Ben Tanaka

We went to Japan for 11 days. I will not lie to you and tell you that I was not nervous. However, been with kimkim made this so easy. We had amazing guides who all spoke English justice fluently as I do. We had drivers Medicine train stations and airports. They would not leave until they were ensured that we were checked into the hotel. I have not had a more seamless vacation in the United States and to have this kind of experience in a foreign country was nothing more than a miracle. I cannot tell you how skeptical I was about this, but our tour guide, Hal, in Tokyo had spent 12 years in Houston. Our tour guide in Kyoto, Khang, was actually in the United States Navy and grew up in California. Our tour guide in Osaka had spent eight years in United States. Not only do they speak the language, but they also helped us negotiate prices on things we were trying to buy. For example, my wife wanted to buy a fairly pricey purse at one of the resale shops in our tour guide, not only recognized that we were being up charged than negotiated down the price. I wish that I had done this years ago. If this is what traveling the world was like, then I have absolutely no reservation reservations.

Both Pitt and Hideo were wonderful guides to the beautiful country of Japan, five stars for both. The trip was well organized and went very smooth thanks to the planning assistance. We just had to show up every day ready to roll and the guides took care of the rest! Would do it again!

Our guides were some of the most memorable parts of this trip:
Pitt was incredibly enthusiastic, professional and knowledgeable. He made every day super fun and was so kind. He also takes amazing photos!
Hideo was calm, knowledgeable and made us feel so comfortable while navigating the cities of Kyoto and Osaka. He always had great suggestions for places to eat and shop

Ben was very attentive and filled our trip with multiple cultural and food experiences which was exactly what we were looking for. I feel like we had a good taste and view of traditional Japanese life! So happy with our recent travels, would recommend.

Hotel Reviews

Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel, A Pan Pacific Partner Hotel

Great Stay, staff is very friendly and professional. This hotel has amazing skyline views and a great location.

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Hakone Kowakien TEN-YU

Hakone

We came to this hotel on a very busy week since it was golden week. Very family oriented so if you are a young couple looking for a romantic escape this may not be the place. Still, the breakfast buffet was really good and our reservation included a Kaiseki dinner at a near by restaurant (they took us there in a shuttle bus from the hotel) It ended up being the best meal we had in our whole trip to Japan. Nice Japanese onsen experience.

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Dhawa Yura Kyoto

Kyoto

The location of this hotel was everything. Near Pontocho alley, shopping and Gion District. Nearby metro station. We really enjoyed the stay at Dhawa

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Centara Grand Hotel Osaka

Osaka

This Hotel is amazing! I regret not spending enough time here to enjoy it completely. We had a good dinner at the steak house restaurant and the views were amazing. Really enjoyed it.

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Activity Reviews

Kyoto Cultural Immersion with Public Transportation: Sake, Torii Gates, Tea Ceremony & Hands-On Ramen Making

Kyoto

This was one of my favorite days on the trip. I have to admit that a bit intense and we were very tired at the end of the day but amazing overall.

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Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Tokyo’s Cultural Vibes & Cozy Evening: Temple, Sumo & Intimate Bar Escape

Tokyo

THis day was great! specially Centofilia Bare

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I worked with Ben for a number of months to personalize a very special trip to Japan. He could not have been more accommodating, and he answered every question in a timely manner. He made wonderful suggestions, and we weren’t disappointed anywhere along the line.

We had three different guides, Ursula, Sorata, and Pitt - each lovely and knowledgeable. We enjoyed spending our days with them very much.

Everything promised was delivered, and even more. Ben even arranged for a birthday cake for me - a delightful surprise.

Our time in Japan was filled with wonderful memories, beautiful experiences, and gracious interactions. We can’t wait to come back!

Hotel Reviews

Gion Elite Terrace

Great location! Clean and comfortable.

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Onyado Nono Namba Natural Hot Spring

Osaka

Our only disappointment on the trip. This hotel, although in a great location and clean, is not the most comfortable. Tiny room. We could barely put our clothes or suitcases anywhere. It feels more like a family budget hotel, and we were paying luxury prices.

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THE KNOT HIROSHIMA

Hiroshima

Love this hotel! Great location next to the Peace Park. Easy access to shopping and food. Overall, a nice hipster boutique hotel, if that’s where you’re looking for. Nice high floor bar.

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PROSTYLE Ryokan Yokohama Bashamichi

Yokohama

Good location, nice room. Easy access to subway, restaurants and shopping.

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Activity Reviews

Hidden Paths of Arashiyama:Tea Ceremony ,Moss Temples and Kaiseki Dinner with Maiko Performance（Private Guide, Public Transportation）

Kyoto

Arashimaya was fabulous! Highly recommend going there - just glorious in spring. The tea ceremony and Maiko experience felt a bit touristy, but if you want to be dressed in a kimono for tea, then this might be for you. But our guide Ursula was wonderful!

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

Osaka

Fascinating castle with an interesting history. The gardens nearby were beautiful. Be prepared for a lot of steps.

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Osaka's Dual Charms Guided Tour: Tsutenkaku, Namba Yasaka Shrine & Kuromon Market with Public Transportation

Osaka

The tower, — it’s a bit touristy. If you like going up the Eiffel Tower, or to the Statue of Liberty, or to the top of the Empire State building, then this is that type of experience. But we enjoyed walking in the nearby neighborhood and stopping by Four for a night local lunch. We also had a nice walk through a beautiful park. Be careful at Kuromon market if you order Uni. They hide the prices a bit, and there might be a little sticker shock at the end.

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Miyajima’s World Heritage & Serene Temples: Guided Full-Day Tour with Public Transfer & Ferry

Hiroshima

This was always on my bucket list, and it did not disappoint. Beautiful setting, nice day overall.

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Guided Kamakura Ancient Capital Tour: Great Buddha & Zen Temples (Public Transport)

Japan

I had visited, Kamakura before, but my husband had not. I wanted him to see the Buddha and bamboo forest and it could not have been a more perfect day, weatherwise. We thoroughly enjoyed it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Kimkim helped us pack in great sites, great bites, and eclectic shopping areas into this 8-night trip! Ben worked with me throughout the planning process, and together we were able to curate a trip that would be memorable for our family of four, including a 16 and 18-year old. We were even able to make some tweaks based on areas my son wanted to see.

Our first full day in Tokyo, we were greeted by our guide, Peter. After handing out our Pasmo cards and train tickets for the trip, we set off at a quick clip to see different areas of Tokyo and learn to navigate the transit system. Peter took time to talk with each of us as we set out, and our son particularly enjoyed talking with him. We checked out a food market, then went to a sushi-making class! We all enjoyed that. We went to a beautiful shrine, and then to Harajuku to visit Pokemon Center and explore secondhand stores. He even took us to Shimokitazawa, which we'd had scheduled for Day 3! We finished up in Shinjuku. By the end of that day, we all felt so tired, but confident we could navigate the transit system!

Peter met us on our second day as well, and we drove out to the Mt Fuji / Five Lakes region for a day trip. The private car was incredibly comfortable, and we enjoyed watching the city fade away and the hills dotted with blooming cherry trees roll in. We were incredibly lucky to see Mt Fuji! We climbed up many stairs at a park for iconic views of Mt Fuji and Chureito Pagoda and peak cherry blossoms! Peter was fantastic to snap photos of us often--I really appreciated that! He also managed to secure the last 4 seats for us for a short boat cruise on Lake Kawaguchi. We also went to a museum where we could learn more about the history of Mt Fuji and the Five Lakes region and how it has formed over the millennia. We then enjoyed a lunch from a spot Peter mentioned was more like "Japanese fast food." While we did receive it quickly, it reminded me in no way of American fast food! Delicious.

After bidding farewell to Peter, we explored other parts of Tokyo, including Akihabara. Our hotel was in Ginza, and it was quite easy to get anywhere from the train lines close to us.

We had no problem navigating to Tokyo Station to catch the Shinkansen to Kyoto, and our hotel was just a few minutes away. We enjoyed visiting the Fushimi Inari Shrine, and found a hiking trail to enjoy some time up there without the crowds. Amanda was our guide here . Though very quiet, she is very easy to talk with and is very informative. She took us to Arashiyama, where we went to the bamboo park and walked around the area. Our family rented bikes for a bit and enjoyed a bike ride by the river, then we met up for lunch. Amanda then took us to the Monkey Park where we could observe Japanese Macaques. Amanda was great at taking a manageable pace up the mountain, and offered breaks at regular intervals. It was very crowded, but we enjoyed seeing these animals up close. We headed back to Kyoto and Amanda guided us into Gion and explained geisha culture to us.

Amanda was also our guide for our second Kyoto day, which I called Temple day. We were able to visit Kinkaku-ji Temple and marvel at the gardens and the golden temple, then went to Ryoan-ji Temple to appreciate minimalist beauty. It was truly quite a contrast. We took a train to Nara, where we visited Todai-ji Temple. We were absolutely blown away by this temple, its construction, its massive size, and the stunning larger-than-life Buddha inside. I was so glad to have included this in our trip!

We got to Osaka, and Ursula met us to go explore Himeji Castle. We had the opportunity to tour the grounds with a volunteer who spoke English, and he told us so much more about the castle's history that we would not have gotten on our own. It was really quite a treat to explore this historic site. Ursula was a great guide, and helped us find a delicious food spot before touring the Kokoen Garden. We explored the area around our hotel on our last evening in Japan.

I cannot thank Kimkim enough for helping to make this such a memorable trip for our family!

We had an absolutely amazing trip!!! Every detail was meticulously planned by Ben. From our great drivers and guides to having the last seat of the bullet train reserved for our extra luggage. I never would have thought of doing that but it was a huge help since we bought a lot of souvenirs! Peter was our guide in Tokyo and Mt Fuji and he took the most beautiful photos of my daughter and I. It was so nice to be in the pictures instead of behind the camera and I am so thankful for those memories.
We ate at several local restaurants that were fantastic and we were the only tourists there. I would never have found these places without my guides Peter and Takizawa.
Peter and Takizawa went above and beyond my expectations as guides and Ben was so accommodating to my teenage daughters many requests and planned everything out so perfectly. The drivers were always on time and let me know their plate numbers and names on WhatsApp. They always offered to carry our luggage and were very polite. The cars were always clean and they drove safely. I was so happy that I didn't have to drive in that insane traffic!
I could never have planned this on my own and I am so happy that I chose KimKim!