Odynovo Tours Co., Ltd

We had a wonderful time in Japan! We planned a 10 day trip that included time in Tokyo, skiing in Niseko, Snow Monkeys in Nagano and more skiing in Hakuba Our guides were very knowledgeable, extremely helpful and very personable. Our accommodations were very nice. Our drivers were punctual, and the cars were spotless. Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate. Twice during our stay snow delayed flights forcing us to improvise. Our travel specialist Olivia was extremely helpful as we searched for alternative flights and hotels. She worked tirelessly to try to keep our trip on track. We never felt alone knowing that Olivia would be there to help.
We'd definitely use KimKim again!

We’re not typically “tour bus” travelers, so we wanted the freedom to explore on our own while still having the support and security of a tour company—and this trip delivered exactly that.
Angel, our contact at Kimkim, arranged everything seamlessly, including hotels, transportation, and local guides in each town we visited. Throughout the journey, Angel stayed in touch, which gave us great peace of mind.
In Tokyo, our guide Koiku was excellent. Not only did they show us many key attractions, but they also taught us how to navigate the subway and train systems, giving us the confidence to explore independently.
The hotels along the way were consistently clean, comfortable, and very welcoming. Traveling by train between destinations was smooth and easy to manage.
In Takayama, our guide Ikue introduced us to off-the-beaten-path spots we never would have discovered on our own. Masa, our driver and guide through the mountains to Kanazawa, was both informative and entertaining, and made the journey truly special by taking us to some lesser-known locations.
In Kanazawa, our guide Ai went above and beyond. She not only provided an excellent tour, but also took us to her favorite restaurant and even helped us make arrangements for an event the following day—on her day off. Truly exceptional service.
Overall, the trip was incredibly well organized and made for a comfortable, stress-free experience. A big thank you to Angel and the Kimkim team—I would absolutely travel with them again on a future adventure.

Working with Angel via kimkim was fantastic! She was very patient with my many questions, requests, and concerns. She was very responsive as well. She planned a fantastic, kid-friendly trip to Japan. I wouldn't have changed anything! I would definitely use kimkim again, and I would recommend Angel if planning a trip to Japan!

Activity Reviews

Kanazawa Full Day Walking Tour

Kanazawa

Our full day tour with Ai from Kanazawa Tours was fantastic! She is very knowledgeable and passionate about the history and culture of Kanazawa. The entire tour was interesting and educational, and she explained everything so it was easy for the kids to understand. Speaking of the kids, she interacted with them so well! It's clear that she loves children and went out of her way to make sure they were having a good time. I would absolutely recommend requesting Ai for this tour, especially if traveling with children!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kyoto's Cultural Treasures: Fushimi Inari-Taisha, Nijo Castle and Kinkaku-ji

Japan

Yoshiko was a fantastic tour guide! She was very patient with us and with the kids, despite our slow moving pace. She was kind, knowledgeable, and explained everything so well!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Japan included four cities and 7 people arriving from different parts of the world. There were a lot of moving parts, and Shona was tasked with all of the transfers which was a monumental task on its own. The drivers all communicated with us and arrived on time so there was no stress. We were able to get in touch with Shona every day that we needed to.

We developed a nice mix of planned tours and time on our own. The tour guides were excellent and prompt. We did some touristy things like the Sumo wrestling club and the Cup of Noodles museum, but they were more fun than expected.

Very pleased overall. Two points of feedback: during the planning stages, it would be helpful if the travel agent was clear about how much time it would take to get from one location to another. We had one day planned on our own with a driver that was too rushed due to the distance from our hotel, the later pick up time, and operating hours of the spots we were visiting. The second issue was that the Kim Kim website wasn't updated with our final itinerary, so when we went into it we would see older itineraries and it all got very confusing. Part of the issue is that until you are actually in the country, it is hard to understand what you don't understand about the requirements of the day.

Hotel Review

Hotel Grand Phenix Okushiga

Nagano

Highly recommend this hotel. It is at the end of the bus line, so it is about a hour to take the bus back to things like Shibu Onsen or the snow monkeys. However, it is slopeside for the skiing. Ski rentals were in-house. If you are looking for a vibrant apres-ski scene, this is not it, but for a family gathering it was perfect. There was a full lap pool that I had all to myself. On an upper floor there are the public baths that overlook the slopes. There was a lounge with a real fire for post-skiing drinks or for lunch. They offered an in-room massage therapist who accommodated our schedule. The two restaurants were amazing. Our large group got a private room in the Japanese restaurant. The Italian restaurant had a fixed meal menu that changed each night. We had two pescatarians that they accommodated on the spot, and then remembered who they were the next time we ate there. All the food was exceptionally delicious. Service was flawless. After checkout when we drove away, the front desk person ran outside, bowed, and waved us off!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tokyo: Sumo Show Experience with Chicken Hot Pot and a Photo

Tokyo

We had some sceptics on the trip, but this turned out to be a lot of fun, plus we learned about the sport. It is a tourist experience, and the food was meh, but the host and the wrestlers were such fun. Glad we included it on the trip.

Snow Monkeys, Zenko-ji Temple in Nagano

Nagano

We visited these sites with a private driver and no guide. There is nothing wrong with doing it this way, but the issue we had was that from our hotel, it was over an hour to the temple and we didn't leave until 11:00AM. So we were rushed the whole time. The town around the temple is nice to explore but we barely had an hour. The walk into where the snow monkeys are is over 30 minutes and the park closes at 4pm.

Full Day Kyoto City Tour with Tea Ceremony

Kyoto

Guide was prompt, knowlegeable and friendly. Would not want to miss the golden pavillion, for sure. The tea ceremony was about an hour and very informative relative to the culture.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Full Day Osaka Discovery with Cup Noodles Museum

Osaka

Cup of Noodles Museum is mostly for children, but the inventor was a rock star in Japan and the history was very interesting. Glad we did it.

Cannon provided exceptional service before and during our vacation in Japan. As first-time visitors we were a little anxious, but we worked with Cannon to build an itinerary that was perfect for us. His tips and ongoing support were invaluable, and he always responded to our questions quickly and thoroughly. Thanks to Cannon, our first visit to Asia was wonderful with minimal stress. Our experience with kimkim, and Cannon particularly, exceeded our expectations, and we would definitely use kimkim again and recommend our friends do so as well!

We just got back from a 17 night trip to Vietnam and Cambodia. We worked with Kelly at KimKim to plan this trip. She listened to our requests and sent the first draft of the trip which included almost everything we wanted. With some tweaks, it was the trip of a lifetime. The hotels and tours selected were exactly what we were looking for. Kelly also arranged our Vietnam visas which was very helpful. She kept in touch throughout the trip making sure everything was going as planned.
In addition, the guides and drivers were all excellent, providing knowledgeable history about each city. They gave us some good restaurant recommendations. In Ho Chi Minh City, we left something behind at our hotel and our guide Tran Tuan helped get it to the next stop. He went above and beyond at his own time and expense, checking in to make sure we received it. Our guide in Siem Reap, Phally, was very accommodating giving us a break during the hot afternoons and arranged 2 excursions that were not part of the original itinerary. The driver always had cool towels and cold water waiting for us. We would definitely work with KimKim again for our next trip.

From a year out and the initial planning to daily check in and quick replies…Shona was beyond amazing… we knew there would be hiccups, but really there weren’t

Yuki was our guide to Mt Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi and Kirin whisky tasting, we had the best time, he was so knowledgeable and so friendly!

Tomoko guided us through the world of Samurai and Geisha in Kanazawa. From the beautiful Kenrokuen gardens to the dangerously fascinating Ninja Temple, she explained as we explored such an amazing city.

Yoshiko navigated us through Kyoto and Nara seeing the historical shrines and temples. Our favorites were the 10,000 Torii gates, the world’s largest bronze Buddha and of course the respectful and adorable bowing deer in Nara Park.

Jimmy took us for a foodie tour in Osaka Dononbori famous tastes we will never forget and drool remembering.

Our hotels, tours, and transportation optionswere spot on what we wanted, close to all our favorites and comfortable.. My favorite, in Kanazawa, the hotel Onyado Nono with natural hot springs that rejuvenated the soul and late night ramen to warm the body..

Whether it’s your next vacation or your trip of a lifetime, let the guides and experts at KimKim be who get you there, you won’t regret it!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Keihan Tsukiji Ginza Grande

Tokyo

This hotel is close to Subway entrance only a couple stops away for most of the places in Tokyo we wanted to visit . it was clean and the staff was so friendly. they had one of the best breakfasts on our trip. We were both well fed and well rested. I loved that they had laundry services that we were able to use!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to many subways and locale

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Onyado Nono Kanazawa Natural Hot Spring

Kanazawa

Such an amazing hotel, from the time you enter and leave your shoes in the front lockers to the invigorating hot springs in the crisp air, this hotel was a favorite on our trip. Dormy does such a great job providing little extras for their guests.. yakult drinks in the morning, popsicles and ramen late at night.. a breakfast buffet that has so many fresh and hot options. This was a super spot and convenient to transportation throughout the town!

Authenticity & Character

The best of our stays in Japan

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Gracery Osaka Namba

Osaka

Well, this hotel did not provide a public bath Its bathroom within the guest room was a miniature version of a public set up with the bench bucket and shower area. A nice spot with great food and a comfortable room made our stay great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Socks ended up soiled walking on the carpet within the guest room

Mitsui Garden Hotel Kyoto Kawaramachi Jokyoji

Kyoto

Centrally location to shopping and cultural sites, this hotel even had its own shrine right next door. The best and accommodating staff, clean rooms and great food options at breakfast and dinner!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kanazawa Highlights: Gardens, Castles & Samurai Secrets

Kanazawa

The Kanazawa Highlights tour of the Kenroken Gardens, castles, and samurai secrets was truly amazing. Our guide Tomoko added a personal touch with her deep knowledge and long experience, making the tour feel more intimate and engaging. The cultural and historical aspects were humbling and enlightening. Overall, it was a remarkable experience.

Osaka-Nara Day Trip

Osaka

Our trip to Nara with our guide was a surreal experience. She truly felt like part of the family by the end of it. Her kindness, consideration, and deep appreciation for the culture made the trip memorable. The rich culture and history of the area were beautifully presented.