Kimkim Trip Reviews for Japan

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

Authentic Sumo Experience in Tokyo: Enter the Sanctuary

Tokyo

10/10, would recommend to everyone!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Hands-on Cooking Experience: Nigiri Sushi and More

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

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

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.

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

Hotel Monterey Le Frere Osaka

Osaka

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great views from the higher floors.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Tokyo City Tour

Tokyo

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

Samurai Sword Experience for Adults in Kyoto

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

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

Osaka Local Foodie Tour in Dotonbori and Shinsekai

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Sagano Bamboo Grove and Tenryuji Temple Tour

Kyoto

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

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

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

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

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

Activity Reviews

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

From Hakone to Kyoto

Japan

Half Day Nara Park & Todai-Ji Temple

Japan

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

Kyoto

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

Tokyo

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

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

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

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.

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

Activity Reviews

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

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

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 Tokyo City Tour with Akihabara district

Tokyo

Yumi was an awesome tour guide!

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

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.

My husband and I just returned from our trip to Japan and have said multiple times how absolutely perfect it was. I am so glad we worked with Elizabeth and KimKim on this bucket list trip. They connected us with world class tour guides and interpreters - I keep telling people that we may return to Japan just to visit Naoko. She was our tour guide for two days in Kyoto and one in Osaka. Not only was she incredibly knowledgeable about past and present Japan, but she was adaptable, thoughtful and full of recommendations for places to eat, see, shop, etc. In addition to her tours, the other highlights for us were our private kyudo and iaido lessons in Kanazawa - both brought me to tears because they were so meaningful and our teachers were so genuine as they shared their culture and history with us. It sounds like a lot of people don't choose those experiences, so I cannot recommend them enough for a traveler looking to feel immersed in the culture on their visit. Another experience we will treasure forever is our dinner with a geisha (geiko) in Kyoto. I do not have the words to describe that evening and do it justice so just trust me, ask Elizabeth to schedule this for you if you can! What an absolute privilege it was to have that experience. I also loved our Kanazawa market tour with Selda and our Nishiki market tour with Leandra and would not hesitate to recommend both experiences! Finally, Elizabeth and her colleagues were so easy to work with via WhatsApp on the trip and even sent us videos to help us navigate the train stations. Japan has been my husband's bucket list trip and again, I am so glad we connected with Elizabeth through KimKim to plan the most perfect trip. We will remember our time in Japan forever!

Hotel Reviews

Courtyard by Marriott Tokyo Station

Tokyo

We had a quick overnight in Tokyo and chose this hotel based mostly on location. It has all the standard amenities you might need, including a fantastic breakfast, but it's real value is in the location. I'd stay here again if we needed a home base in Tokyo near Tokyo Station.

Authenticity & Character

This was a Marriott and it felt like a Marriott - which was fine! We had other accommodations in Japan with more character but since we only had one quick night in Tokyo, this worked out perfect for the location.

Location

Very close to Tokyo Station and walking distance to Ginza and other Tokyo locations. Great spot!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kanazawa Sainoniwa Hotel

We loved Kanazawa Sainoniwa Hotel!!! Our room was great, the food was top notch (I will dream about that breakfast forever!), the staff was so kind and helpful, and you can't beat the access to the public onsen.

Authenticity & Character

Location

I gave it a 4/5 because you do need to take a taxi to and from town, but it's very easy so I wouldn't hesitate to stay here again.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Osaka Excel Hotel Tokyu

Osaka

The Osaka Excel Hotel Tokyu was also fine for our one night stay in Osaka. It was a standard hotel experience, suitable for a short stay without needing anything special.

Activity Reviews

Nishiki Market Food Experience

Kyoto

We absolutely loved our food tour at the Nishiki market! Without Leandra's tour, I doubt we would have tried half of the food that we did - she encouraged us to try foods that looked different than something I might chose myself (and I loved them!), and she did a great job explaining how each food fits into the culinary life of a Kyoto resident. I also appreciated that the food included all sorts of things like sweet, savory, meat, pastries, seafood, tempura, etc. She did a great job introducing to foods that looked a bit intimidating and she also gave us some great recommendations for the rest of our time in Kyoto!

Quality of Experience

She did a great job introducing us to food that looked intimidating to this westerner! I loved everything we tried and I also enjoyed learning more about the history of the market itself in addition to the culinary history of each booth/storefront.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Leandra was absolutely fantastic! I highly recommend booking a food tour with her!

The 10 Tastings of Kanazawa: Street Food

Kanazawa

Selda was an incredible guide on this trip! She encouraged us to try foods we were initially hesitant about and I am so glad she was with us as we explored the market. I discovered many foods that I wouldn't have without her, and I loved learning more about the history of Kanazawa and how it's fish market has impacted the history there. From the freshest fruit, to the juiciest steak, to the largest oysters and freshest sushi.....what an amazing way to spend an afternoon in Japan!

Quality of Experience

Selda really made this experience so special. Anyone can visit Kanazawa market, but being there with her meant we got to experience what the locals enjoy.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Selda was such a warm and funny guide. It felt like exploring the market with a good friend.

Dinner with Maiko in a Traditional Kyoto Style Restaurant Tour

Kyoto

It is very hard to write this review because it's hard to really explain how special this dinner was. We ended up having dinner with a geiko (the Kyoto term for geisha) and it was an experience I will treasure forever. Few get the opportunity to dine with a maiko or geiko so I would encourage anyone who can do so to make sure to prioritize this as they plan their trip to Japan. It was such an interesting way to immerse ourselves in the history and culture of the area - plus the food was delicious! I cannot recommend this enough.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

She was fantastic! It felt like having dinner with a friend and she did a great job introducing us to the geiko.

Kanazawa Samurai Diary (Budo) & Samurai Iaido Experience

Kanazawa

We ended up splitting the activities so we did kyudo one afternoon and iaido the next day. Both were absolute privileges to be part of and I can not recommend them enough. It was a really special way to feel immersed in the history and culture of Japan as our teachers walked us through the steps that have been practiced for hundreds of years. I honestly was moved to tears at both experiences and am so grateful of the time and energy given by our teachers. These were very special experiences.

Quality of Experience

Both of our experiences were incredibly authentic - in a way above and beyond anything I could have ever expected.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our translator was amazing!!!

Osaka Foodie Walking Tour at Night

Osaka

The Osaka Foodie Walking Tour at Night was good but quite different from the other food tours we did in Kanazawa and Kyoto. Instead of walking through a market, this tour took us to different restaurants in neighborhoods where we sat for longer periods. While it was still enjoyable, I preferred the vibe of the market tours because they felt more dynamic and immersive. I probably wouldn't recommend this one as highly as the others.

I will start by saying I loved Japan. The itinerary was based on a trip another kimkim representative – who had left kimkim – had put together but was still on your web site, and that trip really appealed to us. What we did do was a nice mixture of cultural things (shrines, temples, even riding the subway) and food-oriented activities – sushi making class, ramen making class, sake tasting, street food tour, sushi and waygu beef tasting, etc. This is a nice way to get to see Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka in a relatively short time. I now have a better idea of what we can do ourselves in terms of getting around, and what we need help with.

Our tour guide in Tokyo was one of the best we have ever had anywhere. I mean it. She was super!!!! Not only did she know a great deal about Japanese history and culture, but even while we were waiting for things, she would explain things – like bowing, etc. She also gave us tips about keeping cool - -5 degree neck towels, using a small fan, using a spray to cool us down. These are ‘forever” tips, and I just shared them with our daughter who is heading to Italy.

Our guide in Kyoto and Osaka was fine and extremely nice, but she did not have a depth of knowledge – particularly about food – and I believe her English was not quite strong enough. She was adaptable, however, and found us a place to buy knives and other things we asked about. So overall I thought she did a good job. Thus, we found her very responsive and helpful, despite the bit of English problem. And since I was in Japan without being able to speak more than a modicum of Japanese, one can hardly complain!

My main concern is with communication problems with our main travel agent Eleanor. We found it impossible to get detailed itineraries in advance. We waited for a very long time to get picked up in the Tokyo airport. We did not see anyone with a sign when we left baggage claim, and walked outside. We kept asking where the driver was, but couldn’t seem to get an answer. I felt very bad for him, and I still have absolutely no idea where he had been waiting. A simple email, text, or message on What’s App with his exact location would have been helpful. All we got was “he was there” and a photo of his sign. I think I sent the message “where” about 5 times.

For our foodie tour, it was super unclear where we were expected to get to. One set of itineraries said we needed to get to that part of Tokyo by subway. Another said we were to get driven there. We were very mixed up about pick-up and meet up times and places on many occasions. While taking the subway at rush hour in a new city would have been challenging, and we were glad to be driven and picked up, a detailed itinerary would have solved this problem.

We had another extremely stressful incident getting on the bullet train in Tokyo to head to Kyoto. We almost missed our train, because we were not given whatever “code” we needed to scan at the entrance. I sent a lot of messages on this one, and the bullet train person ran us to the gate and got us through somehow. Luckily a person named Jonathan sent us the correct bar codes or we wouldn’t have been able to exit either.

When we were leaving to fly home, Eleanor sent us a message late the night before and said the car would pick us up at 11 am (for a 12:45 pm flight to Tokyo – then U.S.) and the driver sent us a what’s app message that he would pick us up at 11:20 pm – and neither time was acceptable. It was over 30 minutes to get there by car, and we had baggage to check. Having less than an hour to get checked in for what is an international flight technically is just crazy. When I saw this the night before, I immediately sent a message through the Kimkim app that we needed to be picked up by 10 a.m. at the latest. Eventually this got arranged, and the new driver was very prompt the morning we left. However, a question to us before hand of how much time we needed and when we would like to get picked up would have saved a lot of late night scrambling on the part of Eleanor.

I view these issues as a lack of ability to provide detailed itineraries for the entire trip, with times, bar codes, meeting spots, etc. in advance – certainly by at least 2 days in advance. Receiving this late at night the day before a specific set of activities was difficult. By providing detailed itineraries in advance, we wouldn’t have a panic late at night. This all adds up to insufficient clarity and timeliness in the communications from Eleanor.

Overall, the trip was great. I adored Japan, and I cannot wait to go back. It is unfortunate that we had the communication difficulties we had. We did not have any of these problems on our February trip to Costa Rica – nor when my husband used your group in Morocco.

Hotel Reviews

Fairfield by Marriott Osaka Namba

Osaka

This is a modern hotel in downtown Osaka. The rooms were very comfortable, and the bathroom very modern. They also have a great breakfast in the morning. I highly recommend this hotel.

Miyako Hotel Kyoto Hachijo

Kyoto

This is a very large hotel, but it could not be more convenient if you are taking the ultra-fast train to Osaka or Toyko. It is directly across from the train station. It is also really close to two excellent shopping areas - one directly by the train station and another just up the street. The rooms are small but comfortable. The bathroom is also small, and needs some towel bars! We had one small window with no view at all. This is not particularly a problem, but it is disconcerting to look onto a wall! FYI: If you want a late check out, they will charge you for it. However, they will hold your bags for you. They have a big breakfast, with something for everyone.

Shiba Park Hotel

Tokyo

This is a small boutique hotel. While the rooms were small, they were really comfortable. I loved the little origami crane inside a box in the room. The lobby has small snacks and coffee 24/7, and this is really nice when you crave a little something. They have a great breakfast. They also have a HUGE book collection on two floors. This is very unique, and it feels very special. I would stay here again, although I wish they would have more towel bars in the bathrooms (which are small).

Activity Reviews

Full Day Senso-ji, Meiji Shrine and Harajuku Tour

Tokyo

This was one of my favorite days in Japan. Our guide in Tokyo was the BEST EVER! I learned so much more than what we actually "saw". We learned about Japanese history, the history of religion in Japan, and even things about gravel use on paths and when and how to bow. The things were saw were quite interesting. The shop associated with the Meiji Shrine is absolutely the best - the curation of items is first rate. The cafe is also excellent, offering a great variety of snacks and interesting drinks - which we needed because it was so hot!

Quality of Experience

The Meiji Shrine is very interesting.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was the BEST!!!

Transport

We took the subway. I am glad we did it with our guide, as everything I had heard before coming to Japan made it seem intimidating. It was great - so clean and well labeled. We even took it later that night by ourselves.

Tokyo Night Foodie Tour in Shinjuku

Tokyo

This was a lot of fun. I certainly have had sushi many times, but our particular Magical Tour guide took us to 4th floor restaurants and 17th floor ice cream places. One could not have found these easily on ones own. All three restaurants were excellent and fun. Plus the view of Tokyo at night from the 17th floor of the Kabukicho Tower was AMAZING!

Quality of Experience

Great food.

Food

Great sushi, great wagyu beef, and lovely ice cream with Japanese-specific flavors.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

He was very energetic. We walked by the giant 3-d cat and the godzilla "statue" - this was quite fun and amazing.

Transport

We walked. That was part of what made it interesting.

High-Quality Japanese Whisky Tasting in Shibuya

Tokyo

This was quite a surprise. We were led up stairs to the "tasting room", which was basically like a small apartment. We had our 10 whiskies, and because I don't drink that, I got to taste a local gin. We actually ended up buying two bottles. I would have appreciated a bit more snack food - as it is hard to drink even small tastes without some food. They really had a lot of whiskeys. It was unclear how the 10 we tasted were chosen.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Seemed to know a good deal about whisky.

Transport

We walked over there. It is important to let people know they will be climbing stairs. That was a bit hard for my husband.

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

I was very surprised that this was actually a "dress in kimonos" tea ceremony. I had assumed we would be tasting different types of Japanese tea. In the end, it was actually fun to get dressed up. The actual tea ceremony - the details and then the actual matcha making - did not take long. It was interesting, however. I certainly would not want to do this more than once.

Quality of Experience

The kimono process was interesting in and of itself. The actual tea ceremony was rather a non-event.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kyoto: Ramen Cooking Class at the Ramen Factory & Souvenirs

Kyoto

This was fun, and we did get to make ramen noodles. The instructor was enthusiastic (all women). You get to then eat your ramen, so that is nice too. You do not get to make the broth (but they did give me a recipe when I asked at the end). They also cooked the chicken that went into the soup, and gave us eggs, etc. already cooked. Maybe that is all you can expect if you are there for such a short time. However, it was fun, and people of all ages could enjoy doing this. I figured we would get chopsticks, but instead we just got the white cloth we tied around our heads. I do not view this as much of a souvenir. Next time I would prefer an actual cooking class.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Strolling through Osaka's food streets

Osaka

I found this a bit of a bore. There are so many restaurants, and it is clearly a HUGE tourist street. I prefer to eat at places where locals are eating, and eat better food. That being said, I ultimately picked a restaurant that seemed to have the least hype, and it appeared to be full of Japanese people eating their lunch.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kyoto Sightseeing Tour with Sake Tasting

Kyoto

It was very hot, so we never made it to the shrine. My husband stayed back to sit in an air-conditioned rest area. I also did not realize that the zillion tori gates were all actually donated by businesses and were actually advertisements. My guess I would feel differently if we had walked as far as the shrine. We asked about tasting my favorite gin at the distillery tasting room. That was amazing, and we appreciated the last minute addition. The sake tasting was not good. It was so unmemorable I cannot even remember the name of where we went. It was at a single sake distillery, and thus all we tasted were three of their sakes. They were good, but it seemed odd. We were expecting to hear about the process of sake making, the different types of sakes, etc. but there was little in English - and basically no one talking about these things. I would have preferred to go to a sake bar and just tasted the recommendations of the bartender.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tsukiji Market & Sushi-Making Workshop tour

Tokyo

The market was not open because it was a national holiday...bummer. We would have liked to see the fish market. Our travel agent should have known that the fish market would be closed. It made our guide a bit at a loss, since a fair bit of time was alloted for this. He did a good job of filling in, but of course it was a non-event. The sushi making was fine. We basically got to assemble sushi from fish they cut, rice they prepared, etc. I guess I thought we would be actually making sushi. Was it fun? Yes. Could I go home and know how to make sushi? Well, a bit I supposed. Next time I would take a real cooking class.

Quality of Experience

Food

How can you not like sushi?

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Osaka day trip with Kuromon Market

Osaka

If this was the street food tour day, that was fun. We tried takoyaki (the octopus balls) although ours were not cooked in the middle, an okonomiyaki (fun to eat and watch the theatrics of the decorating), but no skewers. As you can't buy food and walk with it, as it is rude in Japan, you had to sit. I think this could have been better planned. I think our guide was not particularly interested in food. And since we are interested in food, the experience was not as good as it could have been. We walked a lot, and we were both hot and tired. This area is very touristy - it doesn't make it bad, but it is good to know that.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hilda, did a fantastic job overall. We had several changes to our itinerary given we were traveling with an infant and she was able to accommodate them all. Additionally, she answered all questions we asked and was even responsive to questions during our time there. We had a great experience

We had booked a 2 week trip to Jopan in June/July 2026. . We enjoyed the trips with the guides Ayumi San ( trip to Nikko ), Sunny San ( Kyoto ) , Yoshido San ( Nara and Osaka ) and Mayumi San ( Hiroshima) providing much needed background information on the place so we could get a broader perspective and have a richer experience.
A special thanks to Sandy who worked with us patiently, built and implemented an itinerary which worked for us. The accommodation, connectivity with trains and personal transports made the trip enjoyable so we could look forward to the places rather than logistics.

First, I should say we had a fun and memorable trip to Japan. We did pretty much everything we had in mind, and many things were good. The shortcomings were in the details. Although it is not the fault of the travel agent or Kimkim, the part of Japan in which we traveled is very hot and humid in July. We really should have gone during a different time of year. Many of the fine details arranged by the travel agent were problematic. For example, we arrived in Tokyo via Mongolia Air, which uses terminal 2. Our driver was waiting for us in terminal 1. It took over an hour and a lot of angst to connect with our driver. The travel agent had our flight information, and should have directed the driver to the correct terminal. Another example, is our departure from the Osaka airport. The travel agent told us our driver would pick us up at our hotel at 11:00. The driver sent us a text saying he would get us at 11:20. Our flight boarded at noon. It was a half hour drive to the airport, and it took us an hour and fifteen minutes to get into the terminal, check our luggage, get through security and walk to our gate. Obviously, there was a scheduling problem. We did insist on an earlier pickup, which happened. The quality of the tours varied. We had a guide for a day in Tokyo who was possibly the best guide we have ever had. She taught us so much about Japanese history, culture and religion. She was a wonderful traveling companion, and her English was excellent. We had a different guide for three days in Kyoto and Osaka who was a poor guide. She was very nice and friendly, and she was great at navigating between sites. She knew a few historical dates, but she really taught us nothing. And her English was poor. The quality of some of the things we did was variable. We did an excellent ramen making class. Our sushi making class was superficial. We did not even get to cut our own ingredients. The sake class and museum were nothing more than an ad for one sake company. It taught us absolutely nothing and was a waste of time. I expect a travel agent to be more selective. I could have done better using Trip Advisor. In summary, the quality of the trip was variable. Due to the problems, I really am not sure if we will use Kimkim again.

I will mention that we started our Asia trip with two weeks in Mongolia. We used a different travel agency for that portion of the trip. Our Mongolia experience was absolutely perfect in every way.

Our guide Soleil was very attentive and perfectly helpful. Her choices for activities and events matched our interests perfectly and she was in large part responsible for our wonderful family vacation. I recommend her services to anyone traveling to Japan. Thank you to the KimKim team for a lovely trip.

Our trip was magical, but many thanks goes to our travel specialist, Cannon. He provided the perfect amount of advice and planning so that we were able to experience everything we wants and then some. If anyone is planning a trip to Japan and your specialist happens to be Cannon, you are in great hands! Thanks Cannon!