Kimkim Trip Reviews for Japan

Olivia put together a great trip for us. We had a wonderful time!

I cannot recommend the KimKim service or specifically Cory highly enough! She was attentive, creative, and clearly cared deeply about creating an extraordinary experience for us. She was incredibly responsive to all my questions and requests - both before and during our trip. She made the process of traveling to the other side of the world easy and low stress. I truly believe that without her help, we couldn't have possibly created such a perfect plan that allowed us to see and experience so much. Five stars all the way around!!

Our Japan trip had everything we wanted. We went to Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto and Osaka. Our guides were knowledgeable and great company and gave us useful general help with our trip.

Greg put together a very personalized schedule for our first ever trip to Japan. We had selected to visit Tokyo, Hakone and Kyoto/Nara and wanted to see a mix of nature and culture. Our wish included to stay in traditional Ryokans, to experience a bath in a hot spring area and to have time for some hiking to explore the scenery. Greg tailored a perfect program for us with detailed descriptions for every day of our 10-Day trip. Besides lodging in amazing hotels and Ryokans, Greg took care of all train tickets, entrees to museums and guided tours. Links to Google Maps made the navigation and use of public transportation very easy. Throughout our stay we felt taken care of, with Greg checking in on us on a regular basis.
While I usually plan all of my vacations myself, I believe that Greg's knowledge and professional input provided us with a deeper and more authentic experience in Japan. I highly recommend his services to anyone wishing to explore Japan.

Planning and booking went well, it was the execution and detail once we got there that was terrible. Every day we were in contact with Shona, or at least trying to get in contact with her, trying to get clarity on our itinerary. We needed to check on every transfer, do we have a driver or do we need to get a taxi.. when we took the bullet train the first time , it would have been nice to know you need your QR code ready when leaving the station. And you can only go through the one lane that accepts QR codes. I'm sure the signs in Japanese said this, but that's why we hired a travel agency and guides, we don't speak or read Japanese.
When we arrived in Hiroshima we were told we had 3 options to get to the Sheraton Hotel, Train, Taxi, or a short walk.
1, We were already at the closest train station , 2, The taxi stand was a longer walk than to the front desk of the Sheraton.
This was the final straw and we realized KimKim was a bad choice.
We were a small group of 4, and it was very unfair for the one person who had planned the trip to be burdened almost every day doing the work of the agency. Look for her review.

Most all websites and others say it takes about 14 days to really see Japan. Well, when you're working with Leny of Kim Kim and you tell her we only have 7, she put together a most amazing trip we ever took...!!!!
Everything went as plan with no hiccups...!! If you're a little phone savvy, good with GPS and directions then all it takes ...!!
We went from Toyko, Hakone, Kyoto, Hirashima then Osaka with only our backpacks...!!!! With all the walking tours & running around, I even lost 10 pounds...!!!
The price was also very reasonable because we don't like 5 or even 4 stars hotels. All those we stayed in were clean and had everything we needed including washers and dryers...!!!
She also arranged out stay in South Korea as well, which that was also amazing. I told her i wanted to go see Busan as its use to be called Pusan when i was there in the Navy in 80-83. Our tour guide there show me the area the Sailors hang out, but it has really changed since then.
Don't take a chance on trying to do this yourself like i thought i was going to because you will not have a good experience.
Call the best in the business...!! Leny of Kim Kim...!!!!

My wife and I are celebrating our 50th Anniversary this year, and we wanted to take a two week trip to Japan at Cherry Blossom time. Our adult daughter was going to join us. We worked with Angel to arrange the perfect trip. Angel was amazing. Everything was seamless. The hotels were excellent as were all of the local guides that she arranged. Transportation on bullet trains in Japan was totally arranged by Angel and everything was flawless. During the trip, we made a last minute change of plans, and Angel was extremely helpful during the process. During the trip Angel checked in on us every day. While we made many of dinner reservations; some were difficult to obtain. Angel made those reservations for us. Our two week trip to Japan was amazing as we saw exactly what we wanted to see-temples, shrines, gardens, cherry blossoms. The personal tea ceremony that Angel arranged was fascinating. If you are planning a trip to Japan, Angel is the person that you want to help you plan it. We could not have been happier. This is the 5th time that we have used Kim Kim for international travel, and we will continue to use them. But Angel was the best. Thank you Angel.

Hotel Reviews

Mitsui Garden Hotel Roppongi Tokyo Premier

Tokyo

This hotel was situated in the Roppongi area of Tokyo and was first rate. We stayed there three nights; the breakfasts were fantastic.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The hotel was located within walking distance of three dinner reservations that we had made.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hyatt Centric Kanazawa

This hotel was located a few meters away from the train station. It was convenient for travel. Hotel was very nice; and breakfasts were excellent.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cross Hotel Kyoto

Kyoto

we stayed four nights at this hotel. Cherry blossoms were just around the corner from the hotel. We could walk to the central part of Kyoto.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Just an awesome hotel.

The Westin Osaka

Osaka

We only stayed here one night, but it was perfect. The Westin is a Marriott property, and we are lifetime platinum Marriott members. We enjoy staying at Westins, and this property met our expectations.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hakone Kowakien TEN-YU

Hakone

Our plans changed, and we did not stay at this hotel.

Activity Reviews

Tokyo City Tour: Imperial Palace East Gardens, Senso-ji Tour & Meiji Shrine

Tokyo

The site seeeing was excellent in Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lake Ashinoko Tour with Mt. Fuji Views

Japan

We knew that it might be difficult to view Mt Fuji. it was a rainy day, and we could not see Mt Fuji, and it was fun taking the Hakone Ropeway and the boat ride on the Lake,

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

Tokyo

This was an unsual experience and one that we recommend to anyone visiting Japan for the first time.

Kanazawa Full Day Walking Tour

Kanazawa

We know that many Western tourists do not travel to Kanazawa, but we wanted to go there, and it did not disappoint.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Full Day Kyoto City Tour with Fushimi Inari-Taisha

Kyoto

Kyoto is an unbelievable city and should not be missed. The temples and shrines were wonderful, and our guide who was with us for two days was everything that we could have hoped for.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gion Corner: Traditional Arts Performance

Kyoto

This was a 50 minute show and was extremely entertaining

Quality of Experience

Full Day Tour to Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

Kyoto

This was the second day with our Kyoto guide. Again, just a marvelous experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traditional Afternoon Tea Ceremony

Kyoto

This experience was just for us and our adult daughter. It lasted almost two hours and was fascinating. We are still talking about this experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Osaka Castle and Shinsaibashi Tour

Osaka

We always wanted to see Osaka Castle and it did not disappoint. The foodie walking tour was a fun diversion from some of the more formal dinners that we had in Japan.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Osaka Foodie Walking Tour at dark

Osaka

This was fun after having had so many formal dinners.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our 11-day Japan experience in Tokyo, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Nara, and Osaka was positive from start to finish, through a combination of fully-arranged activities [like the Asakusa Sumo Club] and self-guided tours/free time in alignment with itinerary suggestions from the KimKim site. Having reservations at great hotels [our favorite was Mitsui Garden Hotel Kyoto Kawaramachi Jokyoji] , a planned agenda, and emergency contacts in place was reassuring, but truly the reason for our rating is Shona Zhang.

Shona was knowledgeable, amazing to work with, and always quick to respond. She made suggestions and adjustments as we planned our trip and always answered questions promptly. (As a quick note for those reaching out from another country, please remember to reasonably factor in the time difference for responses.) She handled all arrangements for our skilled drivers and our wonderful Tokyo guide, Yumiko Toyoshima, and Shona checked in with details close to time. She also clarified questions, made hotel/breakfast arrangements, and even checked in on us while in-country.

Thanks for helping us have a wonderful adventure in Japan!

Hotel Reviews

Dai-ichi Hotel Tokyo

Comfortable bed, great view and breakfast, and extremely convenient to Shimbashi Station [an entrance downstairs] and local sites.

Authenticity & Character

Old-style European style, with a range of food

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Onyado Nono Kanazawa Natural Hot Spring

Kanazawa

They held onto our luggage while we explored Kanazawa, the staff was professional and polite, freebies were provided, and the hotel was conveniently located to the sites we were seeking.

Authenticity & Character

Modern hotel going for the style of a ryokan

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Candeo Hotels Osaka Namba

Osaka

Staff was professional, we had a nice room and breakfast opportunity, and the relaxation room on the top floor had a great view of Osaka. This hotel is very convenient to the Donburi nightlife, and the metro is a short walk.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mitsui Garden Hotel Kyoto Kawaramachi Jokyoji

Kyoto

This was our favorite stay in Japan. The room was comfortable, the staff was friendly, the grounds were peaceful and beautiful, and the hotel had a nice onsen with extensive hours. There was nearby shopping and food as well.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tokyo Highlights Day Tour - East & West

Tokyo

Yumiko Toyoshima (Yumi-San) was a wonderful and friendly tour guide! She was knowledgeable about the sites, the history, and navigating and living in Japan in general (she is from Tokyo). She shared about shrine and temple etiquette, helped us have a great local tempura lunch, and also explained traveling and helped us learn to navigate the metro system.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sumo Morning Practice in Ryogoku with Sumo Wrestler Lunch

Tokyo

The lunch show was fun, seeing a geisha performance and learning about sumo wrestling through demonstrations and a Q&A. The wrestlers were great with the crowd - especially kids - and the ability to leave with a photo was a nice momento.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchi with Oishi Park

Tokyo

We enjoyed getting to see Mt. Fuji (breathtaking) and the surrounding area through a convenient day trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a great time! Many thanks to Katzu who was so accommodating and patient with us, he coordinated everything for our trip to Tokyo. Thank you to Eriko, and Kazu the polite, friendly and knowledgeable guides in Tokyo. The hotels we stayed at were fantastic, we enjoyed delicious japanese food in each one. We were pampered at Hanoke's Fufu hotel with a private hot bath! we trully enjoyed all about Japanese culture and are looking forward to another trip there in the future.

We just returned from an excellent two week trip to Japan organized by Sandy san of Odynovo in Japan, through kimkim! Some highlights were biking the Shimonami Kaido, spending the night in a ryoken on Miyajima with multi-course Japanese meals included, visiting the Hiroshima Peace Park and Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, plus the cherry blossoms, temples and shrines, and beautiful terrain. We had a mix of time on our own, group, and private tours.

The group tours were through Magical Trip: Kaiori san for the Hiroshima Peace Park and Fuji san for the Tokyo foodie tour were excellent. The groups were generally small, like 5-6 guests. Those were a lot of fun and well planned, and we learned a lot.

Our private guides Chinami san in Hakone, Hisako san in Kyoto, and Yuki san in Kanazawa were all knowledgeable and easy to be with. We ended up canceling one tour in Kyoto because we just needed a break, but since it was too late to get a refund, Jun san still showed up to drop us at the train station, and we instantly liked him too and felt a little sad that we missed his tour. The private tours can be interactive and customizable and are a great opportunity to learn more than you would on your own.

Accommodations and travel within Japan that were arranged by Sandy were all well planned. We had shinkansen tickets with luggage space reserved for most of the hops, and hired taxis between train station and hotel (easy!). Twice during the trip we shipped our checked luggage ahead with the help of hotel staff. The first time was required so we could do an overnight on bikes, the second time was just to avoid the hassle of big luggage on the ferry to Miyajima, although we probably would have been fine taking it with us.

We would probably do a couple of things differently next time:
1) On the Shimonami Kaido, we should have brought along a multi-tool so we could adjust the bikes along the way, and we had too much stuff in our backpacks. WAKKA turned out to be an excellent resource for us - super kind and helpful people who do bike taxi and rental returns, among other services for bike riders in that area.
2) We got excellent mileage from the tiny bit of Japanese we learned for the trip, which increased our enjoyment. Although we never really had any trouble communicating with the locals, we would like to learn more Japanese for next time.
3) We might spend more time in each location next time. Although this trip was a good first trip because it gave us a kind of overview of the highlights of Japan, it would have been nice to do more exploring in each location.

There are so many things to love about Japan (the food, the natural beauty, the public transportation, the clean cities), but I think what we will remember the most is the many kindnesses we received from random people, not just people in the hospitality business. For example, while biking we took a wrong turn and an older gentleman on a motorcycle stopped to tell us we were probably going the wrong way, then insisted that he meet us down the road to take our picture near a landmark! Japanese people are just so nice in general - at least that was our experience.

Anyway, kimkim and Sandy san took very good care of us. There is no way we would have had this good of a time if we had booked everything on our own.

Interactive development and tailoring of trip itinerary was excellent. Communications during trip were excellent. Local guides were excellent.

Hotel Reviews

Asakusa Tobu Hotel

Authenticity & Character

Authenticity & Character

Location

Location

Staff

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lake Biwa Otsu Prince Hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Daiwa Roynet Hotel Kyoto Terrace Hachijohigashiguchi

Kyoto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sheraton Grand Hiroshima Hotel

Hiroshima

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Forza Osaka Kitahama

Osaka

Authenticity & Character

Authenticity & Character

Location

Location

Staff

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sotetsu Grand Fresa Takadanobaba

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

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

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transport

Full Day Arashiyama Bamboo Grove & Sagano Scenic Railway

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chase Cherry Blossom in Osaka with Osaka Castle

Osaka

Quality of Experience

Transport

Osaka Private & Personalised Local Food Tour

Osaka

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchi, Oshino Hakkai and Oishi Park

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

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

Full Day Miyajima Island and Memorial Park Tour

Hiroshima

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was an amazing trip for our family. We enjoyed the food, weather and everything else that we saw and visited in Japan.

Hotel Reviews

Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba

Very nice hotel but too far away from the main attractions in Tokyo.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cross Hotel Kyoto

Kyoto

Nice location. Very close to main interesting places.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

APA Hotel Kyoto Ekihigashi

Rooms too small.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Not close enough to the main attractions.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

It was very uncomfortable. The room was very small and didn’t have any room for the luggage. Not acceptable for people who have problems moving around the room.

Activity Reviews

Tea Ceremony in a Traditional Tea House in Kiyomizu

Kyoto

If I compare this tea ceremony with the one we had on our first day of the tour this one is a disappointing. The ceremony lacked of depth and the atmosphere was very much lacking in the way the whole event was held. It was rushed and the explanations were very poor. The quality of the ceremony was very disappointing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had a hard time finding the place for the tea ceremony.

Transport

One Day Miyajima Island and Hiroshima Tour (Kyoto Return Trip)

Japan

The trip to Hiroshima was the most dramatic of all. I was very impressed with the museum and the architecture of the memorial site.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We experienced the regular transportation of the Japanese people in our trip to Hiroshima and back. The guide was very thorough and helpful to us.

Transport

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

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

One of my favorite activities. Excellent and fun experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Samurai Sword Experience in Kyoto (Family & Kid Friendly)

Kyoto

An excellent experience for the kids. A lot of fun. I must add that the second time our family went to the Samurai activity ( our daughter and her family on 3-24-2025) they were very disappointed. They were rushed. Our grandson was looking forward to experiencing practicing what he had learned but never got to do it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The driver was not very attentive to our needs and was not very responsive.

Half Day Bamboo Grove and Monkey Park Tour

Kyoto

Great experience for the children.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nick was an excellent and amazing guide. He was well prepared and knowledgeable about all the things we saw. He brought candies for the kids and he was very helpful and attentive to our needs.

Transport

Great driver and very friendly.

Edomae Sushi Masterclass: Hands-On Lesson with Traditional Sushi Meal

Tokyo

I would recommend this activity to anyone. The hostess was very helpful, friendly and knowledgeable. What a lovely lady she was and she was very nice and kind to everyone who was there. She even sent me the recipe for one of the food we made. I give her a 100% rating.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fushimi Inari Taisha and Kinkakuji Temple

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Tour of Arashiyama Bamboo Grove & Sagano Scenic Railway

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was an excellent resource for the information given to us.

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

Shona put together an amazing trip for our family (myself, wife, 5 & 8 year old children).

Trip was almost seamless, including transportation and a great blend of guided tours and free time to explore.

Shona was available and a great support throughout the trip — highly recommend!

Great Adventure To Japan - My husband and I just got back from a 11 day trip to Japan with Kim Kim as our travel agents. The experience was a very memorable one. Right from the start Sandy our very attentive, knowledgeable and courteous agent made our itinerary and provided many great options. The local guides Aki and Yukomi were very accommodating and knowledgeable. Kim Kim is thorough in their planning. If something is not right they go out of their way to fix the issue. All the hotels were top notch and within distance of tourist destinations. We toured Tokyo’s, Kyoto, Hiroshima and Osaka. The Tea ceremony with Kimono experience was by far the best experience of all my travels world wide. Thank you Kim Kim for an amazing trip!

Hotel Review

Miyako City Osaka Hommachi

Osaka

The last hotel in Osaka was our favorite because it was bigger and comfortable, but it was a bit far from our destinations. It would have been nice if it were closer to the train station so we ended up taking a cab a few times due to the distance. The food was great though!

Activity Reviews

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

The Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya exceeded our expectations and was our favorite part of the trip. It was really enjoyable and efficiently organized. Everything worked smoothly, and it felt like a well-oiled machine that allowed us to enjoy the experience fully. We loved it!

Learn the Secrets Behind Ramen in a Cooking Class

Osaka

The Ramen cooking class was a delightful experience once we found the location. It was in a residential area, which was unexpected, and we got a bit lost. Clearer directions would have been helpful, but thankfully, customer support was responsive and helped us. Once we were there, the class was great, and we enjoyed meeting fellow tourists.

We loved our trip to Japan and felt like we got to see the highlights without having an itinerary that was overly rushed or packed. It was an excellent trip!

We had an amazing family trip. We were very happy with Ben in helping us plan and make decisions for our family. We also appreciated the accommodations that he provided when things went differently (unexpectedly) than originally planned. We are thankful for the small gifts and showing of gratitude that he provided during our trip as well (an extra private transport, engraving for our souvenir chopsticks). We also thought our guide Yoko was wonderful and we felt that we were in very good hands with her. We appreciated her flexibility to change/adjust plans when needed for our family, and trusted her advice along the way. We believe she had our best interests in mind.

While our experience was very positive, we do have feedback on some areas of improvement. I think better details regarding the schedule/timing of the day would have been helpful BEFORE the trip. The itinerary for some days was overly ambitious and we had to adjust (cut back) based on dwindling energy levels of everyone. We could have used better judgment/advice regarding that in advance, and built in some down time for everyone to just relax and enjoy the moment.

Another note -- I traveled with other family members who also used KimKim, and they had a very questionable (arguably negative) experience with KimKim. The travel agent Olivia was not responsive, provided inaccurate or incomplete information, and not particularly apologetic or accommodating for major mistakes/errors in the trip. Even though that was not my personal experience, I witnessed it firsthand with my other family members, and as a result, I do have concerns about KimKim and wonder if the service is inconsistent across travel agents. That is something I think about.

kimkim took care of us from (before) the beginning until (after) the end. Angel was very responsive to our requests and knowledgeable about almost every facet of our itinerary. She provided regular updates during the planning stage and then made sure we were ready to travel. Once we were in Japan, everyone we interacted with (private guides, group activities, drivers, etc) was timely, polite, and exceedingly patient as we asked questions, made adjustments, and explored. In particular, we made multiple adjustments to our itinerary while in Japan and Angel was available to help us make sure everything went smoothly. It was my birthday and kimkim even treated me and my son with some surprises!

Hotel Review

Ryokan Aura Tachibana

Hakone

My favorite accommodation of the trip was definitely the Ryokan Aura Tachibana in Hakone. The experience and the vibe of staying there were just wonderful. It was traditional yet had enough modern amenities to keep our stay comfortable, especially for my child. There wasn't any friction, and the authenticity made our stay feel special without compromising on comfort.

Activity Reviews

Osaka Local Foodie Tour in Dotonbori and Shinsekai

Japan

Friendly and knowledgeable guide. Found out we had dietary restrictions after booking and made sure that these (incredibly tasty) local spots could accommodate in some way.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fushimi Inari Taisha and Kinkakuji Temple

Kyoto

Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and absolutely delightful. She knew the exact right balance of sight seeing/historical insights and keeping it interesting for my 10 year old son. We were able to nimbly manage some very crowded spots.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Family Fun Time in Tokyo: TeamLab Planets and Miraikan Museum

Tokyo

TeamLab Planets in Tokyo was one of the highlights of our trip. It was an activity I specifically requested to be added to our itinerary, and I'm so glad we did it. The immersive art experience was not only fascinating but also incredibly engaging for my child. We truly enjoyed the visit, and it stood out among the many activities we did in Tokyo.

Akieee in Hiroshima gave us an incredible tour of Hiroshima and Miyajima island!
We also loved our Kimono tea ceremony in Kyoto and our guide Taka Sakai !
And our experience in Kanazawa had so much lovely history, a beautiful place Hiroko was so knowledgeable!
And Nara outside of Osaka had amazing views and out kids loved interacting with the deer there! We couldn’t have done it without Taka Sakai!
Thank you to angel at KimKim for organizing a trip of a lifetime

Thank you,

Taka Sakai ‎

Activity Reviews

Kanazawa Full Day Walking Tour

Kanazawa

So much to learn, amazing place, less tourists than some of the other bigger cities! Worth the visit!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Kyoto

Such a unique experience! Even our 10 year old boys enjoyed dressing up for this experience!

Quality of Experience

Our tea ceremony instructor!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

One Day Miyajima Island and Hiroshima Tour

Japan

Miyajima island is a can’t miss beautiful place!

Quality of Experience

Transport

We loved taking the ferry over!

Osaka-Nara Day Trip

Osaka

We had an amazing guide, beautiful temple and shrines! And so many deer! A great unique experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchi with Oishi Park

Tokyo

Mount Fujibis a must see!

Quality of Experience

Lo

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All good but it was difficult and time consuming communicating with Shona.

Hotel Review

Hakuba Tokyu Hotel

A little lodge like but the rooms are spacious and clean Very Reasonable priced Staff a little neurotic Restaurant only open for breakfast and Not dinner No bar and Wasn't disclosed to us

Authenticity & Character

Location

See above

Staff

See above

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Full Day Sake Tasting & Snow Monkey Park Tour (Join-in)

Nagano

Kerin and Sean were amazing! Loved everything about the tour

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sandy was an outstanding specialist. We iteratively developed a perfect 3 week trip to Japan. She well assessed our interests and experience and sculpted a trip that we thoroughly enjoyed. Throughout the trip she would send details of the upcoming days' logistics and would check in with us regarding how things were going. Also, in response to feedback along the way Sandy suggested additional things of interest. One in particular was a spectacularly insightful suggestion. (She knew I liked the author Haruki Murakami and after hearing that we'd enjoyed seeing buildings designed by architect Kengo Kuma, she pointed out that the Murakami Library at Waseda University was designed by Kuma.. that settled our decision to visit and it was awesome!). Our guides selected by Sandy were terrific. In particular, we spent three days with Yuki Yamazaki and feel like she is now one of our new best friends! All of our guides (Yumi, Jun, Yuki and Naoko) exhibited tremendous knowledge and competence in their respective geographies. It was an incredible trip and will be treasured by us forever.

Hotel Reviews

Centara Grand Hotel Osaka

Osaka

The Centara Grand Hotel Osaka was a revelation. I had never heard of this Thailand-based hotel group, but the hotel was stunning, especially the club floor where we stayed. The room was impeccable, and the club floor amenities were top-notch. It was a delightful experience overall.

Hakone Kowakien Ten-yu

Hakone

Staying at Hakone Kowakien Ten-yu was a highlight of our trip. The hot springs resort was fabulous. It wasn't what I expected from a typical hotel; it was more of a resort hotel popular with Japanese tourists. Both my wife and I wished we had an extra full day and night there to soak in the experience. It was a refreshing change from the usual business hotels.

Activity Reviews

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

Japan

The Full Day Mt. Fuji and Lake Ashi Tour with Hakone Tozan Railway was spectacular. Our guide, Naoko, was excellent, and the Open-Air Museum unexpectedly delighted us. Though initially on our list as a 'if you have time' option, it became a highlight. I even bought a book about the museum afterwards—just fascinating!

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove and Monkey Park Tour

Kyoto

The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove and Monkey Park Tour was a standout experience. Our guide, Kaori, shared deeply personal family stories about her mother's experiences during World War II, enhancing our understanding immensely. Her ability to weave history with the surroundings was incredibly impactful, making the tour unforgettable.