Ben Tanaka

Ben was always quick to respond to our questions. He worked with us initially to design the perfect trip in Japan. Many thanks for all of your hard work.

Hotel Reviews

Sotetsu Fresa Inn Kyoto-Kiyomizu Gojo

kyoto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Royal Park Hotel Hiroshima Riverside

Close to train station, which was very convenient

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to river and train station.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sotetsu Fresa inn Yodoyabashi

Osaka

Close to restaurants and shopping in Osaka.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Metro station in basement of hotel; very convenient.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

THE KANZASHI TOKYO ASAKUSA

Great location; close to the metro stop, shopping and restaurants. Excellent breakfast choices for an American traveling in Japan.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to metro, shopping, restaurants.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided Tokyo Culture Tour by public transport from port :Ueno Park,Tokyo National Museum ,Meiji Shrine, Omotesando district

Tokyo

The day we took this tour turned out rainy at times, but Peter was a great guide. The museum was interesting; he was able to show us so many part of Tokyo!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Peter really helped us see so much!!

Transport

all of transport was public transportation. It worked well.

Guided Tour in Tokyo: Temple, Sumo Show and Anime Adventure with Public Tranportation

Tokyo

Lots of areas of Tokyo were covered, we enjoyed the Sumo Show, and were amazed at the Anime area - we've never seen anything like it!

Quality of Experience

Food

The sumo show food was good; a hot pot and other Japanese delicacies

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Again, public transport, worked well.

A Day Trip to Mt. Fuji from Tokyo (by private transfer)

Japan

I liked the transport; we visited the museum and did a cool Virtual Reality tour of climbing Mt. Fuji. We didn't see Mt. Fuji (it was cloudy), but Peter did all he could for us to have a good experience. The cable car to a viewing site was great.

Quality of Experience

If we had seen Mt. Fuji I'd give it an amazing rating.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Again Peter (and the driver today) did a great job.

Transport

Fanciest van we've ever ridden in. Excellent!

Afternoon tour: Visit Fushimi Inari Shrine and Gion District (Public transport)

Kyoto

Ursala met us at the train platform; she communicated that her train had been delayed. Kyoto was HOT; and we enjoyed the tour and took enough breaks to make it enjoyable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ursala did a good job guiding and providing excellent information.

Transport

Public transport worked fine.

Arashiyama Hidden Gems & Traditional Tea Ceremony Experience by Public Transport

Kyoto

Ursala took us to a temple area, and then to a beautiful garden area developed by a famous Japanese actor of the early 1900s. It was a lot of walking, but that is fine with us. The tea ceremony was definitely a highlight of our time in Japan. I had no idea I would be dressed in a kimono; it was a detailed experience and we really enjoyed it!! I was a bit nervous about getting to the train station in time to retrieve our luggage and get on the train to Hiroshima. Ursula stayed with us at the tea ceremony location to be sure we got where we needed to be and on time.

Quality of Experience

The tea ceremony was fantastic

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ursula did a good job making sure we got where we needed to be on time.

Transport

Travel by train and taxi; worked well.

Osaka Exploration: Castle, Cuisine, and Sky-high Views (full day tour by public transport)

Osaka

We went to Osaka Castle in the morning - very impressive, and then walked and took public transport to the sky-high views. Very nice. Then Ursula took us to a famous shopping area where we bought things to take home.

Quality of Experience

Food

We ate some snacks leaving the castle; got to taste a 10Yen cake. I think that day lunch was included; we said we weren't hungry, so it all worked out fine.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ursula returned us to our hotel using public transport that had a station under our hotel.

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

Hiroshima

The Peace Memorial is something everyone should see. It was heartbreaking to see the pain and suffering of so many Japanese people. It was a beautiful day, and after the museum we enjoyed walking the grounds, and got to see school children bringing chains of cranes to the memorial dedicated to a girl who died as a result of her injuries. It was a very meaningful experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ursula took us to an additional place on the way back to the hotel to see a turret that was part of a castle. I was worried about getting back on time; she had it all handled and we arrived at the train station with 20 minutes to spare!

Transport

We started our trip in Tokyo with Shumpei (Peter), who was an amazing guide for the 3 days he was with us. Shumpei was always helpful in any way we needed and was super accommodating to any changes or adjustments requested for the schedule. He gave us great restaurant recommendations and knew lots about the history of the places we visited. He also brought his camera and made sure to share the pictures he took with us to remember our trip by. We sincerely enjoyed our time with Shumpei (Peter), and hope to see him again in the future.
Our next guide was Ursula, who was with us for the remainder of our trip with KimKim before we continued on our own. Ursula was as outstanding as Shumpei, and we loved exploring Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima with her. She was very flexible with us around the schedule and really encouraged us to go at our own pace. She was always helpful and gave great suggestions on where to eat or shop etc.
As it was our family's first time in Japan, we appreciated having guides to help us navigate or to help translate when needed. In addition to being helpful, our guides were both a pleasure to spend time with and made our time in Japan that much more memorable. So thank you again very much to the whole team at Kim Kim, but especially to Shumpei and Ursula!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Gracery Shinjuku

Really great location in the heart of Shinjuku. The hotel itself is nice and clean with small rooms but very functional.

Authenticity & Character

Godzilla hotel

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Okada

Hakone

This hotel in Hakone was beautiful. The rooms are spacious with very comfortable beds and is fully equipped with all the amenities (Robes, pyjamas, towels, shampoo, conditioner, cosmetics etc.), and has a beautiful outdoor shower and onsen. The buffet has a huge selection of foods and was busy but well maintained.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

THE KNOT HIROSHIMA

Hiroshima

Nice comfortable rooms, has amenities like robes and slippers. The other amenities like cotton buds/pads, toothbrush and toothpaste are available for free at a stand in the lobby. The hotel also has a laundry room with 6 washer dryers which is convenient for those planning on washing anything.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kyoto Tokyu Hotel

Kyoto

Really big hotel with multiple restaurants on the lobby floor. They offer both a western buffet or japanese style breakfast. Comfortable rooms and close to the station, but is far from the center of the city, about a 40 minute walk or 10 minute cab.

Authenticity & Character

Location

far from city center

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Courtyard by Marriott Shin-Osaka Station

The breakfast was great, the rooms were clean but we were accidentally booked in a smoking room so be careful when booking since it was very stinky.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right next to Shin-Osaka station

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Tokyo's Rich Heritage: Tsukiji Outer Market,Imperial palace,Sushi Making Class, Ghibli Museum by public transport

Tokyo

We loved this whole day. We started at the Tsukiji market which was quite busy but very cool to see. The sushi making class was a real highlight for us and was delicious! The visit to the imperial palace was beautiful, but you can only visit the exterior so you see the palace from a ways away.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour in Tokyo: Temple, Anime Adventure and Food Hunting, Shibuya Sky in the late afternoon

Tokyo

The highlight of this day was definitely the Shibuya Sky experience. Highly recommend doing to the shibuya sky tower in the late afternoon especially if the weather is looking nice.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day tour by public transport in Kyoto: Golden Pavilion，Fushimi Inari Shrine, Traditional Arts Performance, Pontocho Alley

Kyoto

We thoroughly enjoyed this whole day, highly recommend doing all these activities.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fuji Five Lakes Tour, Transfer to Hakone

Japan

This was one of our families favourite days. It was beautiful to see the natural beauty of Japan and we even got lucky enough to see the peak of Mt Fuji. Hakone itself was stunning and a nice change of pace after the bustling Tokyo.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Air conditioned van with lots of space.

Day Trip to Arashiyama: Rickshaw Ride ， Bamboo Grove, Monkey Park and Tea Ceremony in Kimono

Kyoto

Monkey Park and the traditional tea ceremony were highlights for our family. Arashiyama was also a beautiful place to spend the day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kyoto to Osaka via Nara by private transfer

Japan

Very smooth pick up in Kyoto. We loved Nara park and spent a good 3 hours visiting the park as well as the temple.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day trip to Hiroshima by public transport

Japan

The Hiroshima peace memorial museum was incredibly moving and well done. It was very busy so definitely best to go in the early mornings if possible.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to Miyajima Island: Floating Torii Gate & Hiking

Hiroshima

Miyajima was beautiful! Definitely a must-do if in Hiroshima. Check the tides for timing when to visit the floating Torii gate.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hi

My trip was organised by Ben who was most helpful at every stage of the process. I initially contacted him at KimKim to help me devise an overall plan for what was to be my first trip to Japan.

He gave me great advice on what to see as o was a first timer and how long to spend doing it.

My guides Yoko and Ursula were knowledgeable and friendly. I’d happily use them again and would give them the highest recommendation possible

I used Kim Kim travel to help me create my much anticipated family trip to Japan this summer. Because my husband and I were traveling with our children, ages 13 and 10, I wanted to be sure that everything went smoothly. After doing my own research online, I had a list of the places and activities that I wanted to visit and experience in the cities of Tokyo and Kyoto. It was easy to schedule the initial 15 minutes phone call to discuss my basic preferences for travel accommodations and the things that were most important to me. I wanted a smaller, more intimate experience with just my family instead of a larger group because I was traveling with young children and needed flexibility if we wanted to end one of our days short to return to our hotel. (Sometimes kids get tired). After relaying my wants on the initial call, I was connected with Ben via email. Ben was wonderful! Over the next few months, he and I emailed back and forth on the Kim Kim site about every minor detail of my trip. He was able to take my list and organize which activities were near each other so that our time was efficiently spent. We were able to visit every place that I requested, including a few random restaurants that my kids and I found online that we wanted to experience. He booked 2 fantastic hotels for us in Tokyo and Kyoto, as well as our train tickets to travel to and from both cities. He reserved the times and tickets for the majority of our activities. The best part of all were the 2 wonderful and knowledgeable local guides that accompanied my family around each city. Ms Yoko was our guide in Tokyo and she was amazing! She was an expert at navigating the Tokyo subway and train system. Every restaurant and store that I inquired about, she was able to write down directions for us on how to get there on our free day. Ms. Yoshida was our guide in Kyoto and she was also outstanding! Not only was she extremely knowledgeable about our activities there, she was also helpful in making suggestions to make our time as efficient as possible. Having our personal guides really put that special touch on our trip. With all that said, this travel service is a MUST! I HIGHLY recommend using Kim Kim for your trip to Japan. It is a great way to experience the country and the culture.

Hotel Reviews

KAYA Kyoto Nijo Castle, BW Signature Collection by Best Western

Kyoto

The beds were comfortable and the shower was great. The breakfast was also very good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

PROSTYLE RYOKAN TOKYO ASAKUSA

Tokyo

Great location close to many attractions as well as the subway.

Authenticity & Character

The food at the restaurant was a good cultural experience

Location

Close to subway and many attractions

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tokyo Fusion: Odaiba, TeamLab, Harajuku and Shibuya food tour（Day tour with public transport）

Tokyo

Team lab was my kids’ favorite activity! A very unique experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Tokyo's Rich Heritage : Tsukiji Outer Market,Imperial Palace,Sushi Making Class, Senso-ji Temple，Nakamise-dori by public transportation

Tokyo

We loved the sushi making experience with Chef Tuki and his assistant Ms. Yoki! We highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Food

Great sushi

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Kyoto

Both the kimono tea and Samurai experiences were fantastic!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Experience the Magic of Kyoto with a guide : Monkey Park, Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Nijo Castle, Nishiki Market (By public transport)

Kyoto

We enjoyed hiking up the mountain to see the monkeys. My daughter enjoyed feeding them. Great exercise experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Day Trip to Mt. Fuji from Tokyo (by private transfer)

Japan

Beautiful scenery. We enjoyed this a lot.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mr. Q was our private driver and he was great.

Transport

My wife and I are celebrating our 10 year anniversary this July and I knew early on that a family of four trip to experience Japan for the first time together would be a once in a lifetime event. I knew well enough that I would not be able to plan and execute such an important trip myself so I feel so grateful that I stumbled upon Kimkim and hit the ground running.

Ben was my wonderful trip planner and from the first interaction, he was so extremely helpful and patient with my 1,000s of questions and itinerary changes. I wanted this Japan trip to be something that would be relatively stress free for me and my wife but also contain a variety of activities and experiences that our entire family would enjoy. Working with Ben to plan the entire trip was such a breeze. Despite having never worked with a planning company before let alone with Kimkim, I felt completely at ease and comfortable with Ben's recommendations and suggestions.

Every part of the trip was designed and planned wonderfully. From the meticulous selection of amazing hotels across the spectrum of Japanese styles (ryokan, onsens, apartment-style, mountain resorts) to all the fun hands-on activities for adults and kids alike (sushi-making, samurai museums, sumo shows, etc), this was a trip that none of us will ever forget.

And I would be remiss without mentioning our incredible tour guides, Peter and Ursula. Peter was so on task and schedule with us during our Tokyo days and he was so patient and gracious with our children throughout the tours. I can't count how many times he and I would be carrying my napping daughter still in her stroller up and down various train station steps over multiple stations and transfers. He never failed to take care of our every need in this unfamiliar place. We had zero stress with Peter around that allowed us to soak up the joy of the experience 100%.

Ursula was our amazing tour guide (and pseudo member of the family) in Kyoto/Osaka. Our family hit it off with Ursula right from the get go and she was always so flexible with our minor changes in scheduling and events as we did our best to adapt to our children's energy levels and attention spans. The extremely hot weather in Japan also put added pressure on everyone but both Ursula and Peter were always ready to lend a hand and make sure we all stayed healthy and happy throughout.

This trip was planned as perfectly as I could have imagined and I owe Ben/Peter/Ursula/Kimkim a huge thank you on behalf of my entire family. The next time we want to take another adventurous trip, I would not hesitate for one second to work with Kimkim again. I also highly recommend Kimkim to anyone who wants to plan a milestone trip like ours without the hassle and stress.

Thank you again Kimkim team! Until we meet again!

Eric, Wanee, Easton, and Esther

Ben was the most amazing specialist. He was incredibly helpful and worked with us to craft a trip that was perfect for us. He chose wonderful sights for us to visit. The guides were all so friendly and knowledgeable. Even while we were on the trip Ben was right there when we needed help or had any questions. Everything went so smoothly and we can't thank Ben enough for his help and dedication to making our trip the best it could be.

We had an amazing time in Japan! The itinerary provided meant we got to see different locations and aspects of Japan that we wouldn't have done without help. We had a good mix of city and scenery and accommodation, both smaller Japanese style and larger hotels. Ben was responsive to our questions and suggested changes.
The guides (Miki, Betty, Yuki and Ursala) were fantastic, answering all our questions and giving insight on Japanese culture. Thank you so much to KimKim and team!

Hotel Reviews

Shiba Park Hotel

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Temple Lodging Shukubo Kakurinbo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hakone Kyuan

Kanagawa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Yuyaruru Saisai

Kanazawa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kyoto Tokyu Hotel

Kyoto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Oyado Koto no Yume

Takayama

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Karaksa hotel grande Shin-Osaka Tower

Osaka

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Discover Kyoto's Timeless Treasures by Public Transport: A Guided Tour of Culture, Cuisine, and Charm

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Kyoto, whilst interesting and with a long history, is very touristy.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We really liked Ursala-san! She was knowledgeable about Japan whilst also providing context in comparison with other Asian countries. Being similar ages we found her very relatable and enjoyable company. She always made sure we were looked after!

Transport

Explore Tokyo's Rich Heritage: Tsukiji Outer Market,Imperial palace, Shibuya crossing by public transport

Tokyo

Excellent, but would have been helpful to know that some shops in the market were closed due to the holiday and that this would have been better on another day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Miki-san was amazing! We loved hearing about life in Japan and she really brought it to life with personal anecdotes. Knowledgeable about the history and conscientious to Bryony's pregnancy.

Transport

Morning tour in Minobu and then private transfer to Hakone

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private transfer from Tokyo to Minobu enroute tour to Mt. Fuji

Japan

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Betty-san was very sweet! She was kind and generous with regards to Bryony's pregnancy. Driver was very smooth and the car was great.

Transport

Day trip : Kanazawa to Takayama with Unique Experiences (By Public Transportation)

Japan

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Yuki was brilliant, he was very knowledgeable and answered all of our questions about Takayama and Gokayama. He was thoughtful in suggesting a private car given Bryony's pregnancy. Hopefully we will come back and go skiing with him!

Transport

Arashiyama One-Day Tour: Giouji Moss Temple, Bamboo Grove, and Transfer to Osaka

Japan

Quality of Experience

Moss temple was great, really enjoyed it being a bit quieter!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

See Kyoto review

Transport

Day trip to Hiroshima and Miyajima by public transport

Osaka

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

See Kyoto review

Transport