were extremely lucky to see the peak for only a few moments during a brief clearing - and this wasn't even on the 20 minute boat-cruise part of the day. Our guide Moto saved the day with a tour of the spectacular Fujiyoshida Sengen Shrine

Quality of Experience

It's a lot of travel from Tokyo for a 20 minute boat ride on a lake to not see Mt Fuji

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Asakusa Sumo Club: Sumo Show Admission with Chankonabe in Tokyo

Tokyo

Fantastic show. We learned as much as we laughed.

Quality of Experience

Transport

A very short walk from our hotel.

Half Day Imperial Palace East Gardens and Senso-ji Tour

Tokyo

A great introduction to Shintoism and Buddhism in Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Thank you to Moto for an educational experience.

Transport

Bella created a wonderful travel itinerary for us for our August 2026 visit to Tokyo and Kyoto. Before the trip, we provided a list to Bella of our interests and she designed a perfect agenda for us.
Also, the two tour guides Mr. Ryuji Kanie (Toyko) and Mr. Hiroshi Hanada (Kyoto) were terrific guides and made our trip run smoothly for us.
Additionally, the drivers who picked us up at various times at the airport, hotel, and train stations were always on time and very polite.
Overall, Bella and her team made this trip to Japan one full of wonderful memories.
Lastly, Bella created a video for us using photos that our guides took. Almost made me cry seeing the wonderful adventures that we had.
John & Laura Killmer

Hotel Reviews

Mitsui Garden Hotel Kyoto Shijo

Decor of lobby was very colorful and felt like an art gallery. Room was very clean and comfortable. Breakfast buffet was fabulous.

Authenticity & Character

Decor of hotel was very colorful and felt like an Asian art gallery. Hotel also had a public bath that we hadn't experienced before and added to charm of the hotel.

Location

Close to train station and restaurants.

Staff

Staff was very friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Breakfast buffet in the morning was layed out very well and started the day on a good note.

Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu

Tokyo

Modern hotel located in the heart of Tokyo. Great location, nice room and good breakfast buffet.

Authenticity & Character

Clientele was a mixture of various nationalities which made the stay very interesting.

Location

Close to train station and restaurants

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel and restaurant were very clean.

Activity Reviews

Welcome to Kyoto!

Kyoto

We loved the city of Kyoto.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Driver was waiting for us at appointed time and transported us comfortably.

Transport

Arashiyama Hidden Paths & Tea Traditions Experience (Private Guide & Public Transportation)

Kyoto

The Arashiyama Hidden Paths and Tea Experiences also exceeded our expectations. In addition, we toured the private gardens of one of Japan's famous silent film era actor. Walk through the gardens was a special treat.

Quality of Experience

Walk through the silent film star gardens was an unexpected treat. Also, tea ceremony was an enjoyable experience.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Mr. Hiroshi Hanada made everything run smoothly.

Transport

Kyoto Culinary & Cultural Discovery: Fushimi Inari Walk, Sake Tasting, Nishiki Market & Ramen Making

Kyoto

We found Kyoto to be a city that exceeded our expectations. The activities that we had for this day made for a delightful day in Kyoto.

Quality of Experience

The variety of experiences highlighted the beauty and diversity of Kyoto,

Food

We really enjoyed our hands on Ramen Making Experience and our dinner afterwards.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Mr. Hiroshi Hanada did a terrific job of leading us to all of our activities.

Transport

Guided Scenic Journey from Tokyo to Mt. Fuji & Lake Yamanaka Cycling Experience, Ending at Mishima Station

Japan

Lake Yamanaka cycling experience was one of our favorite activities., It was so much fun bike riding around Lake Yamanaka and seeing Mt.Fuji.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide, Mr. Ryuji Kanie did a great job of leading us on the bike ride. Additionally, our guide found a small family owned restaurant where we had lunch. We were able to meet the owners and enjoyed an authenic Japanese meal.

Transport

Driver did an outstanding job of transporting us to our various designations.

Tokyo Flavors & Traditions: Sushi Crafting, Old Tokyo & Culinary Treasures（Private Guide & Public Transportation）

Tokyo

Sushi making experience was a highlight.We also enjoyed touring the Asakusa District, particularly entering through the vibrant Kaminarimon Gate.

Quality of Experience

Food

We really enjoyed eated the sushi that we prepared during our sushi making class. Great instructors.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our tour guide Mr. Ryuji Kanie did an excellent job of describing the sights and allowed us to enjoy the attractions at our pace.

Transport

All points of transporation were on time.

All of our transportation, travel and bookings went well. If anything, we could have done more on a day than what was planned or coordinated to make some trips more efficient.

Activity Reviews

A Hands-on Cooking Experience: Nigiri Sushi and More

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Authentic Sumo Experience in Tokyo: Enter the Sanctuary

Tokyo

10/10, would recommend to everyone!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Soleil was awesome.
So responsive and amazing

When my friends and I started planning the trip to Japan, it wasn´t clear exactly where to begin. Fortunately for us, we discovered Kimkim, and shortly after completing the preferences survey, Shona got back to us with an itinerary proposal in no time. Since then, she has remained actively engaged with us through the rest of the planning, the trip, and up to the end.

In the planning phase, Kimkim´s itinerary chat allowed everyone on both sides of the chat to make and take into consideration others´ suggestions and recommendations. Shona let us know the requirements, addressed our concerns, and kept us up to date on bookings and reservations at every step, and we worked together to plan the best trip based on our budget. Thanks to this coordination, the itinerary was complete a long time before the trip. This breathing room ahead of the trip allowed for last-minute adjustments, which Shona actively managed for us.

During the trip, Shona and her team at Odynovo did not waver. From the moment we left for our trip up to when we returned, her team of coordinators, guides, and drivers was in constant communication with us. They made sure everything went smoothly, checking in to make sure we were where we planned to be and when we planned to be there; despite the language barrier.

The trip flowed seamlessly, a testament to their thoughtful planning. It was evenly paced, neither rushed nor laggy, considering the many activities we did and places we got to visit in a few days. The order of activities was well put together too. In every new place we visited, the guided days came first, followed by the self-guided days. Our tour guides were engaging and enthusiastic, intuitively showing us around, thereby boosting our morale to manoeuvre on our own and explore freely.

Leading up to the end of the trip, we only wished we had planned for more time. Shona and her team set a benchmark, a high bar, to which all trips to come, to Japan and other places around the world, will be compared. Japan is an interesting place, with a lot to offer in many aspects, and this trip, great as it was, was only an introduction, a momentous one. We look forward to returning sometime in the future, and we hope it will be just as amazing, if not more.

So, if you´re planning to visit Japan, and Shona is your agent, you´re in good hands. Actively participate in planning, remain engaged, and keep an open mind. Thanks, Kimkim, Odynovo, and thank you, Shona!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Monterey Le Frere Osaka

Osaka

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great views from the higher floors.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Gracery Kyoto Sanjo

Kyoto

Authenticity & Character

Location

You can walk around the local area and discover a lot with little effort.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Asakusa Tobu Hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

It´s close to great local places to explore for a tourist.

Staff

Welcoming and friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Overall, well-maintained.

Activity Reviews

Half Day Sagano Bamboo Grove and Tenryuji Temple Tour

Kyoto

Osaka Local Foodie Tour in Dotonbori and Shinsekai

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kyoto Authentic Sake Tour in Fushimi: Sake Tastings & Explore Historic Breweries

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Samurai Sword Experience for Adults in Kyoto

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Fushimi Inari Taisha and Kinkakuji Temple

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Tokyo City Tour

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our guides (Tomoe in Tokyo and Mitch in Kyoto) were super knowledgeable and went out of their way to make sure our family was happy.

My daughter and I took a 2 week trip to Japan. We started in Tokyo. It was helpful to have a driver take us from the airport to our hotel after the long flight and not having to try to navigate by ourselves to the hotel. In Tokyo, our first day was with Motoki Watanabe, who guided us to the Tsukiji Outer Fish Market, Meiji Jingu Shrine, and Sensoji Temple among other sights and provided some information about what we were seeing. He also was flexible to alter plans as needed. One thing I found useful was navigating Tokyo subway system with his help so we could manage it the next few days. The next couple days were spent at Tokyo Disneyland and Disney Sea. Both were nice parks but if I had to pick one, it would be Disney Sea as it's totally different from other Disneyland parks. The final day in Tokyo we went to to the Ghibli Museum and explored Tokyo by ourselves.

Leaving Tokyo, we took the bullet train to Kyoto. In Kyoto, we were guided by Yoshiko Yoshida to the Bamboo Grove and Monkey Park Tour with a Boat Ride. She shared information about the area and since we had a little extra time, we went to the Kyoto Imperial Palace. The next day we were guided by Asuka Koyanagi and saw more of Kyoto going to Kinkaku-ji Temple, Nijo Castle and Fushimi-Inari Taisha. Only the last day in Kyoto navigating by ourselves, we did Samurai Ninja Museum and Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya. The Tea Ceremony was enjoyable since you learned about the ceremony while dressed in Kimonos.

From Kyoto to Osaka, we were driven by a driver and had Yukari Onishi for our guide. We stopped in Nara and visited the Todaiji Temple and Kasuga Taisha Shrine. We also fed the bowing deer. In Osaka, we went to the Aquarium, which my daughter found really cool since we saw a couple whale sharks. We also did a Sushi class, which was enjoyable even though my daughter really doesn't like fish.

Overall, the experience was a good one and would look to do again. All the guides spoke good English, willing to change things up if needed, and provided information about the areas that we visited. Most texted us the day before about the pickup for the tours. The hotels were all nice and provided breakfast in the mornings. Having the Kimkim app download on a phone is helpful so you can get any updates to the itinerary.

Marii did an amazing job planning our family trip to Japan. She planned our time in the Mt. Fuji area, Hakone, Kyoto, and Osaka, and we were really happy with the itinerary.

She chose great hotels throughout the trip, and we especially loved the hotels she picked for us in Hakone. She also found tour guides who were a great fit for our family and our kids, which made such a difference.

Marii also gave us some really good restaurant recommendations in each place we visited. It was so helpful to have places already recommended instead of trying to figure it out on our own.

She was also available throughout our trip whenever we had questions, which we really appreciated. It was nice knowing we could reach out to her if we needed anything.

Marii made planning and traveling on a big family trip so much easier. We would definitely recommend her to anyone planning a trip to Japan!

One visit to Japan was very wonderful. Kimkim the traveling agency was really helpful. Our tour guides were very friendly and helpful. My grandkids boys really enjoyed our visit to most of the places went. The shibuya sky and shibuya crossing in Tokyo the busys cross street in Tokyo it is a.lot of fun to see the volume of people crossing with their camera 📷 talking fotos. I was very worried about traveling to Japan because we were black but I had nothing to worry about, we felt very comfortable . I will encourage tourists to use kimkim for to all their destinations.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Forza Osaka Kitahama

Osaka

This hotel is in the center of the city and it is easy to connect to wherever u want to go

Authenticity & Character

Location

In the center of the city and easy to move around

Staff

Very friendly and easy to communicate with them in English

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel very very clean and delicious breakfast

Park Hotel Kyoto

Kyoto

Hotel clean and in the center of the city

Authenticity & Character

The food is good the staffs are very friendly

Location

It is easy to get transport and in the center of the city

Staff

The staffs are very friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kimkim is a very reliable travel agency to work with

Hakone Hotel Kajikaso

Hakone

The fin part of this hotel is the Japanese style bed and the hot springs

Authenticity & Character

The Japanese style bed room make a lot of difference and a good experience

Location

It is in the center of the city so getting access to the train station 🚉 was easy

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The hotel in very clean

the b asakusa

Tokyo

Amazing in the center of all the activities in Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

The staffs are very helpful

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

The hotel in very very clean

Activity Reviews

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

Japan

Although it was soo foggy 🌁 we were not abto see the mountain Fugi but it was wealth it the trip

Tokyo Discovery: From Traditional Landmarks to Akihabara’s Anime Haven

Tokyo

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

Kyoto

Half Day Nara Park & Todai-Ji Temple

Japan

From Hakone to Kyoto

Japan

Enjoy Temples & Bamboo Grove in Kyoto with Your Family

Kyoto

Going through the temple and the bamboo grove was a very interesting experience it was peaceful in the grove

Sandy put together an absolutely amazing first trip to Japan! Sandy really listened to what my husband and I were looking to do and see. Our tour guide Kyoko for Tokyo was also fantastic! The private tour guides in Tokyo and Kyoto were personable and knowledgeable for every site/temple/shrine we visited. They also explained Japanese customs so we didn't feel awkward. I have used KimKim a few times for overseas trips. The travel agent for Spain (first time using KimKim) and Sandy gave us the best itinerary. The hotel accommodations and locations (near train stations as requested) were perfect. I felt we experienced Japanese culture while still having some US amenities that made us feel comfortable. The onsen at the end of the trip was a perfect way to end our trip and absolutely felt immersed by then. Japanese onsen was incredible and very relaxing. The bathhouse was different than the "Japanese bathhouse" Ive experienced in the US and different from US hot spring resorts. My husband and I already want to plan another trip to Japan. Sandy will without a doubt be our official Japan travel agent. I live in Houston, TX and when they say Tokyo& Kyoto are hot and humid- they are not joking. The weather was very similar to Houston every day we were there in August. Houston just a lil more humid but no one is climbing Fushimi shrine in Houston. lol We spent 8-9 days (last day was mainly traveling from kyoto to narita airport 4hrs plus arriving 2.5hrs before flight). We split our time evenly in Tokyo and Kyoto. We had a day trip to DisneySea/Disney Tokyo and a day trip to Nara. Tokyo was like NYC for me. Everyone rushed but I did not have any negative experiences on the trains even when we were crammed like sardines. However my husband was with me. Very exciting city and loved the Nakano Broadway mall for anime which seemed to have more locals (and lower prices). We enjoyed Kyoto the most and want to go back to explore the city more along with stopping at some of the towns along the way.

Hotel Reviews

Kadensho, Arashiyama Onsen, Kyoto - Kyoritsu Resort

Felt authentic and loved the individual bathhouses! Esp the outdoor ones. Very relaxing. The 30min limit per session was a downside but can always come back or use another one that wasn't in use. We loved that no shoes were allowed anywhere inside besides the reception desk to check in obviously. It set the pace and mood for relaxation. We loved the area of Kyoto it was in. We watched the sunset on the famous bridge and early mornings which was less than a 5min walk away. It only had a shower in the room but it was a bathhouse so not exactly necessary. The least room amenities for our trip but the atmosphere more than made up for it

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Thousand Kyoto

Kyoto

Love the iPad to control everything from lights, temperature and curtains along with room service, cleaning, extra amenities etc. Bathroom shower and tub combo separate from vanity and bidet is excellent. 4.75 stars because they did not give any amenities unless requested to be more environmentally friendly which they did explain on check in. We came from a hotel which stocked bath salts daily along with other luxury touches. The superior king room was large and the bed was the biggest my husband and I have ever slept in. We have a split california king at home. Daily fresh PJs was great touch. The hotel is beautiful and tranquil. The staff was very friendly and accommodating. Shower pressure was amazing and water temperature very hot which I love

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

daily amenities not included was only downside but very clean and comfortable otherwise.

Marunouchi Hotel

Great local next to Tokyo station. The shower and bathtub combo is amazing and perfect at the end of long sight seeing days. The amenities (bath salts, moisture rescue facial cleanser along with fresh PJs) they supply every day was a luxury bonus.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Across the street from Tokyo station and can be accessed underground straight from hotel

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Tokyo City Tour with Tsukiji Outer Fish Market

Tokyo

Kyoko was an excellent tour guide. She explained each temple and shrine thoroughly and loved the areas she took us. She was like an aunt to us by the end of the day. Best tour guide experience I have had.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Dinner with a Geisha /Maiko Ozashiki Experience

Kyoto

This was hands down my favorite activity of our trip! We were fortunate enough have a geiko as our Geisha. Her dancing was beautiful to watch and loved that we were able to have conversations before and after her dancing. She loved having sake with us! The teahouse was super authentic and just loved loved loved the experience from start to finish. The meal was great and staff very attentive. The alcohol was included and as much as we wanted which in hindsight could have been our hint to offer sake to the Geisha and our interpreter. Our interpreter actually knew the Geisha since she first became a Maiko 6yrs prior and has seen her grow into a full fledge Geiko. Very special experience. Highly recommend

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Both our tour guides, Yumi and Yuki, were fantastic. Yumi in particular went above and beyond and really tailored our tours to our interests, she even helped us reserve a taxi when we got to Hakone. Overall we had a wonderful time!

Activity Reviews

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

Japan

Yuki was a fantastic tour guide, we learned a lot and loved our tour!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchi with Oshino Hakkai

Japan

Due to the heat, our tour guide Yumi suggested some different locations that fit with our interests. We had a lot of fun!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Tokyo City Tour with Akihabara district

Tokyo

Yumi was an awesome tour guide!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bella did an amazing Job planning our trip!! This was the most amazing and stress free international trip I have ever taken. Our tour guides were also amazing. Does it cost more to use a travel agent, yes. Is it worth it, absolutely!!!!

Judy was amazing and very responsive. She helped with some last minute emergency changes and was way ahead of me without needing to be asked. 100% would work with her again!

Leny did a great job helping us organize and plan a Tokyo trip for our group of 7 people. Managing a group of this size takes a lot of coordination, and she kept us well-organized throughout the process.She provided us with a solid variety of activity options to choose from during the initial stages. We really appreciated her flexibility during the planning phase, as she listened to our suggestions and was very accommodating when we needed to make changes to the itinerary.Thanks to Leny’s thorough preparation and responsiveness, our trip to Tokyo went smoothly. She is a reliable planner who truly listens to her clients' input.

Our fun activites included go-karting on the streets of Tokyo, visiting the Tsukiji Fish Market, participating in a Japanese traditional tea ceremony, kimonos and all! We also visited a local garden.

Leny created a group chat on WhatsApp for our trip and was available throughout our journey.

We had a great trip. The Shiminani biking was probably the high point but we liked Kanazawa, Takayama, and Hakone a lot as well. The support from Angel was also really great throughout the trip - it was really nice having her available on the trip chat for questions. The guides and drivers were all really good.