Japan Self-Guided Trips & Itineraries

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Japan Travel Insights

Tackle a section of the scenic Kumano Kodo Trail
Map of Kumano Kodo Self-Guided Hiking Tour - 6 Days
Kumano Kodo Self-Guided Hiking Tour - 6 Days

Get ready for a memorable village-to-village trek on the Kii Peninsula along sections of Japan's famous Kumano Kodo pilgrimage trail. Perfect for avid hikers, this self-guided tour will take you past thermal hot springs, grand shrines, and waterfalls as you walk in the footsteps of emperors.

Explore historic Edo-era post towns along the Nakasendo Trail
Map of Highlights & Hiking in Japan: Kyoto, Tokyo & the Nakasendo Trail - 10 Days
Highlights & Hiking in Japan: Kyoto, Tokyo & the Nakasendo Trail - 10 Days

This active tour of Japan combines modern cities with outdoor adventures, including five days of hiking along the famous Nakasendo Trail. You'll start in Kyoto, visiting the famed red torii gates of Fushimi Inari and watching a live geisha performance. Then, set out on foot along one of the major traveling routes of the Edo period—traversing bamboo forests in Nojiri, the peaks of Torii Pass, and the plateaus of Usui-toge. End in Tokyo for city views from the Tokyo Skytree and a tranquil visit to Asakusa Shrine.

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Meet our Local Travel Specialists

Experienced travel agents with a passion for Japan
Travel specialist Shona Zhang
active 22 mins ago

Shona Zhang

With strong passion for traveling,I worked as an English-speaking guide for 10 years with travel agent.I love to travel and communicate with different tourists from all corners of the...

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Travel specialist Sandy Ren
active 1 hour ago

Sandy Ren

I have been working as a travel specialist since graduating from college twenty years ago. Travel is my lifelong passion. It was such a thrilling thing to venture into a new world full of unknown...

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Travel specialist Leny Vergara
active 1 hour ago

Leny Vergara

Hello! I'm Leny. Travel is my passion, and if you're anything like me, you believe the best adventures happen off the beaten path. Japan is the first country I lived in, and I fell in love with it....

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Travel specialist Angel Tang
active 1 min ago

Angel Tang

I love exploring and have been traveling in Asian countries for more than fifteen years. As a Japan specialist, I have a deep affection for this country and I will use my knowledge and expertise to...

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Trip Reviews for Japan

The latest reviews by travelers who booked their trip on kimkim

Exceeded our expectations
Japan | Jun 10 - Jun 23, 2026

Christina
Christina M.
Denver, CO | Reviewed on Jun 24, 2026
The guides selected for us were phenomenal! They shared their culture and experience with us and made the trip memorable! The drivers were amazing and communicated with us for rack pick up. The itinerary was customized and exceeded all of our expectations. There was only one glitch with the travel system (wrong airport listed) but we recovered and made it to the destination on time! Read more

The guides selected for us were phenomenal! They shared their culture and experience with us and made the trip memorable! The drivers were amazing and communicated with us for rack pick up. The itinerary was customized and exceeded all of our expectations. There was only one glitch with the travel system (wrong airport listed) but we recovered and made it to the destination on time!

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Forza Osaka Kitahama
Osaka

Overall a fine hotel with fine rooms that met our needs, even breakfast was fine. It is located near shopping and restaurants.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Richmond Hotel premier KYOTO SHIJO

Very nice hotel with a stylish lobby! It is located in the middle of downtown and near shopping and restaurants. The hotel is also next to a grocery store. The room was comfortable and we had plenty of room to move around (the largest room of the 5 hotels we stayed at during a 2-week trip to Japan). The breakfast had many traditional Japanese dishes, with plenty of options for travelers. There are laundry machines and a smart tv in the room so you can see availability in the laundry room without leaving your room.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Mitsui Garden Hotel Shiodome Italia-gai Tokyo

We loved staying here! My family of 3 stayed here twice during a trip to Tokyo for a total of 6 nights - by far our favorite hotel during our trip to Japan. The most comfortable beds and enough room to move around. Great breakfast. Great location - Within walking distance to the metro, convenience stores, and a coffee shop. Plenty of laundry machines and an onsen on the top floor.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
HOTEL THE BOTANIK SEWOON MYEONGDONG
Seoul

Great location! Great breakfast! Great room! A favorite from a recent trip to Seoul! Highly recommend!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Osaka Local Foodie Tour in Dotonbori and Shinsekai
Osaka Local Foodie Tour in Dotonbori and Shinsekai
Japan

Arrive with an appetite! The guide took us to 3 locations using the metro and we tried a variety of Osaka food! Our favorite was the end of the evening when we tried Osaka style savory pancakes (pancake is slightly misleading since it made me think of US style pancakes- these are made with shredded cabbage)

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Full Day Nara City Tour, Overnight in Osaka
Full Day Nara City Tour, Overnight in Osaka
Kyoto

The deer park is impressive- there are 1000 deer roaming the area. While the deer are aggressive and easily overwhelming, if you move further into the park you can feed single deer without fear of being nipped at or bitten. The stone lanterns and shrines scattered among the park are impressive.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Half Day Bamboo Grove and Monkey Park Tour
Half Day Bamboo Grove and Monkey Park Tour
Kyoto

The monkey park is a bit of a hike up the side of a mountain (stairs and step walk). Once you reach the top, the monkeys are close to you! Our guide knew the best time to arrive, so we beat the crowd, but it got rather crowded before too long. The bamboo grove is near the monkey park. What a sight to see! Perhaps one of my favorites because once you move beyond the tourists the grove is very serene and peaceful.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Full Day Kyoto City Tour (Kinkaku-ji Temple, Kyoto Imperial Palace, Nijo Castle and Fushimi-Inari Taisha)
Full Day Kyoto City Tour (Kinkaku-ji Temple, Kyoto Imperial Palace, Nijo Castle and Fushimi-Inari Taisha)
Kyoto

A great way to experience Kyoto! Our guide, Zumi, was phenomenal! He took us throughout Kyoto, using the metro, the bus, and even a taxi to get us to each location. He took us further into the locations so we could see more than most tourists.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Master Tokyo's Must-Sees: 5-hour Tsukiji, Akihabara & Asakusa Highlights Tour
Master Tokyo's Must-Sees: 5-hour Tsukiji, Akihabara & Asakusa Highlights Tour
Tokyo

We had 2 guides for the day - which was a lifesaver when moving through the crowds of people and traveling to multiple locations. They certainly took us to the most amazing spots in Tokyo!

Quality of Experience
Quality of Experience
Food
The guide had us sample a few items unique to the area and suggested a great spot for lunch. Lunch was close to 1:30pm.
Food
The guide had us sample a few items unique to the area and suggested a great spot for lunch. Lunch was close to 1:30pm.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Transport
Half Day Seoul City Tour with Gyeongbokgung Palace and Bukchon Hanok Village
Half Day Seoul City Tour with Gyeongbokgung Palace and Bukchon Hanok Village
Seoul

A fantastic way to see Seoul! We started with an option to rent traditional clothes for part of the day (watching the changing of the guards and wandering through the museum). Our guide, Jake, was amazing!! He shared a lot of knowledge about the customs of Korea - which made the experience richer. He suggested a great location for Korean Bulgogi and then took us to a few shopping areas. Jake to our interests into account and customized the rest of our itinerary.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Hozugawa River Cruise
Hozugawa River Cruise
Kyoto

A highlight for our family trip to Japan! Only a few parts of the river had fast flowing water (just a few splashes). The guides shared information about the area and made the trip even more memorable.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
 Street Go-Cart Tour
Street Go-Cart Tour
Tokyo

What a cool way to experience Tokyo!! The route we followed was fun and the guide took photos which really added to the experience.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Half Day Samurai Ninja Museum and Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya
Half Day Samurai Ninja Museum and Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya
Kyoto

3 separate activities: tea ceremony with kimonos was a family favorite! The experience of getting dressed in kimonos was a rush! Learning about the tea ceremony was a treat! Samarai Ninja experience started at one location in town - where we practiced throwing stars and blowing darts. Probably an activity more for smaller children. The museum is located across town - a 10 to 15 minute walk. We accidentally started at the museum and walked to the Ninja Experience, so we did not return to the museum afterwards.

Quality of Experience
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Hilda Yang

Multiday day Japan trip
Japan | Jun 14 - Jun 22, 2026

J
John A.
Los Angeles, CA | Reviewed on Jun 23, 2026
We worked with Cory to plan an Multiday day Japan trip with our granddaughter.
The Itinerary was outstanding and every arrangement was very smooth. Guides were excellent and informative- we really especially loved Pam in Kyoto!!
The classes and experiences were wonderful, and were kid friendly.
Hosts were fun and we learned a lot while having a great time!
Our granddaughter really had a great time, and we will all have many memories to cherish.
Read more

We worked with Cory to plan an Multiday day Japan trip with our granddaughter.
The Itinerary was outstanding and every arrangement was very smooth. Guides were excellent and informative- we really especially loved Pam in Kyoto!!
The classes and experiences were wonderful, and were kid friendly.
Hosts were fun and we learned a lot while having a great time!
Our granddaughter really had a great time, and we will all have many memories to cherish.

Hotel Reviews
9h nine hours Ningyocho
Tokyo

Great capsule hotel. Very sage

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
The Blossom Kyoto
Kyoto
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Laforet Club Hakone Gora Yunosumika
Hakone
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel New Otani Tokyo Garden Tower
Tokyo
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Izakaya food tour in Shinjuku (14 small tastings)
Izakaya food tour in Shinjuku (14 small tastings)
Tokyo

Max was great- good energy!!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Japanese Calligraphy Experience (Nara)
Japanese Calligraphy Experience (Nara)
Japan

This was the highlight of the trip. Guides were wonder and so kind- treated us like family. Very special. We loved Hanna!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Samurai Ninja Museum with fun experience
Samurai Ninja Museum with fun experience
Japan

Felt a bit rushed

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony with Kimono Wearing (Higashiyama)
Traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony with Kimono Wearing (Higashiyama)
Japan

Such a great cultural experience

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Sushi Making Cooking Class near the Tokyo Tower
Sushi Making Cooking Class near the Tokyo Tower
Tokyo
Nara Day Trip with Half Day Walking Tour (Lunch included)
Nara Day Trip with Half Day Walking Tour (Lunch included)
Japan

Yuki was awesome

Quality of Experience
Oh
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Ramen Noodle Cooking Class
Ramen Noodle Cooking Class
Kyoto

So much fun a so yummy!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Not applicable
Wagashi Sweets Making Experience with an Artisanal Confectioner (Wagashi Issho)
Wagashi Sweets Making Experience with an Artisanal Confectioner (Wagashi Issho)
Kyoto
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Rickshaw in Asakusa
Rickshaw in Asakusa
Tokyo
Full day exploring Meiji Jingu, Harajuku & Shibuya
Full day exploring Meiji Jingu, Harajuku & Shibuya
Tokyo
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private Kyoto Temples & Gion Tour
Private Kyoto Temples & Gion Tour
Japan

Pam was friendly and so informative. A pleasure to work with

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Asakusa, Senso-ji Temple, Nakamise Dori Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Asakusa, Senso-ji Temple, Nakamise Dori Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Tokyo
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Cory Varga

We absolutely loved our trip to Japan! Shona...
Japan | Jun 12 - Jun 17, 2026

J
John P.
Minneapolis, MN | Reviewed on Jun 23, 2026
We absolutely loved our trip to Japan! Shona helped us get the balance just right, between guided experiences and independent travel. Our guides were exceptional and allowed us to cater our days and gain much more than we could have on our own. The assistance in transportation with luggage was especially appreciated. Lastly, the app was easy to use and had everything we needed in one place. We couldn't have been happier about our trip and will definitely use Kimkim again! Read more

We absolutely loved our trip to Japan! Shona helped us get the balance just right, between guided experiences and independent travel. Our guides were exceptional and allowed us to cater our days and gain much more than we could have on our own. The assistance in transportation with luggage was especially appreciated. Lastly, the app was easy to use and had everything we needed in one place.

We couldn't have been happier about our trip and will definitely use Kimkim again!

Activity Reviews
Half Day Samurai Ninja Museum and Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya
Half Day Samurai Ninja Museum and Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya
Kyoto

If we were to do it again, we'd do the Tea Ceremony and skip the Samurai Ninja Museum. Purely a matter of personal preference, but we loved the tea ceremony and didn't find the Samurai museum very engaging.

Full Day Tokyo City Tour
Full Day Tokyo City Tour
Tokyo

Moto was an exceptional tour guide. We inited him to visit us at home, because we sincerely enjoyed his company so much!

Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Shona Zhang
Shona
Shona Zhang
Local specialist in Japan | Replied on Jun 23, 2026

Hi Jhon,
Thank you so much for your lovely feedback — it really made my day! I'm so happy to hear that you loved your trip to Japan and that everything from the guides to the app worked perfectly for you. It was a true pleasure helping you plan this journey, and I'm especially glad that the balance between guided tours and free time suited your family so well.

Look forward to welcoming you back on another Kimkim trip in the future!

Best Regards,
Shona

Why travelers love kimkim

Custom trips for independent travelers who are too busy to plan
Customize your trip with the help of a local travel specialist

Kimkim has handpicked the world’s top local travel specialists so you will have peace of mind and an unforgettable trip that meets your exact requirements.

Authentic travel experiences

Kimkim’s local specialists ensure that you will have the best experience based on up-to-date local insights. On top of that, the vast majority of your money will go straight to support and grow local economies.

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Once you are happy with the trip, you can easily book via kimkim’s secure payment platform.

Local support during your trip

You can always reach your local specialist with a quick message or call in case you hit a snag during your trip, or simply want some great local recommendations.