Kimkim Trip Reviews for Japan

My wife and I are celebrating our 10 year anniversary this July and I knew early on that a family of four trip to experience Japan for the first time together would be a once in a lifetime event. I knew well enough that I would not be able to plan and execute such an important trip myself so I feel so grateful that I stumbled upon Kimkim and hit the ground running.

Ben was my wonderful trip planner and from the first interaction, he was so extremely helpful and patient with my 1,000s of questions and itinerary changes. I wanted this Japan trip to be something that would be relatively stress free for me and my wife but also contain a variety of activities and experiences that our entire family would enjoy. Working with Ben to plan the entire trip was such a breeze. Despite having never worked with a planning company before let alone with Kimkim, I felt completely at ease and comfortable with Ben's recommendations and suggestions.

Every part of the trip was designed and planned wonderfully. From the meticulous selection of amazing hotels across the spectrum of Japanese styles (ryokan, onsens, apartment-style, mountain resorts) to all the fun hands-on activities for adults and kids alike (sushi-making, samurai museums, sumo shows, etc), this was a trip that none of us will ever forget.

And I would be remiss without mentioning our incredible tour guides, Peter and Ursula. Peter was so on task and schedule with us during our Tokyo days and he was so patient and gracious with our children throughout the tours. I can't count how many times he and I would be carrying my napping daughter still in her stroller up and down various train station steps over multiple stations and transfers. He never failed to take care of our every need in this unfamiliar place. We had zero stress with Peter around that allowed us to soak up the joy of the experience 100%.

Ursula was our amazing tour guide (and pseudo member of the family) in Kyoto/Osaka. Our family hit it off with Ursula right from the get go and she was always so flexible with our minor changes in scheduling and events as we did our best to adapt to our children's energy levels and attention spans. The extremely hot weather in Japan also put added pressure on everyone but both Ursula and Peter were always ready to lend a hand and make sure we all stayed healthy and happy throughout.

This trip was planned as perfectly as I could have imagined and I owe Ben/Peter/Ursula/Kimkim a huge thank you on behalf of my entire family. The next time we want to take another adventurous trip, I would not hesitate for one second to work with Kimkim again. I also highly recommend Kimkim to anyone who wants to plan a milestone trip like ours without the hassle and stress.

Thank you again Kimkim team! Until we meet again!

Eric, Wanee, Easton, and Esther

We had an amazing adventure in Japan, a lot of it due to Adeline's time and attention to detail. She always responded quickly and went above and beyond with all the excursions that were booked. We probably would not have done the tea at teamLab or gone up the extra floors at Tokyo Tower had it not been for Adeline. Also, our guide in Toyko, Sakai Mari was amazing! She helped guide us through our first day of riding the subway, gave us a Tokyo guidebook with the subway and train lines that was very helpful, and most of all spoke perfect English with little trace of an accent which made it very easy for us to understand her. I would highly recommend KimKim and especially Adeline when booking any trip!

Hotel Reviews

Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo

Tokyo

The staff was amazing and very helpful. Not to mention this is a beautiful hotel and very well located with easy access to trains and other landmarks.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hilton Garden Inn Kyoto Shijo Karasuma

Kyoto

Located on a busy street but the staff was very friendly and helpful especially when speaking to taxi drivers and always waited until we left until retreating inside.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

HOTEL THE FLAG Shinsaibashi

Osaka

Great location, great staff, very modern looking.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

JR Kyushu Hotel Blossom Shinjuku

Tokyo

Great staff and they allowed us to check in early and stay an extra hour which was most helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Half Day Tokyo City Tour - Asakusa & Skytree

Tokyo

Our guide, Sakai Mari was amazing! She helped us navigate the subways so we could later do it on our own, taught us all about the difference of shrines and temples, took us to unique shops and had barely a trace of an accent which made her very easy to understand.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Reservation at Tokyo Pokemon Cafe

Tokyo

If you are a Pokeman fan it is worth it, if not skip. Food is not that great; there is no place to sit and the lines in the store are very long.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ramen and Gyoza Cooking Class

Osaka

We made ramen noodles and gyoza from scratch. It was delicious and a great way to experience Japanese food in a different way.

Quality of Experience

Food

Great experience! Leny was fantastic to work with and created an amazing family trip that we'll never forget!

Everything very helpful and always very responsive. This was our second time using KimKim (first time Iceland, this time Japan) and we will definitely do so again. We were a little spoiled with amazing deeply customized support for Iceland, but our Japan support was still excellent - highly recommend!

I’m now back in the UK following an amazing month with my high school best buddy Phil, who I’ve known 54 years (!) which took in various parts of the USA and an amazing 11 days in Japan, curated brilliantly for us by Olivia-san at Kimkim.

I’ve travelled much of the world, but can safely say Japan is ranking in my top 3 experiences and it is in no small part to the assistance Olivia gave us in plotting the itinerary and then in being incredibly available, responsive and ever efficient in helping us make some minor adjustments as we went along.

Tokyo, Kyoto, Kanazawa and Osaka have given us some incredible experiences and memories plus a thousand photos.

The Japanese people we encountered on our travels were unfailingly polite, helpful and kind, and were happy to let us use our rudimentary Japanese to communicate with them!

In particular the guides Olivia arranged for us, Yumiko-san in Tokyo, Hector (Boza Helfers), a Peruvian national married to a Japanese lady and living 20 years in Japan and fluent in his native Spanish, English, Portuguese and of course Japanese, plus as he put it “street” French and Italian!, hosted us in Kyoto and Osaka, and Ai Kawachi, who toured Kanazawa with us with charm and incredible knowledge, and Tasei-san back in Tokyo again who took us on a brilliant food tour.

I’ve used agents previously in Africa, Australasia, and India, and they don’t match the service that Kimkim and Olivia-san offered us, so I would definitely return to them.

Arigato gozaimashita ありがと ございました Olivia-san

Mike

Angel was amazing with our Japan tour. We had an awesome trip!

We were so happy with our trip to Japan. From our first phone call with Greg and Cory to the last day of the trip, we felt well supported. They took the time to understand our preferences and budget expectations and gave us excellent suggestions for how to structure our 2 week trip. They even asked about our children and how we wanted to pace ourselves. It was such a relief to have them figure out all reservations, transfers, subway tickets, train tickets, and even the finer details of how to get around in Japan that we would not have expected. Another piece we found very helpful were their restaurant recommendations- it was a lot more relevant than quick google searches and we were always happy with what we found. For certain excursions we booked tours and all of their tour guides were friendly, informative, and geared their tours towards our children.

Most importantly, in real time during the trip they were able to address any issues. There was a day we wanted to change an excursion due to weather and they handled changing a bullet train ticket and tour reservation seamlessly. It was a big relief to know there was someone to help us in this way. We will be using kimkim again and would recommend Cory and Greg to any of our friends going to Japan.

I am extremely pleased with the trip to Japan which we booked through kimkim. The kimkim agent who worked with us from Japan is Olivia and she did an outstanding job for us. We gave a fairly vague request to start the planning - "10 days in Japan visiting 4 cities, utilizing private guides in each city". Olivia came up with an initial itinerary including time in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Kanazawa, with proposed hotels, walking tours, activities and train routes. The chat feature in kimkim works very well, especially given that we were 11 time zones away from our agent. Over the course of several weeks we made multiple change requests and each time, Olivia made adjustments to suit us until we were ready to finalize and book our trip.

When we arrived in Japan, everything ran like clockwork! The hotels were great, the trains ran on time and each of the tour guides and drivers assigned to us by Olivia were excellent. The kimkim chat feature kept us in touch with Olivia throughout the trip, which was helpful on almost a daily basis - for instance each time we wanted the Japanese version of a hotel address to show a taxi driver. Also mid trip we decided we wanted to visit a different neighborhood in Tokyo for our last two nights and Olivia took care of that too on the same day we requested it.

I will definitely book with kimkim again.

I cannot say enough about how much I appreciate everything Adeline did for us to plan our dream vacation to Japan. Not only was she able to keep us in budget but helped us schedule all our wish list items, kept us organized, on scheduled and gave great tips, suggestions and directions. She was also great about answering all of our questions in a timely manner before the trip and while we were there. I would definitely recommend her to all my friends and family, I know I could not have planned a more perfect trip without her.

Hotel Review

Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo

Tokyo

Of all our hotels we stayed at in Japan, this was by far the best. Amazing customer service, rooms with great views and the best breakfast buffet.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right by the train station but not right in the middle of all the crowds and noise.

Staff

Everyone offered great amazing customer service from check in, concierge and wait staff.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Half Day Tokyo City Tour - Asakusa & Skytree

Tokyo

Our favorite guided tour. The guide took us to all the best spots for shopping as well as the sites and helped us navigate the trains on our first day in Tokyo.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traditional Tea Ceremony

Kyoto

So much fun getting dressed up, learning about the tea ceremony and performing it on our own. Definite must!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ramen and Gyoza Cooking Class

Osaka

Such a great cooking class. They kept us on schedule and were really hands on in training and the food we made was delicious!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We are so grateful to Leny for planning an absolutely extraordinary journey through Japan. Every moment—from the vibrant cities to the peaceful countryside—was filled with wonder, discovery, and joy. The itinerary was beautifully paced and thoughtfully curated, allowing us to experience both iconic highlights and more intimate, local treasures.

What truly made the trip exceptional were the incredible guides and experiences Leny arranged for us. Each guide brought Japan to life in their own unique way, sharing not only knowledge but heart. We felt connected, engaged, and constantly inspired.

There were a couple of small details around room types that could have used a bit more attention, but they were far outweighed by the richness and depth of the overall experience.

Thank you, Leny, for giving us a trip we will remember forever—with full hearts and deep gratitude.

This was our second trip with KimKim, and once again, it was an absolute 10/10 experience. Our agent, Shona, crafted the perfect 16-day itinerary for our journey through Japan, hitting all the right notes—from four vibrant cities with centrally located (but not overly luxurious per our request) hotels, to a thoughtful mix of landmark tours, delicious food experiences, time in nature, and authentic cultural encounters that deepened our appreciation of Japan. We went on 8 tours and all of the guides chosen were highly experienced and made our trip better. Shona was attentive throughout the planning process, incredibly helpful during the trip, and even provided daily previews to keep us excited and informed. It was seamless, memorable, and exactly what we had hoped for. We can’t recommend KimKim—and especially Shona—highly enough!

Hotel Reviews

Mitsui Garden Hotel Ginza Premier

Tokyo

Great location, nice rooms, good breakfast options.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hakone Hotel Kajikaso

Hakone

Authentic Japanese Experience!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Thousand Kyoto

Kyoto

Our favorite! Everything is a 10/10!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mitsui Garden Hotel Osaka Premier

Osaka

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shibuya Stream Excel Hotel Tokyu

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

Must do! So fun!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchi with Oishi Park

Tokyo

Sounds like it’s seldom Fuji can be seen, so I’m not sure it should be a must-do.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Tour of Arashiyama Bamboo Grove & Sagano Scenic Railway

Kyoto

Could have been a little shorter. Train ride was fun, but it took a while after a long day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Japan

Full Day Tokyo City Tour

Tokyo

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

Tokyo

Osaka Local Foodie Tour in Dotonbori and Shinsekai

Japan

Wonderful guide and experience, but we would have preferred a small group to talk with people.

Kyoto Bar Hopping Nightlife Tour in Pontocho

Kyoto

Wonderful guide and experience, but we would have preferred a small group to talk with people.

Enjoy a Full Day Tour in Nara

Nara

Full Day Kobe Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum and Himeji Castle Tour

Osaka

We were hoping for a sake tasting at the end of museum and to learn more about different types of sake. It was just a small taste of 2.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I was a little nervous initially booking through the platform, but I could not be happier. Leny made the process so easy suggesting best itinerary for our family trip to Japan. I was given options with an easy feedback process to finalise our trip. Once the trip started Leny ensured daily updates and reminders through WhatsApp which was extremely helpful. Each tour guide we had also reached out two days prior to meeting to double check I had the meeting information and go over the plan. We had great tour guides, amazing experiences and a truly unforgettable trip! Thank you for making it all so easy!

I can’t thank Sandy enough for the incredible support she provided in planning my recent Asia trip. From start to finish, she was patient, attentive, and incredibly thoughtful. Every detail was carefully considered—from hotel bookings to excursions—and she made the entire process feel effortless.

What stood out most was how proactive and compassionate Sandy was, especially in arranging airport wheelchair assistance at every stop. It made such a difference in my travel experience, and I truly felt cared for throughout the journey.

She stayed in touch the whole time, making sure everything went smoothly, and was always just a message away when I needed something. If you're looking for someone who genuinely goes above and beyond, Sandy is the one. Five stars all the way!

Greg was our local specialist. He made the planning easy and fun and was also very helpful during our trip.

There were a few specific things that Greg helped with during our trip. We had a few questions about navigating the subways and trains that he was able to answer. One of our pocket WiFis stopped working after a day and Greg ordered us a replacement. One of our travelers forgot the QR code on the bullet train. This prevented us from getting out of the station. There was a moment of panic but Greg was able to resolve this issue quickly by sending us an image of the QR code.

We started in Tokyo, spent a few days in Kyoto, and one day in Osaka. The selected hotels were small but very nice. We stayed in rooms that had tatami mats which was cool. Everyone was very kind and helpful.

Travel got easier after a few days once we figured out the public transportation: subways, trains, and buses. Greg provided tickets with reserved seating and space for our luggage for our bullet trains between Tokyo and Kyoto.

It was our first time in Japan so we did a lot of the first time in Japan things: Shibuya Pedestrian Scramble, Skytree tower, Art Museum, Shrines, Temples, traditional tea ceremony, and a food tour. All of these experiences were amazing.

All the food from restaurants to street food was delicious. Themes for us were sushi and ramen.

Overall a 10 out of 10 experience. It would be fun to go back at some point. Thanks again Greg.

Shona, our KimKim travel specialist, provided excellent assistance in planning our vacation to Japan. She was very responsive and worked tirelessly on our behalf. We were especially impressed with the quality of private guides that she connected us with during our trip. We appreciate that using KimKim allows us to balance planned tours and activities that we would have never found on our own with time for self touring. In this manner we were able to plan a personalized trip, selecting an itinerary that met our interests and at our price point. KimKim may be more expensive that full self planning, but the quality of planning, care and intrinsic knowledge provided by the local KimKim agent is more that worth the money. We had a small issue arise and the KimKim team was on it immediately.
In particular, we enjoyed a sushi class and private guides who wear willing to be flexible and tailor our tour days to better meet our needs. On one particular day we only hired a "driver" - that driver, Kendo, ended up being so much more - he spoke English very well and acted more of a guide than a driver. We visited Mt. Fuji, toured Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara and Osaka. Our itinerary included a whiskey distillery, day tours to natural and historic sites, a food tour, a tea ceremony and a sushi class. We also really shopped the vintage stores in Osaka and the fish market in Tokyo. Our guides took us to lunches at local restaurants we, again, would never have found on our own. This allowed us to try local food specialties at very low prices compared to restaurants in touristy areas. We did enjoy the whiskey tour and tasting however, the tour was in Japanese with only minor English translations available - we still enjoyed the tour but I would consider skipping it if you don't have a full English language tour.
Shona selected hotels that were in perfect locactions and that included breakfast in the rate. Our Osaka hotel had a wonderful sky spa. In all I would highly recommend Shona and the KimKim team if you are traveling to Japan.

Hotel Reviews

Candeo Hotels Osaka Shinsaibashi

Osaka

Great location, wonderful breakfast. Loved the SkySpa! PJs were awesome.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

HOTEL GROOVE SHINJUKU, A PARKROYAL Hotel

Tokyo

Great location and the best breakfast of all the hotels on the trip. Located in Shinjuku center, easy walking to shopping, restaurants, and a whole manner of tourist sites. About a 8-10 minute walk to the subway. Welcome drink and very helpful staff. We had to leave before the breakfast on the last day and the hotel provided a wonderful boxed breakfast. Very clean!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Great in room amenities.

Richmond Hotel premier KYOTO SHIJO

The Richmond Hotel Premier Kyoto Shijo was a very good accommodation. Its location was ideal, allowing easy access to many attractions, including a large market within a 20-minute walk, which suited our love for walking. There was also a chic supermarket in the basement where we could grab delicious snacks or dinner, which was convenient and tasty. Breakfast was also satisfying. While it ranked third among the three hotels we stayed at, it was a wonderful place to stay, just that the others were exceptionally better.

Activity Reviews

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

The Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya was one of the highlights of our trip. My daughter and I loved the experience of dressing in kimonos, and the entire process was beautifully organized by the ladies who assisted us. Even my husband found it enjoyable. The ceremony itself was a fantastic blend of culture, fun, and history, conducted in a traditional home setting, which made it even more special. We appreciated learning about the history and the cultural context while enjoying tea in a traditional setting.

Osaka Cooking Class

Osaka

The Osaka Cooking Class was a completely unique experience compared to the tea ceremony. It was a private, three-hour sushi-making class, conducted by two wonderful women in a rented apartment in Osaka. We learned to make miso soup and various types of sushi, and enjoyed eating our creations at the end. It felt intimate, engaging, and gave us a newfound appreciation for the art of sushi making. Having the instructors guide us through each step in their little apartment was truly delightful.

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

Tokyo

The Full Day Mt. Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi Tour with Whisky Tasting had its pros and cons. Initially, I was disappointed as the tour got delayed to an 11:30 start. The whisky tasting was intriguing, but the tour was primarily in Japanese with limited translation, diminishing the experience for non-Japanese speakers like myself. We did, however, enjoy touring the distillery, tasting the whisky, and even received some credit at the gift shop to make up for the setbacks. The highlight was having a clear day to see Mt. Fuji, which was splendid. Overall, it was enjoyable, but I would suggest ensuring an English translation for international tourists to maximize the experience.

Our experience with KimKim was fantastic. From planning to guidance while traveling, we felt very supported. Leny was very helpful and made some last minute changes to accommodate us without hesitation. The local guides and hotels were great. The peace of mind that came with having Leny help plan and keep us on track enabled me to relax and enjoy my vacation! If you are on the fence about using KimKim, I would highly recommend.

Activity Review

Best of Shibuya Food Tour

Tokyo

My daughter and I loved this experience! Clara was such a great guide. We were able to experience a wide variety of foods from wonderful locations that would have been impossible for us to explore on our own in one evening! Her knowledge of the food and area was excellent and she shared so much that added to the experience. Would highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

Clara was fantastic!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

She was so friendly and knowledgeable!

Olivia was very attentive with my planning needs. Both guides were knowledgeable and helpful .
Beautiful tour!

Activity Review

Full Day Tokyo City Tour

Tokyo

This was a lot to do in one day. We learned so much about the history and areas. The mobility issues for one of our members did not seemed to be considered in planning and made it difficult to keep up.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a wonderful 2 weeks in Japan. Shona was excellent! We could call her at any time and she was always very helpful. Local guides and drivers were all very helpful and considerate as well.

Ben was the most amazing specialist. He was incredibly helpful and worked with us to craft a trip that was perfect for us. He chose wonderful sights for us to visit. The guides were all so friendly and knowledgeable. Even while we were on the trip Ben was right there when we needed help or had any questions. Everything went so smoothly and we can't thank Ben enough for his help and dedication to making our trip the best it could be.

Our drivers and guides were lovely and helpful and always on time. They helped us to see and do nearly everything we wanted to see on a short time frame. Although our full day in Tokyo was raining, we still saw a lot and loved the sumo stable experience, the fish market, and the TeamLab Planets which was a perfect end to the day! We also enjoyed the Tokyo Skyview which was a perfect way to get a birds eye view of the city (we did this on the first day before the rain thankfully!) The Shinkansen train to Kyoto was a nice interlude. Although we didn't see Mt Fuji on the way out due to clouds, we did get some nice pictures on the way back to Tokyo. We LOVED Kyoto. I especially loved the guided tour of Kyoto and the bamboo forest area and temples, as well as the tea ceremony and the beautiful Hotel Yuraku Kyo Yasaka . The food was amazing everywhere! We were really happy with everything and made some wonderful family memories.
Our local specialist, Katsu, was so great about making wonderful recommendations, figuring out the logistics for getting from one place to another on time, and providing details that helped make our trip smooth and enjoyable. Thank you so much!

Activity Reviews

Tokyo: Sumo Morning Practice Viewing Tour

Tokyo

See sumo wrestlers conducting training with their coach was an incredible experience, especially for my husband and son who are both wrestlers. They want to come back again to see a sumo competition!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Vehicle with English-Speaking Guide for 8 Hours in the Tokyo Area

Tokyo

There is sooo much to see and do in Tokyo! Highlights for our family included the sumo stable, Tokyo Skyview, TeamLab Planets, the fish market, capybara cafe, Meiji shrine, Hamarikyu Gardens, and Takeshita Street.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arashiyama: A Journey Through Kyoto’s Timeless Treasures by private vehicle

Kyoto

Wow, Kyoto is so beautiful and peaceful especially compared to bustling and vibrant Tokyo! We loved the Arashiyama with the bamboo forest trail and gardens. We also enjoyed visiting the many beautiful temples. We loved participating in the Traditional Tea Ceremony wearing kimonos. And we visited Nijo Castle in the center of town. And our traditional hotel, or ryoku, was amazing!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Japanese Tea Ceremony at Camellia Flower (Group Experience)

Kyoto

This was definitely a highlight of our trip. The kimonos, the ceremony, the guide's explanations, and the tea preparation itself were all incredibly special and something unique to Japan that we highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport