Bella Wu

When we first considered using Kimkim to plan our family's trip to Japan, I was honestly a little reluctant.

As someone who typically plans complex travel myself, I wasn't sure if anyone could truly understand what we were looking for. We wanted luxury, but not just luxury. We wanted authenticity. We wanted Michelin-level food experiences alongside tiny local restaurants. We wanted our children (ages 10 and 13) to experience the real Japan, not simply move from tourist attraction to tourist attraction. Most importantly, we wanted a trip that would bring our family closer together.

Then we met Bella.

From our very first conversation, Bella was remarkable.

Over the course of months, we probably sent her hundreds of questions, requests, revisions, restaurant ideas, hotel changes, flight updates, and random thoughts. Not once did she make us feel like a burden. In fact, she embraced the process. Every request was met with enthusiasm, thoughtfulness, and genuine care.

What impressed me most was her willingness to adapt. We changed hotels. We added destinations, removed destinations, swapped experiences, changed flights, debated Disney, baseball games, restaurants, and transportation. Bella never missed a beat.

She helped us create exactly the trip we wanted.

And then the trip began.

What followed exceeded every expectation.

The guides Bella selected were exceptional.

Mr. Hajime in Tokyo was fantastic. Knowledgeable, personable, flexible, and passionate about sharing Japan beyond the guidebook. He understood immediately that we loved local culture and hidden gems. Some of our favorite moments came from spontaneous recommendations and side streets we never would have discovered on our own.

Mr. Hiroyuki in Hakone helped us experience a completely different side of Japan. The pace slowed, the scenery changed, and we were able to enjoy one of the most relaxing parts of our journey.

Ms. Ursula in Kyoto and Osaka was equally outstanding. Warm, insightful, and incredibly knowledgeable, she helped bring centuries of Japanese history and culture to life while also making everything accessible and enjoyable for our children.

The drivers were equally impressive.

Every transfer was seamless. Every pickup was on time. Whether we were moving between hotels, stations, or destinations, the logistics simply disappeared into the background—which is exactly how great travel should feel.

One of the things I appreciated most was that the trip never felt rigid.

We had structure when we needed it and flexibility when we wanted it.

Bella listened when we said we preferred local neighborhoods over crowded tourist zones. We explored areas where locals actually live, shop, and eat. We wandered hidden streets in Tokyo, discovered incredible food, and experienced moments that felt authentic rather than manufactured.

The food was extraordinary.

We enjoyed everything from world-class omakase and Tempura Kondo to local ramen shops, yakiniku, Kobe beef in Kyoto, and countless memorable meals in between. Bella understood that we were food-focused travelers and helped us build a dining experience that balanced celebrated restaurants with places we likely never would have found ourselves.

Hakone was magical.

Our stay at Gen Hakone Gora was one of the highlights of the trip. The onsen experience, the kaiseki dinners, the tranquility, and the incredible hospitality created memories our family will never forget.

And then there was the family aspect.

As I write this, we're sitting in the Delta Lounge preparing to fly home.

The thing we're talking about isn't DisneySea. It isn't the Michelin restaurants. It isn't the luxury hotels.

It's how much time we spent together.

This trip gave us something that becomes increasingly difficult to find in everyday life: uninterrupted family time.

We laughed together, explored together, got lost together, discovered new foods together, and experienced an entirely different culture together.

Our children leave with a genuine appreciation for Japan.

My wife and I leave with memories that will last forever.

And our family leaves closer than when we arrived.

That's the true measure of a great trip.

Japan itself is an extraordinary destination, but Bella and her team transformed it from a vacation into a family experience we'll be talking about for decades.

If you're considering Japan and wondering whether to trust Bella and Kimkim, my advice is simple:

Do it.

Trust the process.

Share what matters to you.

Bella will listen.

And if your experience is anything like ours, you'll come home wondering when you can return.

Bella, thank you for your patience, your professionalism, your attention to detail, and most importantly, your genuine care for our family.

You helped create memories that we will cherish for the rest of our lives.

We had 4 guides Dolly, Hiroshi, Taka and Pete. All of them excellent guides and we had a great time with them.
Japan is a amazing place and the experience during this trip exceeds our expectations starting with the planning by Bella , the sightseeing and the hotels.
We loved all but we enjoy the most Kyoto and Hiroshima.

Hotel Reviews

Onyado Nono Kanazawa Natural Hot Spring

Kanazawa

Good tradition Japanese Hotel but also adapted to western clients

Authenticity & Character

Walking without shoes and quimono made our stay special. Also the public bath was vrry well equiped

Location

Near to a lot of restaurants

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Public bath

THE KNOT HIROSHIMA

Hiroshima

Great location and very comfortable room

Authenticity & Character

The variety of food in the breakfast

Location

Central place very near to the locations we visited

Staff

The staff was nice and the restaurant food and service were excellent

Cleanliness & Comfort

All

Activity Reviews

Family-Friendly Day Trip Itinerary: Hakone – Lake Ashi – Kawaguchiko – Tokyo (Guide, Private Transfer)

Japan

Fantastic. Beautiful sightseeing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Public transport very well planned

Hiroshima's Legacy: Peace Memorial & Okonomiyaki（public transport）

Hiroshima

Very emotional and must to see the Peace Memorial Museum and Park

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The entire Kkmkim Team exceeded our expectations . Bella took care of us with planning and scheduling , Both , Ryuji and Yuya, our Japan guides did an excellent job . Each had a unique style and went out of their way to accommodate last minute additions to the schedule . They were a lot of fun to spend some of our vacation with .

Hotel Reviews

Cross Hotel Kyoto

Kyoto

Clean and comfortable .

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mitsui Garden Hotel Kyobashi / Tokyo Station

Clean and comfortable. Center of tyoko so that was cool

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Onyado Nono Namba Natural Hot Spring

Osaka

Very unique hotel. Clean and comfortable Best breakfast if you like authentic Japanese food

Authenticity & Character

No shoes past the lobby, grass type mats for flooring . Unique and cool

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shiba Park Hotel

Tokyo

Very nice hotel and excellent service

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to restaurants and sightseeing

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kyoto Arrival & Fushimi Culinary Experience（Private Guide & Public Transportation）

Kyoto

The bullet train was a nice way to see some country side and take a rest . The ramen making class was fun and the staff was great . The ramen was excellent as well

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mt. Fuji Scenic Ropeway & Gotemba Whisky Experience (Private Guide & Vehicle)

Tokyo

Sadly Mt. Fuji was clouded up and the tram was closed for some reason - having said that the drive gave us a different perspective from city hustle and bustle. The udon noodlelunch was and experience as well as tasty .

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Osaka Highlights, Kuromon Market Experience & Dotonbori Cruise (Private Guide& Public Transportation)

Osaka

The market was interesting and a must do . It’s touristy but a must see . The boat tour was simple but entertaining

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kyoto Highlights before taking a Train to Osaka (Private Guided Day Tour)

Japan

We did a saki brewery tour that was informational and the tasting was helpful for future saki experiences

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tokyo Market & Sushi Experience with Flexible Afternoon Exploration（Morning Guided Tour By Public Transportation and Afternoon Self-Guided）

Tokyo

Tokyo market was a visually exciting and interesting. Sushi class was a lot of fun and delicious

Quality of Experience

Food

Fresh sushi is always great

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Take taxi’s

Tokyo City Highlights & Cocktail Experience（Private Guide & Public Transportation）

Tokyo

It was an activity rich day ! 4 temples, quick stop for a haircut and shave , public transportation, etc .

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Take taxi’s

Using KimKim was one of the best decisions I made when planning a trip to Japan for my son and I. It was so nice to not have to agonize over which hotel to stay at, which train to take, which sites I should go see, and many other very important/stressful things I didn’t have to worry about since Bella ( my trip planner at KimKim) had already taken care of it. She was wonderful to work with the entire way through my trip. She was super flexible when I realized my 15 year old son and I needed more flexibility than having an actual guide with us everyday midway through our trip, she pivoted and was able to give us all the reservations for us to explore alone, rather than with a guide. They booked so many cool experiences for us that I wouldn’t even know existed ( kimono wearing tea ceremony, monkey park, romantic train, water front shrine in Hakone). We loved our guides we did have- big thank you’s to Yo and Frank for making our trip stress free, informative, and lots of fun. Bella, Yo, and Frank made my son’s and my trip to Japan so much fun and not at all stressful, and for that I cannot thank them enough! I would use kimkim again in a heartbeat!

Hotel Reviews

Citadines Namba Osaka

Osaka

Great location and had bigger rooms. Only downside is you could hear trains when they were rubbubg ( like 5am on) nice bright room with all the amenities.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Vischio Kyoto by GRANVIA

Kyoto

Great location, next to train stations, but no amenities and a little far from the sights.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walking distance to Kyoto train station, but farther from sites.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

No ameneties ( qtips, razors, etc)

Hakone Hotel Kowakien Tenyu

Hakone

The VIEW! And the baths. Wish I stayed here a couple more nights. Absolutely beautiful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Metropolitan Tokyo Ikebukuro

Tokyo

Breakfast was so good! Hotel was a little out of the tourist area, which we found to be nice and relaxing.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Osaka Exploration: Castle, Cuisine & Sumo Culture(Private Guide&Public Transportation)

Osaka

The sumo show was great fun for my teenage son and I. The castle was magnificent. We ate conveyor belt sushi for lunch ( something we really wanted to try-so fun!)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hidden Paths of Arashiyama: River Journey, Moss Temples & Bamboo Whispers（Private Guide, Public Transportation）

Kyoto

The boat was shut down due to high/ rough water, so we did monkey park and romantic train instead. So much fin and absolutely beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day tour by public transport in Kyoto: Fushimi Inari Shrine, Nikishi Market, Converyor belt Sushi , Samurai and Ninja Museum and Tea Ceremony

Kyoto

The shrine is beautiful- go early for less crowds. The tea ceremony was amazing. You get to dress up in beautiful kimono and learn about why they have tea ceremony then make your own matcha tea. So fun, so worth it!

Quality of Experience

C

Guides, Drivers and Staff

R

Transport

Fuji Five Lakes Tour, Transfer to Hakone

Japan

The sites are beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Yo and driver were wonderful

Transport

Half-Day Tokyo Tour by Public Transport：Tsukiji Outer Market, Sushi-making class and Free Afternoon

Tokyo

So fun. Sushi making was hands on and so tasty?

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bella was great. She organized a custom trip through Japan for our family. She was helpful at suggestions for what might work best. We visited Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima. We had two wonderful local guides, Ms Cho and Mr Hideo. We also had two different drivers. Bella was great at keeping in contact through planning and during our trip. If you get the chance to work with her, you won’t be disappointed.

We just returned from an incredible 7-day journey through Japan, and we are still floating! From the neon-lit streets of Tokyo to the tranquil hot springs of Hakone and the historic charm of Kyoto, every detail of this trip was flawlessly executed thanks to Bella.

A massive shoutout to our incredible team who made the logistics effortless. Right from the start, we were picked up at the airport by a very capable driver named Song, who also safely and smoothly drove us out to Hakone later in the week. Navigating the country was a breeze thanks to our spectacular guide, Roy. We cannot say enough good things about him! He helped us master the Tokyo rail system and expertly guided us through our stay in Hakone. We affectionately referred to him as our Japanese Dad. If given the opportunity, request Roy to be your guide.

In Tokyo, we stayed at the Keio Plaza Hotel, which was incredibly comfortable and so convenient for exploring the city. Tokyo was a whirlwind of amazing sights, perfectly balancing futuristic fun with deep history. Some of our highlights included, flying through the streets doing Akihabara Go-Karting, immersing ourselves in the stunning digital art at teamLab Borderless, and experiencing the organized chaos of Shibuya Crossing.
We slowed things down with beautiful tours of the Imperial Gardens and Meiji Shrine, and ate our way through the spectacular Tsukiji Food Market.

We then traveled to the countryside (Hakone) with our guide, Roy and driver, Song. Hakone was arguably the highlight of the entire trip, largely because we stayed at the stunning Ten-Yu hotel. It featured amazing hot spring onsens, which quickly became our absolute favorite part of the trip. We cycled along Lake Yamanaka with a breathtaking view of Mt. Fuji framing the background—a picture-postcard moment we will never forget. We traveled by cable car and gondola up to the Owakudani valley to see the steaming volcanic vents. While there, we tried the famous black eggs boiled in the hot springs, which are said to add seven years to your life!

We then traveled to Kyoto by bullet train. We wrapped up our week staying at the Celestial Hotel Gion in Kyoto. It was in a fantastic location right in the heart of the historic Geisha district, and it even featured its own onsen for us to enjoy. We got dressed up in traditional Kimonos and attended a beautiful, serene traditional tea ceremony. On our last day, our wonderful guide Ursula took us to the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest and the monkey park, wrapping it all up with a food tour through Nishiki Market. Ursula was fantastic—incredibly flexible and more than willing to adjust our schedule on the fly to make sure we got the most out of our day.

This trip was the perfect blend of fast-paced city life, deep relaxation, and rich cultural immersion. The warmth of the people, the expertise of our drivers and guides, and the sheer beauty of Japan made this a vacation we will cherish forever. Thank you to Bella for all her help in planning it.

Hotel Reviews

The Celestine Hotel Gion

Kyoto

Location, location, location. This hotel was in the Geisha district and surrounded by shrines and temples. You could also walk to the more modern areas of Kyoto within 5 minutes. The rooms are very well designed with probably the best water pressure in the showers that I have ever experienced. The onsen is also very nice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hakone Kowakien Ten-yu

Hakone

Loved this hotel. The Onsens were spectacular! The views from the 6th floor onsen were breathtaking. The breakfast buffet had a wide variety of food.

Authenticity & Character

Probably the most authentic hotel of our stay. Each room had "bath clothes" or Yukatas for you to wear around while during your stay. We were even encouraged to wear them to dinner (which we did).

Location

Not really a hotel in which you can walk to many places. But the hotel had all the amenities you could ask for. They had 3 restaurants on site.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo

Tokyo

Convenient to the rail system and had a 7 Eleven in the lobby. The breakfast buffet had an amazing variety of Western and Japanese food. The rooms were large and quiet. I would stay there again.

Authenticity & Character

More modern. Not much Japanese character.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kyoto Cultural & Active Full-Day Tour (with Guide, by Public Transport)

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hakone Adventure: Exploring Mt. Owakudani and Majestic Landscapes in Public Transportation

Hakone

Traveling by cable car and gondola up a volcano was so cool! We even added 7 years to our life by eating the black eggs cooked in the natural hot springs.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tokyo to Mt. Fuji (Lake Yamanaka Biking) & Hakone Relaxing Day Trip

Japan

Had amazing views of Mt Fuji while cycling around Lake Yamanake. Roy led us around the lake.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tokyo Highlights Full-Day Tour (with Guide, by Public Transportation)

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Cultural Experience at Kinkaku-ji & Kimono Tea Ceremony, and Gion（Private Guide &Public Transportation）

Kyoto

A must do.

🚗Tokyo Cultural & Culinary Adventure: Markets, Shrines, Sky-Views （Guide, Public Transportation）

Tokyo

I would skip the Imperial Gardens and just do the Meiji Shrine. Our guide, Roy, knew all the best spots in the Tsukiji food market. We got some of the most delicious fatty tuna thanks to Roy's knowledge.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Roy was the best!

Transport

Both guides we had were excellent: Mr. Peter and Ms. Young. Very energetic and knowledgeable. We did pretty much everything a tourist would want to do, seeing Mt Fuji was probably the coolest experience.

We had a wonderful trip to Japan. Hotel quality and locations were perfect. Our scheduled activities were very enjoyable although a few were a little touristy for our taste and didn't feel like authentic experiences (e.g. the tea ceremony in kimonos). Prebooked travel cards and Shinkansen journeys were great and Bella ensured our concerns regarding luggage were addressed with her seat choices on the Shinkansen.

Our guides were helpful and keen to meet our needs but we did feel that a lot of our activities did not particularly need a guide and could have been managed independently, offering us more flexibility. While we were grateful to have photos taken, at times early in the trip it seemed to be the primary focus of the guide, to the extent that we felt we were just being rushed from photo opp to photo opp without actually taking anything in. Perhaps for the instagram generation that is how they travel but it wasn't a priority for us and somewhat took away from our enjoyment.

In summary, we were very happy with Bella's choice of hotels, itinerary and travel arrangements but if we were doing this again we would only want a guide for a couple of days as it is always nice to meet and chat to someone local but we prefer the flexibility of independent travel, as with our previous KimKim itinerary in Norway.

Activity Reviews

Day Trip to Himeji: Exploring Japan’s First Famous Castle and Tranquil Gardens （by public transport）

Osaka

Spectacular castle and reading about the work done in the last century to restore and maintain it was fascinating. Make sure you visit the second part of the castle with Princess Sen's history outlined. The Samurai Garden was also a lovely place to visit. That evening we went back to Osaka Castle where for a small fee we got into the Sakura night festival, which was a really nice alternative way to experience the castle views and blossoms.

Quality of Experience

Osaka Highlights & River Cruise（Private Guide, Public Transportation）

Osaka

We really enjoyed the various castles we visited on this trip (Kyoto, Osaka and Himeji)- each with a different story but all interconnected through history as explained by our guide.

Day Trip to Miyajima Island: Floating Torii Gate & Kayaking &Hiking

Hiroshima

Probably our favourite day of the trip. The boat trip out to Miyajima was scenic, we had a wonderful guide for our kayak trip through the floating torii gate and Taki San was a good sport hiking to the top of Mount Misen with us despite being tight on time! This is a very touristy place to visit so I highly recommend taking the kayak option to get a proper feel for the ancient approach to the shrine. The shops and eateries are busy but lots of fun to wander through.

Hiroshima's Legacy: Peace Memorial & Okonomiyaki（public transport）

Hiroshima

The museum is a harrowing testament to what happened to this city but very worthwhile despite the inevitable crowds

Kurama & Kibune Forest Hike – A Journey into Kyoto’s Spiritual Mountains (Private Guide, Public Transportation)

Kyoto

Another lovely hike into beautiful Japanese mountain scenery - no rain this time!

🏯 Walk and Swing: An Active Cultural Journey in Kyoto (Private Guide & Public Transportation)

Kyoto

We did this hike to the top of the mountain on our own in the rain which made it less busy than it might otherwise have been, and also quite atmospheric!

Kyoto Heritage & Tea Ceremony Experience (Private Guided Tour by Public Transportation)

Kyoto

Kyoto was a highlight and our morning wander with guide Taki San was very enjoyable. The kimono aspect of the tea ceremony didn't add much and felt a bit performative rather than authentic as we were just put into the clothes whereas I had hoped to learn a little more about this traditional way of dress.

Fuji Five Lakes Tour, Transfer to Hakone

Japan

Very rushed getting onto the boat and the health and safety standards were somewhat questionable . . . Views of Mount Fuji from the water were great but we saw even better on our subsequent day's activities. An impromptu stop at the Mount Fuji visitor centre was interesting and informative.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

felt quite rushed at the stops, all of which were very touristy and busy

Transport

lovely comfortable car for early morning journey with stops along the way

Explore Tokyo's Rich Heritage: Tsukiji Market,Sushi-Making Class, Imperial Palace, Cherry Blossoms & Shinjuku Gourmet Walk

Tokyo

Kana, the chef who led our personal sushi making class was lovely. Personable and with excellent English. One of our activity highlights.

Quality of Experience

Tokyo’s Cultural Heritage & Modern Energy: Asakusa, Sumo Experience & Shibuya Highlights（Private Guide&Public Transportation）

Tokyo

Sumo experience was a fun and lighthearted intro to the sport of Sumo but very tourist focussed.

Food

From beginning to end our recent trip to Japan exceeded our expectations,

Bella, our Travel Specialist, designed and coordinated our dream trip. She was extremely knowledgeable of Japan, very responsive to the myriad of questions we posed to her, professional, and very personable. She made the planning of this trip very easy. Bella coordinated all the transfers and tickets and we never felt alone in Japan.

From the moment we set foot in Japan our guides Roy and Hiroshi were very knowledgeable of the history, culture, country, cities, and places we visited. We had many questions of what it was like to live in Japan and as well as the customs and practices of the Japanese people. They shared their knowledge and experience of their life in Japan in an easy and personable manner. We invited them to dine with us and they were superlative dinner guests. They made themselves available to us even after they dropped us off at the hotel. They watched over us to the point of assisting Larry with walking and carrying his backpack. Roy, just before our Go Kart experience in Tokyo, turned to Larry and said "Take care of Patty".

We have used Viking cruises and Viator to travel in Europe but by far KimKim provides the easiest, most immersive experience, fun, and pleasurable experience! ,