Ben Tanaka

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.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

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.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

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.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

PROSTYLE Ryokan Yokohama Bashamichi

Yokohama

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

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

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!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Transport

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!

We had such a memorable time in Japan. Ben really understood what my family's interests were and chose fantastic locations and experiences for a first trip to Japan. Our guid in Tokyo, Yoko was very knowledgeable and efficient at zigzagging us all over the city.
In Kyoto, Ursula was amazing and was able to sneak in a few extra stops to maximize the sakuras at their peak. She was also helpful in giving us some tips on where to go in Osaka.

My son and I had an incredible experience in Japan, enjoying a wonderful mix of history, culture and food! From start to finish, the service from Ben was excellent -- well planned, clear, insightful responsive. We stayed in great places and were at ease as we traveled to four cities in seven days, never once concerned about our safety or our next step. Our local guides, Peter and Ursula were delightful. Their English was great, and we really enjoyed all of time with them. For a first time visit to Japan, I really can't imagine a better way to see and enjoy Japan. Well done!

We had an absolutely incredible experience with KimKim on our 14-day trip to Japan. From start to finish, everything was perfectly organized, making the entire holiday completely stress-free. Our travel specialist, Ben, was amazing to work with. He was extremely communicative, thoughtful, and clearly passionate about creating the best possible itinerary/experience for our family. Every detail was planned flawlessly, from transportation and accommodations to event tickets and daily logistics, so all we had left to do was enjoy the trip.

Our local guides, Peter and Ursula, were just as outstanding. They made our time in Japan seamless, fun, and incredibly enriching with their knowledge and kindness. They truly elevated our experience and helped us feel comfortable and excited every step of the way. We loved exploring Tokyo with Peter, as we were able to visit areas that we wouldn't have otherwise known about. And Ursula was an exceptional guide through Takayama and Kyoto, enriching our experience with her historical knowledge of each region.

Because of how exceptional this experience was, we are using KimKim again to plan our next trip to Brazil. That alone says everything about how happy and impressed we were with their service. We couldn’t recommend KimKim, Ben, Peter, and Ursula highly enough for anyone looking for a perfectly planned, unforgettable travel experience to Japan.

THANK YOU for the trip – it was SO well planned, and clearly a LOT of thought went into it. We are so grateful, and we are now big KimKim fans!

We travel a LOT, to all kinds of crazy places! It is unrealistic to travel across the world and expect things to NOT go wrong. What matters, and why we work with travel professionals like you KimKim, is to have support and back up when things DO go wrong – THAT is what matters! KimKim seamlessly fixed an issue on our travels, and they are THE BEST, and you can travel worry-free!

Our planner Ben was remarkable - attentive, knowledgeable and friendly, and our guides Roy, H and Piter were exceptional.

10/10, DO recommend! Thank you, team KimKim, for an amazing experience and incredible 'whatever it takes' service!

Peter was our guide in Tokyo, and Hiroshi was our guide in Kyoto. Both men were wonderful!!! Very knowledgeable, polite, and blended into our family.

We just returned from our anniversary trip to Japan, and I can say with complete confidence that booking through KimKim was one of the best travel decisions we’ve ever made. In fact, this is our third trip using KimKim. From the very first planning email to the final farewell in Osaka, the entire experience was seamless, personal, and unforgettable.
Ben, our travel specialist, was phenomenal. He helped us build the perfect itinerary—listening to everything we wanted, adding thoughtful suggestions, and tweaking the schedule along the way to fit our style. Thanks to him, our trip struck the perfect balance of culture, food, adventure, relaxation, and those “wow” moments we’ll be talking about for years.
And then there were our guides: Peter and Ursula.
These two were an absolute gift to our journey.
Peter, our Tokyo & Hakone guide, made navigating Japan’s transportation system feel effortless. He taught us subway skills worthy of a Mario Bros. level-up, showed us how to experience Shibuya Crossing like locals, and gave us incredible historical context at temples and shrines. He even congratulated me on my sumo match at the lunch show (yes… I stepped into the ring and no, my training was not focused enough 😂).
Ursula, our guide through Kyoto, Nara, and Osaka, was equally fantastic. From sake tastings in Fushimi to zen moments at the Golden Pavilion, she blended humor, storytelling, and deep cultural knowledge in a way that made every day feel like traveling with a friend. She helped us navigate the language barrier, made sure we didn’t get lost on trains, and offered endless tips to help us blend in better than we probably deserved. Both guides were great to pack in as much adventure each day while still leaving us with free time to roam and explore on our own.
Every single day was packed with memorable highlights, many of which KimKim helped coordinate:
✨ Sushi-making with a 4th-generation master (we are now “certified” Nigiri makers and have enough footage for a full-length documentary).
✨ A tea ceremony and learning to whisk our own matcha at a university.
✨ Visiting a capybara at a café—one of Emily’s bucket list items.
✨ Riding the bullet train to Kyoto with snacks in hand and Mt. Fuji peeking through the clouds.
✨ Walking through Arashiyama’s bamboo forest and a rickshaw ride through its historic streets.
✨ A full cultural immersion day in Fushimi Inari, weaving through the famous vermilion torii gates.
✨ A relaxing soak and stay in Hakone with incredible views of Mt. Fuji.
✨ Exploring Osaka Castle and ending our trip at the Umeda Sky Building with panoramic nighttime views.
And beyond the excursions, the guides helped us handle everything—from ordering meals to using the Suica card. They answered every question, solved every hiccup, and made us feel completely supported the entire way.
KimKim didn’t just plan a trip—they helped create a collection of memories that feel like a chapter from our own personal, globe-trotting storybook.
If you’re considering a trip to Japan—especially if it’s a special occasion—book with KimKim. Ask for Ben, and if you’re lucky, you’ll get Peter and Ursula too. They helped make our anniversary adventure everything we dreamed of…and then some.
Arigatou gozaimasu, KimKim team.
We’re already thinking about following the green light to our next chapter.
—Ray & Emily