Kimkim Trip Reviews for Japan

I cannot say enough about the level of service, patience, detail and organization that Sandy, our contact at KimKim and Odynovo, provided. I changed my mind and plans so many times in the planning process and she always responded with cheer and a desire to help me achieve our goals. We had an extremely seamless vacation experience in Japan, and I credit this to her and her team's incredible organizational skills. We never had an issue checking into a hotel, meeting a guide, with a reservation or anything. I didn't realize until we got there how much arranging they had done in terms of reserving a time for us to canoe; meet our guides; planning out trains; etc. Sandy checked in on us many times during our stay in Japan and always wanted to make sure we were having the best experience. I am so pleased we worked with them. Some of our desires may have been difficult to achieve since we were travelling in a less touristed region but they made it happen. There are too many great details of our trip to list all, but I will add some highlights and then a few things that we (or mostly I) would do slightly differently next time. I do want to go back soon and I would definitely use KimKim and Odynovo again.
Highlights- our guides Kohmin, Tomoko and Chie were all so interesting and knowledgeable, and gave us so much insight into local culture and history. Chie in particular is a riot and very personable. We really enjoyed the tuna auction and fish market in Shiogama; those were very different and uncrowded experiences I can't imagine that most tourists get to experience. Matsushima was beautiful and we loved going to the little tea house with Kohmin and Tomoko. With Chie, we explored Yamadera, which is a beautiful mountaintop shrine where we climbed up for gorgeous views and we had a fun local lunch with her and took local trains. One of our most memorable stays that Odynovo booked for us was in the ryokan in Tendo; what a beautiful, soothing and fancy cultural experience with gorgeously served meals I will never forget. I would have liked a little more time in this area. Kakunodate was also very memorable; we loved the samurai district tours with Koh and he also took us to a nearby waterfall. We went back ourselves the next day before leaving for Tokyo and were going to go on a hike up the hill for a view of the town but there were bears in the area! Instead we walked around this lovely town more, had coffee in a little and interesting local place and lunch in the hotel. It would be amazing at cherry blossom time, I'm sure and is quite famous for that. I had found a farm stay called Midori No Kaze but couldn't get in touch with them; Sandy did and booked that for us. It isn't for everyone - very rustic and basic, just 2 roooms in a couple's house, but we really enjoyed being outside the town and walking around their rice fields. They are incredibly hospitable. From the reviews online I had thought we could participate in some farm activities; though that didn't happen, we still had a great time just staying over there. Kazuko, the owner, is Internet savvy and books guests from all over who want something a little different. We really liked her and she even was happy to speak very simple slow Japanese with me so that I could practice! Our other favorite activity which Odynovo booked for us was canoeing in a group in the submerged forest in Lake Ishikawa, an opportunity that only comes along a couple of months a year in the spring when the snows from Mt. Ide melt. A very unique opportunity and fun to be the only foreigners in the group at a beautiful spot. The guides always called ahead to let various activities and hotels know we were coming and make us feel welcome.
The only things I would have done differently are more my responsibility. For example, I would have liked more time to just wander by ourselves through some of the towns. Ginbekei Gorge was a disappointment and I should have read more about it before hand- I was mixing it up in my head with another gorge in the area. At Ginbekei, I thought we could hike and walk around a lot but there are no trails. The "flying dango" were fun to see but I could have skipped this place altogether if I had known more about it, and would have preferred doing something else outdoors in a more expansive natural area. I think that KimKim may want to let people know if a particular activity is not necessarily the best use of their time, but of course again this is something that I should have been aware of myself. The only other thing I would have done differently is upgrade my hotel in Tokyo to one with a slightly bigger room since we were there 5 days. The Knot staff is absolutely lovely, and breakfasts were delicious, and it is opposite a really nice park, so it was fine. The staff also helped me arrange a reservation at a local jazz club one night. However, while Japanese hotel rooms can be small, I know, the KNot's are REALLY small with no place to put our clothes during a longer stay. Also, had I researched it a bit more, while it is good to be near the station, but Shinjuku is really crowded and huge and a little exhausting, so next time I would maybe stay in a slightly quieter area such as Asakusa, or rent an Air BnB if I'm going to be somewhere for more than a few nights.
In Tokyo, Odynovo arranged a fabulous tea ceremony demonstration for us with Mariko, and we were the only people besides one other Japanese woman and we had the BEST time. Thank you! So interesting to learn about. It is right next to the Kabuki Theater so we bought tickets to a performance there ourselves. On our own, we took the bus to Lake Kawaguchi one day to see views of Mt. Fuji and walk around, and that was also a great experience and awe-inspiring. W

I'd also like to be able to speak on the phone with the agency more at the beginning of the planning stage next time although email/ KimKim platforms works very well. Sandy is incredibly responsive, knowledgeable and diplomatic and I really credit her with making our trip such an easy and memorable one!!! She is amazing.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Metropolitan Sendai East

Sendai

Great location, nice staff, amazing breakfast selections (Japanese and western). We enjoyed being above the lively and convenient station in Sendai. The room was very tiny, which is not unusual for hotels in Japanese cities though.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tsunagi Onsen Hotel Shion

We really enjoyed it but it's a little different. Feels kind of like a Japanese version of a Catskills hotel. There is a large banquet room for meals (food is great!). People go around the whole hotel in their yukatas. Mostly older people or families with young children. We were the only foreigners at the time which was enjoyable for us! Staff is very nice. There are some stores in the lobby and there was a dance show after dinner that we enjoyed. Beautiful view of the lake. We loved the futons and our tatami room which was really comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very pretty view of the lake. Hotel is outside Morioka. We didn't find Morioka all that interesting since it is after cherry blossom season.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tuna Auction & Fish Market Breakfast in Shiogama

Sendai

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Encounter Splendid Nature: Matsushima Bay Cruise and Zuiganji Temple

Japan

Beautiful views of the bay and islands. Our guides were great in figuring out the best place to take the boat from and also took us to a lovely tea house in Matsushima.

Visit Yamadera, a Historic Mountain Temple

Yamagata

One of the highlights of our trip. It is a moderate climb up the mountain on steps and you get incredible views. Our intrepid and fun guide, Chie, also told us many great anecdotes and information about what we were seeing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We took local trains. We had our luggage with us, and while I was at first dismayed I had not arranged for luggage transport or been advised to do so earlier, Chie helped us figure out where to store our luggage in the train stations and it was very easy. I was glad we just had carry on size bags too. Not a problem.

Lake Shirakawa

Zao Onsen

Beautiful lake area! I would have liked to spend time hiking in this area but I didn't fully research it before going. The views from the lake of the Mt. Iwate are stunning and we had so much fun canoeing with a group in the submerged forest.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Hiraizumi: Chusonji Temple, Motsuji Temple, and Genbikei Gorge

Hiraizumi

Gorge was disappointing - no place to really hike or do much - it's pretty but limited - see main review. I could have spent this time elsewhere.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A little far for what we ended up doing there. The town seems kind of sad as well.

Delve into Samurai Culture in Kakunodate: Samurai Quarter and Sake Brewery Visit

Kakunodate machi

We loved Kakunodate - a lovely small town and it was great to just stroll the streets and learn about the bygone culture.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Learn about Miso and Soy Sauce Making: Ando Jozo Brewery Honten

Kakunodate machi

We ended up skipping these as we had already been to a whisky and sake factory and I thought this would be too much of the same. In general next time I would incorporate more free time to just walk around interesting towns or spend more time in nature walking or hiking. (Only gave the one star since we didn't do this)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Just gave those

Tea Ceremony in Tokyo

Tokyo

A wonderful and interesting activity! Very intimate and enjoyable and Odynovo gave us great directions to get there.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We got there easily by public transportation.

The trip was amazing!! The guides were so nice and helpful. And the overall experience was everything we could have hoped for. Thank you so much to Sandy and your team - we appreciate everything you did to make the experience so easy and memorable!

Angel with Kimkim did a fantastic job of making sure we had an amazing vacation we will cherish forever. Our tour guides she set up were amazing and the hotels were great as well. I will definitely use Kimkim again for travel. Angel was great on getting back to us if we had any questions about our trip!
Thank you Angel and Kimkim.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Groove Shinjuku

Tokyo

Loved how room is set up, and it had great views. It was in a very busy area of Tokyo but you could not hear any noises. I would stay there again if going to Tokyo.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Always were helpful and treated us great.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mitsui Garden Hotel Kyoto Shijo

Loved it was more in neighborhood and that it had public baths for use as a guest.

Authenticity & Character

Zen gardens.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Osaka Excel Hotel Tokyu

Osaka

Loved sitting and having drinks in bar with the water feature.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Near subway

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

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

Tokyo

It was fun and campy at same time. The food was good and I would recommend it to everyone.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to Mt. Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi

Tokyo

Fun day and loved visiting the artist village.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Osaka Cooking Class

Osaka

We had fun at this little ramen restaurant. It was delicious

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

No guide and it was difficult to find.

Transport

Osaka Foodie Walking Tour at dark

Osaka

Great food. Took us to eat 3 types of food local to Osaka, it was fun and delicious.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Kyoto City Tour with Kiyomizu-Dera Temple and tea ceremony

Kyoto

Very full day I think it would have been better to break this day up into 2 days. Loved the tea ceremony

Quality of Experience

All the amazing places visited

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Could have done with more transportation to sites.

Half Day Bamboo Grove and Monkey Park Tour For Families

Kyoto

Fun seeing the monkeys. We also went to Golden temple as well.

Quality of Experience

Golden temple and grounds were beautiful

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Used public transportation

Our 10 day trip to Japan was beyond amazing
It was perfect ! Each day seemed to got better and better . We traveler with our 21 year old son .Sandy was so easy to work with and responded promptly to every inquiry ensuring our free days were also well planned with recommended activities
Team Labs , Saki and going to the food markets. We also recommend Shibuya Sky .
Sandy put together an incredible itinerary and everything was according to schedule !
Every guide was knowledgeable , personable and each tour was informative and varied .
Hiro went out of his way to ensure our 2 days with him in Kyoto were perfectly planned to the Bamboo Grove and Monkey Forest and the Insight on Religion Temples.
We loved the day we did the Authentic Sumo Experience and Tokyo Bar Hopping in Shinjuku .
Miyajima Island was so special and then Horoshima sobering but we recommend this tour for anyone going to Japan .
Thank you Sandy for your expertise in assisting with us with such special memories that will be with us forever.
We loved the temples and fortunes , the culture and small alleys in Tokyo and Kyoto.
We will definitely use Kim Kim again for future trip planning.
Sincerely ,
Rhonda , Jes and Jaden

Hotel Review

The Royal Park Iconic Tokyo Shiodome

Tokyo

Great hotel big room nice bar

Authenticity & Character

Modern

Location

Near train station

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Authentic Sumo Experience in Tokyo: Enter the Sanctuary

Tokyo

We loved this tour !

Quality of Experience

The wrestlers were so nice ! The lunch delicious We received a souvenir hand print picture and were able to wear wrestling clothes and then kimonos

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Tokyo City Tour with Skytree

Tokyo

Wonderful full day Kevin our guide was so great and a delicious lunch at the fish market

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tokyo Bar Hopping Night Tour in Shinjuku

Tokyo

So much fun especially the whiskey bar at the end! Shinjuku is so lively with the bright lights and small alleys

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove and Monkey Park Tour

Kyoto

Loved the monkeys

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Japan

Hiro is the best guide in Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hiro

Transport

Great having a driver and car

One Day Miyajima Island and Hiroshima Tour

Japan

Loved Miyjama Island

Quality of Experience

Food

Excellent curry lunch

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Leo was a very good guide. He was most helpful in getting to and from the various sites. He was knowledgeable and patient with us. The food tours and the guides were also excellent

Excellent organization and help throughout my multi-city stopovers in Japan. Fei was in touch throughout my stay with daily updates. I will be in touch again soon for another memorable trip.

The overall trip was great. The first three days in Tokyo were relatively unplanned, but Myaen offered wonderful suggestions for visiting sights. We enjoyed having the unscheduled time. Leo, our tour guide in Kyoto, was knowledgeable and friendly. Visiting Nara was one of the highlights of our tour. The bowing deer were adorable and the Toda-ji Temple was my favorite temple. I also thought the Golden Pavillion in Arashiyama and the Bamboo Forest were trip highlights. The Iwatayama Monkey Park was not my favorite experience, the trek up is rigorous for minimal interaction and is very crowded. Our favorite guide was Ako, who took us to Miyajima Island. She was a thoughtful, knowledgeable guide, even bringing tea and snacks up to the top of the mountain for us to enjoy the beautiful view.

We requested a minimum of four-star hotels, and they were, for the most part, very nice. The hotel in Hakone, Hakone Airu, is traditional and a beautiful facility. The food was amazing! In a traditional hotel room, we slept on mats and didn't have raised seating, which might be physically uncomfortable. The ensuite onsen was delightful. I wish we had more time in the town because it was truly charming.

My least favorite hotel was the Hotel Vishio, only because the hotel had no restaurant or bar. The shared baths were very nice, and the room was large and comfortable, but since we were out all day on tours, we could have used some on-site dining. It is conveniently located across from a shopping center with a large Don Quixote (worth checking out).

I highly recommend the JR pass. Taking the trains was incredibly easy, affordable, and comfortable. Be sure to have your passports to make seat reservations through the kiosk.

Having your passport for shopping is also necessary because many stores will not charge tax if you have your passport.

Overall a good overview of Japan’s highlights.Mie has been by far our most helpful and caring guide especially at time we had a health care issue with my mother.Overall the drivers delivered well ( accuracy and flexibility). Other guides were actually quite unhelpful, falling short on understanding our group’s needs, logistics and providing insights on the sites visited. Some logistics opportunities of improvement ( ex: pick-up planned far too early last morning we had to change, meeting point for food tour in Tokyo unclear causing 1/2 h delay).Some days could have been less packed allowing to better benefit from nice hotels and enjoy some experiences: Hakone’s busy day was leading to very early diner ( 5 pm) so postponing the onsen experience to a timing not relevant with the kids.Hope this will help.

We had such a great time in Japan with the itinerary Simon sent our way. He always responded quickly to any concerns and had our backs with any questions we asked. He was a great agent to have during our one year anniversary. Would greatly recommend him to anyone who wants to get a great tour of Japan.

Visiting Japan was a lifelong dream of ours. Since we’ve been together, we’ve talked about it, dreamt about it, and saved money for it. Finally, after 20 years, we decided to make it happen. Initially, we considered planning a self-guided trip, but after attempting to organize a two-week itinerary, we felt overwhelmed and decided to seek professional help. We found KimKim online after reading numerous positive reviews, and it turned out to be a fantastic decision.

Our trip organizer, Fei, was amazing. Her attention to our needs and her involvement made the trip easy and worry-free. Fei was always present and responded quickly to any questions we had. Thank you, Fei, for everything!

We also want to mention our great guides who gave us their undivided attention. First, Yumi in Tokyo: we greatly enjoyed our conversations about the Japanese language and its intricacies. Then came Yuki: thank you for your wonderful sense of humor and the thoughtful gifts! My book for temple stamps is now full. Even though Mount Fuji didn’t show her face, we had a fantastic time and shared many laughs.

To Son, who showed us around Kyoto and Osaka: thank you for the deep and interesting conversations about history and religion, and for taking us behind the temples! In Osaka, we cannot forget Tea. During the Foodie tour, he left us with smiles, full bellies from the incredible food, and great conversations about movies. We even enjoyed a drink together after the tour.

In Hiroshima, we had Masako, who provided a very detailed and informative day. Thank you!

Overall, it was an unforgettable journey. Thank you, everyone! We left with full hearts, full stomachs, and a wealth of new knowledge. KimKim was worth every cent.

Angel was our local specialist who planned our 3 days in Kiso Valley in Japan. She was always very helpful, fast to respond and provided us lots of details to guide us through the trek. She arranged for Summer to transport us one day and we had a good time talking with her during the drive. We had a very positive experience working with KimKim on our trip.

Activity Review

Hike to Kiso-Hirasawa From Narai

Japan

This was more of a walk along roads, not a trek. It was not a long walk to the train station.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Overall a great overview of Japan’s highlights giving insights for future more focused trips.Mie has been by far our most helpful and caring guide especially at time we had a health care issue with my wife.Overall the drivers delivered well ( accuracy and flexibility).Some logistics opportunities of improvement ( ex: pick-up planned far too early last morning we had to change, meeting point for food tour in Tokyo unclear causing 1/2 h delay).Some days could have been less packed allowing to better benefit from nice hotels and enjoy some experiences: Hakone’s busy day was leading to very early diner ( 5 pm) so postponing the onsen experience to a timing not relevant with the kids.Hope this will help.Vincent

Where to start on our Mother & Daughter trip to Japan...

My daughter Rose and I were fortunate enough to spend just over 3 weeks travelling to Tokyo, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Osaka, Mount Koya, Okayama, Naoshima and Hiroshima.
I came across KimKim when looking for Japan travel itineraries while trying to plan this excursion myself. Apart from the fact I had left it very last minute in an extremely busy Cherry Blossom season we also had specific experiences and attractions we wished to incorporate; I decided to give Kimkim a ring!!
The best decision I made as was put in touch with Sandy who put together an itinerary which included accomodation, travel and daily schedules, amazing.
Sandy took into account and included all our travel requests and more linking it all up in a comfortable travel package. I also liked the fact that even though this was a planned itinerary we also had a lot of free self-guided time, this made it more relaxing and gave us extra time where needed.
I cant thank or recommend Sandy enough as we would not have seen or had the experiences we did if we had of planned ourselves.

We went thru a lot of iterations. Sandy was very flexible and invariably polite and responsive.

Both guides were excellent. Mr. Tan went above and beyond to help me deal with the logistics of additional adventures in Japan.

Hotel Reviews

Daiwa Roynet Hotel Kanazawa-Eki Nishiguchi

Kanazawa

very nice but nothing really special. Rooms small for US but nice for Japan. Great bathroom. Good restaurant.

Authenticity & Character

standard westernized hotel. No complaint but nothing special

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

love the pajamas

Mitsui Garden Hotel Jingugaien Tokyo Premier

Tokyo

we were pleasantly surprised by how big the room was

Authenticity & Character

it's ok. Standard westernized hotel without much character but no problem

Location

Location is fine. Only thing better would be closer to Tokyo station. Not really possible to take subway with luggage. But no complaint. Tokyo is so huge that we can't really comment on location. Near a very nice park which we enjoyed.

Staff

very helpful with some addtional requests

Cleanliness & Comfort

everything

Activity Reviews

Full Day Kenrokuen, Kanazawa Castle Tour

Kanazawa

Really nice to walk around with Summer

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchiko Cruise and Oshino Hakkai

Tokyo

We loved being in the nice private car. Definitely an upgrade from a bus. The driver really knew the area and took us to a great small local restaurant

Guides, Drivers and Staff

so nice

Transport

big comfy private car

Full Day Tokyo City Tour

Tokyo

Mr. Tan was super nice and knowledgeable. He changed the experience since we'd already been to the imperial gardens

We contracted KimKim when other tour operators in Japan advised that they were fully booked during the popular Cherry Blossom season. KimKim outsourced our Japan trip to Asia Highlights. We provided Asia Highlights with some suggested destinations in Japan that we would like to visit outside of the major tourist cities of Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka and they developed a varied, well-paced 8 day itinerary that met our interests and budget. Heidi, our tour planner, was understanding of our needs and very responsive to any questions that we had along the way. She connected us with our guide Nina and drivers (principally, Lyo) who were attentive, prompt and kind. Nina and Lyo went out of their way to show us the highlights of each of the attractions and destinations we visited. They quickly recognized our interests and would not rush us when we wanted to take extra time. Outside of our tour schedule, Nina helped us make dinner reservations and placed some meal orders for us when we encountered language challenges. Overall we had a wonderful time and highly recommend the services of KimKim and their subcontract Asia Highlights.

Activity Reviews

Full day Nagoya Tour by Private Vehicle

Nagoya

The Nagoya Castle grounds and Tokugawa Garden were very nice and the Nabano no Sato Illumination was an unexpected bonus to end our day.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full day Nagoya Tour by Public transfer with guide: Inuyama Castle, Meiji Mura, Inuyama Karakuri Museum

Nagoya

The day was special because we had the opportunity to tour Inuyama Castle, one of Japan's few remaining original castle structures. We also enjoyed the demonstration of dolls and puppets in the Inuyama Castle Historical Museum annex, Karakuri Exhibition Room. Truly an unique Japanese experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Kanazawa Traditional Crafts Experience by Private Car(Gold Leaf, Kimono Cloth Dyeing) :

Kanazawa

This day involved two craft projects - chop stick gold leaf design and kimono cloth painting recommended by Asia Highlights that were outside our normal vacation day activities. We enjoyed the creative challenge and appreciated the guidance of the shop staff and the support from our guide Nina. These activities also generated souvenirs that well serve as great memories of our time in Kanazawa.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

🚗Unforgettable Day in Kanazawa: Kenroku-en Garden, Kagayuzen Kaikan, Nagamachi Samurai District, Higashi Chaya District, Shima Teahouse (Private Vehicle+Private Guide)

Kanazawa

We suggested Kanazawa as a city to Asia Highlights that we would like to visit and it more than exceeded our expectations. It is a beautiful city and after having experienced the crowds in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, a welcome change. Kanazawa Castle and the neighbouring Kenrokuen Garden are must sees when travelling to Japan.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Takayama & Shirakawago Tour by Private Car(Miyagawa Market, Takayama Jinya, Shirakawa-go region )

Takayama

The market streets of Takayama were historic and interesting and we did a lot of shopping, causing us to be a little delayed in reaching Shirakawago. Shirakawago is beautifully situated and it gave us a glimpse of Japanese country life from centuries ago. Our guide Nina and driver Lyo recognized that we were enjoying ourselves, were very patient and put in extra time.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Angel was super responsive both before and during the trip. She helped us curate the experience we wanted by combining aspects of a couple different trips. The price was worth it and by changing up some hotel accommodations, she was able to get us in the price range that we wanted. During the trip, Angel checked in daily with us to give us information regarding the next day and to make sure everything was going smoothly. This is our third trip with Kimkim and we have enjoyed every single one, we will definitely continue using their service.

Fei helped me curate the solo trip to Japan of my dreams. It was like she could read my mind! I saw so much in a short amount of time including Kyoto tea ceremony, sake tasting, temples and shrines and riding the Shinkansen. She replied quickly to me during the trip and while planning despite being on the opposite side of the world. I felt safe and well cared for the whole time. I have no regrets and am so grateful to Fei and the Kimkim team.

Hotel Reviews

Sotetsu Fresa Inn Kyoto-Kiyomizu Gojo

kyoto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Helped me when I forgot my key card or mixed up breakfast tickets.

Cleanliness & Comfort

So clean and comfy

Sotetsu Fresa inn Yodoyabashi

Osaka

Authenticity & Character

Had everything you need, nothing in excess

Location

Close enough to Dotonbori but also the calm river

Staff

Made checkin easy and greeted me for breakfast.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed was comfy, bathrooms were clean and he window let in fresh air

Activity Reviews

Kyoto Night Foodie Tour

Kyoto

Amazing group and guide. Food was unreal

Quality of Experience

Food was beyond what I would have tasted by myself

Food

Authentic traditional dishes. Simple and delicious

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was helpful, funny and patient

Full Day Kyoto City Tour with Fushimi Inari-Taisha

Kyoto

I saw so much!

Quality of Experience

I felt so special and the tour was really custom to me

Guides, Drivers and Staff

My guide Ho was the most experienced, patient and I learned a lot. Had much fun .

Transport

Thanks to a driver we saw so much in little time with no stress from bussing. The van was cool and comfy.

Half Day Sagano Bamboo Grove & Arashiyama Walking Tour (Join-in)

Kyoto

Saw much more than bamboo forest. Better than expected.

Quality of Experience

Custom tour since I was the only one booked that day

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hiroko was a very enthusiastic and experienced guide

Transport

Easy to find meeting point.

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

Was on my own. Was hard to get pictures. Staff helped sometimes.

Quality of Experience

Authentic tea ceremony

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very experienced, patient and took it seriously.

Sake Tasting + Brewery Tour (Join-in)

Kyoto

Nobu was the greatest tour guide. It was solo because only me.

Quality of Experience

The other tourists were jealous that I was getting better information. He was so interesting and cool. Sake was delicious.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nobu was very patient, took pictures and was very interesting. Joined in tasting sake with me

Learn the Secrets Behind Sushi in a Cooking Class

Osaka

Learned that I loved making sushi and are very good at it. Will take these lesson home. Exceeding my expectations.

Quality of Experience

Beat quality ingredients and teachers for all ages

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They spoke enough English and loved sushi making

Where do I start regarding our trip to Japan. Firstly it was so far a trip of a lifetime!!! From the moment we landed to the sad moment we left my son and i could not have had a more memorable experience..

Sandy our local specialist did a great job hitting the high points of each of the 4 cities that we visited. Every reservation went off without a hitch including our tickets on the Shinkansen bullet train and our Universal and Ghibli Museum tickets. The hotels picked were conveniently centrally located allowing us to get around easily either walking or using the excellent subway system.

Each of our tourguides were excellent and really made our trip very informative and helped so much given the language barrier we experienced. Satomi was helpful a helped me purchase kitchen knife from a knife shop in Dotonbori. She had lived a while in the US and knew what we were all about. She balanced touring with shopping and was flexible regarding our schedule. Naoko was a wealth of knowledge in Kyoto and went above and beyond in trying to explain the dense history of the various temples and shrines we visited. Kyoto was one of our favorite cities. The other one being Tokyo. Kyoji was our guide for beautiful Mt. Fuji and even took us to a special local Ramen shop where we were treated to a wonderful customary meal. Keiichi, our guide in Tokyo took us to a Sumo practice session which was a treat to be a part of. Having lived quite a while in Tokyo he was very familiar with the different Tokyo districts and provided us with local knowledge of the areas. Finally, Yuki was both our driver and guide during our trip outside of Tokyo to Nikko and really showed us the beauty and splendor of rural Japan. Everyone was so kind and obliging. It made our trip so much more informative and special.

We especially enjoyed Mt. Fuji and couldn't get over the grandeur and beauty of the site. Kyoto had its own special vibe which was really to our liking. Finally Tokyo was a wonderland!!! The subway system was so easy to use that we had not problem getting wherever we need to go. And did I mention the food! We did not have a bad meal. We tried to try it all and were not disappointed.

This is my second trip planned with KimKim . The first was to Portugal and was a private tour with my wife. This was a trip with my son and although I didn't think it was a private tour it might as well have been. The attention to detail was on point and it was comforting knowing that any problems were only a phonecall or text away to solve. I will definitely be using KimKim again for future trips.

Activity Review

World Heritage Himeji Castle & Kobe Tour

Osaka

Being on of the few original Castles not devasted by war or fire this was a wonderful site to see. You got to see all floors all the way up to the shrine at the very top. The castle itself was beautiful but the grounds were even more beautiful.

Quality of Experience

One of first sites we saw.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Under ordinary circumstances, I would have given the tour four stars, but as Robert Belafksy reported to you the day spent with Michi, driving two and a half hours each way to see the Edo village (not very interesting; boring in fact) was an absolute waste of time. Michi, as a guide was lack luster at best. The unfortunate thing was that there were so many other things we could have seen in Tokyo, for example the Tsukiji Market, that it was a shame we lost the day.
The hotels you booked us in were fine, though personally having been in the Ginza I would have preferred that upscale atmosphere.
Notwithstanding the one day mishap, I believe that the trip was a good value for the money

Overall we had a wonderful experience visiting Japan. We were 4 senior adults, one with a bad knee problem. We notified Angel well before our arrival and except for one guide our expectations were either met or exceeded. Before the second day of our Tokyo visit I notified both Angel and our guide for the day, Michi, that we had been informed that wheelchair access to the Nikko Toshugo Shrine was not available. Both Angel and Michi had ample time to modify our schedule. However, we ended up that day spending over5 hours in our vehicle while visiting a lake and tourist trap for which we paid an additional entrance fee of $40 per person. We were not given any options for that day either by Angel or our appointed guide, Michi, who did not offer us any potentially more enjoyable alternatives.
We found that during our trip planning, that Angel needed to be prodded into appropriate responses to our questions and concerns thus creating some overall doubt in her abilities to create the seamless, quality experience on the ground that we had been used to with Kimkim. Our doubts were justified through the experience described above.
Otherwise our KimKim experience met our expectations and we immensely enjoyed our travel in Japan. Our guides and drivers were professional and enjoyable. The transportation schedule was well planned and booked properly.
We will certainly consider KimKim again when planning travel.

Hotel Reviews

Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel

Tokyo

A bit touristy for our taste but otherwise a decent spot to stay n Tokyo. Great hotel staff. We used concierge services to book restaurant reservations and were very pleased.

Authenticity & Character

Perhaps a hotel that catered lees to large tour groups would have been more to our liking.

Location

The Shibuya location was a good spot from which to experience Tokyo.

Staff

All staff and concierge services were great.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hakone Kowakien TEN-YU

Hakone

Hakone Kowakien Ten-Yu is a quality Japanese Ryokan experience. The Tenyu dinner included in our stay was an excellent dining experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Granvia Kyoto

Kyoto

Great location at the Kyoto Station complex

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

All staff professional and courteous. We used concierge services for dinner reservations and all were very acceptable and met our requests,

Cleanliness & Comfort

Best hotel bathroom during our visit to Japan.

The Westin Osaka

Osaka

Located in a relatively quiet neighborhood of busy Osaka.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Quiet neighborhood with walking access to good restaurants.

Staff

We again utilized the concierge for dinner reservations and were very satisfied.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Mt. Fuji and Lake Ashi Tour

Hakone

Full Day Osaka City Tour

Osaka

Kobe Sake brewery Visiting and Kobe Beef Sampling

Osaka

Fair sake tasting experience at a touristy factory museum. Something more personal and better researched would have improved the day.

Quality of Experience

More personal sake tasting experience. This was dissappoionting.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Great driver as per usual.

One Day Miyajima Island and Hiroshima Tour

Japan

A great day on our tour. Yuji Abosji was a great guide.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Tokyo City Tour with Meiji Jingu Shrine

Tokyo

Yuki was a very enjoyable guide and a good introduction to tour Japan travel experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Kyoto City Tour with Fushimi Inari-Taisha

Kyoto

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

Tokyo

Already shared in previous review. No options to this handicap inaccessible location.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Driver excellent. Guide poor.

Transport

Full Day Tour to Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

Kyoto