Odynovo Tours Co., Ltd

The trip was everything and more than what we expected. The drivers, guides and management kept us informed the day in advance as to the upcoming pick up times and itinerary. The guides were extremely knowledgeable about the locations and history. The Sumo Experience in Tokyo is a must see, as well as, the Samurai Ninja museum in Kyoto.

Shona very helpful with setting up the itinerary and going through each day prior to departure. We will definitely use her services again. We appreciate all she did for us. Thank You for making the trip a wonderful experience!

Hotel Reviews

Asakusa Tobu Hotel

Tokyo

Very good hotel; cramped for 3 people but has space under the bed for suitcases.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to subway stops

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sotetsu Fresa Inn Kyoto-Shijokarasuma

Kyoto

Great breakfast buffet; not as clean as it could have been; cramped for 3 people

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to subway

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

stains on the floor; if adding a 3rd bed furniture could have been rearranged to make it easier to get around the room.

Hotel Keihan Yodoyabashi

great breakfast buffet; cramped for 3 people in a room but were able to adjust furniture to make it easier to get around in.

Location

close to subway

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

cramped for 3 people but very clean

Activity Reviews

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

Kyoto

Samurai Ninja Museum is awesome and interactive. The Kimono tea ceremony was fun and you get to wear a kimono.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Authentic Sumo Experience in Tokyo: Enter the Sanctuary

Tokyo

This was an awesome and fun experience. Great information and fun!!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Mt. Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi Tour with Whisky Tasting

Tokyo

Even if you are not a whisky drinker the experience is a fun one.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Kyoto City Tour with Fushimi Inari-Taisha

Kyoto

The guide has great information to share.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove and Monkey Park Tour

Kyoto

The bamboo forest is a wonderful sight to see.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

One Day Miyajima Island and Hiroshima Tour

Japan

Great guide. Interesting and informative

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had an unforgettable custom journey through Japan and South Korea, organized by KimKim. It included memorable Hiroshima, dazzling Tokyo, historical Osaka and Kyoto, spiritual journey at Mount Koya and a more intimate taste of Central Japan hiking the historical Nakasendo Trail. South Korea was no less stunning. Guides, properties and transfers were all first rate. Sandy provided an amazing local support. Highly recommended!

Hotel Reviews

Asakusa View Hotel Annex Rokku

Tokyo

Excellent service and clean, comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

THE KNOT HIROSHIMA

Hiroshima

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Osaka Excel Hotel Tokyu

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Jokiin

Koyasan

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Vischio Kyoto by GRANVIA

Kyoto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Taoya Kisoji

Tsumago

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Excellent dining experience.

Kisoji Inn Iwaya

Kiso-Fukushima

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Though it was clean , the room was not so inviting and my daughter thought it smelled like smoke.

Matsumoto Hotel Kagetsu

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The breakfast though authentic and healthy was a little stark

Karuizawa Tsuruya Ryokan

it is too bad breakfast was not included here.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Truly special. It is too bad we did not have breakfast nor dinner reservations.

Shima Onsen Sekizenkan

Gunma

Breakfast and dinner though authentic were a little exotic and stark.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ramada Encore by Wyndham Busan Haeundae

Busan

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

NINE TREE BY PARNAS SEOUL MYEONDONG 2

Seoul

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchi & Oishi Park

Japan

Long drive - poor weather.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Tokyo City Tour with Akihabara district

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Miyajima Island and Memorial Park Tour

Hiroshima

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

World Heritage Himeji Castle & Kobe Tour

Osaka

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Osaka Castle and Umeda Sky Building

Osaka

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fushimi Inari Taisha and Kinkakuji Temple

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to Nara: Temples, Deer, and Historic Streets

Kyoto

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Bamboo Grove and Monkey Park Tour

Kyoto

bamboo grove overcrowded; should have arranged for private pousse-pousse tour which uses uncrowded paths.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hike from Nagiso to Nojiri

Kiso-Fukushima

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walk from Tsumago to Magome

Tsumago

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traverse the Torii Pass to Narai

Narai

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Narai to Kiso-Hirasawa

Narai

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gamcheon Village, BIFF Square and Jagalchi Market

Busan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Busan City Tour with Haedong Yonggungsa Temple

Busan

It was raining which spoiled some of the effects.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Gyeongbokgung Palace and Bukchon Hanok Village

Seoul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Korean DMZ and Seoul Tower Tour

Seoul

Limited interest and long drive.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Karuizawa with Shiraito Falls, Kumoba Pond, Old Karuizawa Ginza Street & Karuizawa Prince Shopping Plaza

Karuizawa

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Seoraksan Tour From Seoul

Seoul

Traffic jam caused long delays and limited some of the scope. Would have like to hike in the park but did not have time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a wonderful time in Japan! Everything was seemless and well organized. Since this was our first time in Japan, we much welcomed the ease of not having to arrange everything ourselves. In particular, it takes some time to figure out the public transportation and there are not very many english speaking people outside of big cities so having had some things pre arranged helped a lot! The choices of accomodcation, activities and timeline were perfectly suited for us.
We had an unforgettable trip and will use Kim Kim again!
Thank you!

I found the guides were very friendly and informative. Th e travel arrangements made it very easy to get from a to b and accommodations very satisfactory. Thank you.

Hotel Reviews

Mitsui Garden Hotel Ginza Premier

Tokyo

Nice room, close to station, outstanding breakfast. Bit pricey in the lounge.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cross Hotel Kyoto

Kyoto

Family Friendliness

Candeo Hotels Osaka The Tower

Osaka

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Tokyo City Exploration ( private group ) & Sumo show with chanko nabe lunch ( join in, small group )

Tokyo

Very entertaining. Good food

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Shona planned an amazing trip for my family which included me, my husband and 2 daughters ages 12 and 16. It was the perfect blend of learning about Japanese culture and activities that my daughters would enjoy. We had several activities that we liked a lot. On our 1st day, we had Yuto as a guide for 2 different activities. We did a bike tour all around Osaka during the day and a food tour at night. He made sure we were safe and allowed us to take breaks when we needed to (it was extremely hot that day). In Kyoto, we loved the tea ceremony where we dressed in kimonos and learned about the traditions of hosting a tea service. We also had a wonderful guide named Yasuko who took us to a temple, a shrine, and a boat ride down the Hozugawa River. This was a highight of the trip. Yasuko was very knowledgable and she took great care of us (getting our tickets, guiding us with the public transportation) during these excursions. In Tokyo, we had a lovely time with our tour guide, Yumi, who ventured with us in the rain. She was very patient with us as my daughter who loves anime and Harajuku fashion wanted to shop along a busy area in Tokyo. Again, we had another tour guide who kept us safe while teaching us about Japanese history and culture. Lastly, to celebrate my husband's upcoming 50th birthday, Shona planned a beautiful fine-dining experience on a boat going around Tokyo Bay. The staff made the experience a memorable one!
In terms of accommodations, the hotels were very clean and comfortable. Check-in was easy. We liked that we were able to do some laundry at the hotel during our trip and breakfast was included everyday. The location of the hotels were convenient and close to different restaurants and shops. Lastly, riding the bullet train was a blast. Although going through the train station was hectic with people everywhere (luckily, my husband is knowledgeable with using public transportation in different countries), Shona planned 1st class accommodations along with room for our big luggage which was key when traveling.
Overall, this was a trip of a lifetime. Shona planned the perfect blend of fun stuff for my kids (Universal Studios, sumo wrestling, anime) and historic stuff for me and my husband. It was busy and we were tired, but it was worth it! The communication before and during our trip was great. Everyday, we would get a text with all the information we needed for the day (tickets, which public transportation to use, locations on Google maps). As someone who usually plans our family vacations, using KimKim and having Shona plan everything made me feel at ease with no stress. Thank you to Shona, tour guides, drivers, and KimKim staff who made this trip one of the best we have experienced as a family. We look forward to having another trip with KimKim in the near future!

I am so glad we hired Sandy from Kim Kim for our vacation. The service was white glove all the way. We did like 10 or so versions of the same vacation with me changing this like every week until we got the vacation we wanted. She was very patient through the process. And she even gave me really good advice and suggestions. During the vacation, we were able to get support throughout the vacation. The guides she booked were all wonderful. The accommodations were progressively amazing. Each one being better than the previous, and we loved all bookings. I will use her services again. for our next trip. We went for 26 days to Japan and Thailand.

Hotel Reviews

Shiba Park Hotel

Tokyo

Nice accommodations. Great restaurant. I like how this hotel provides self-laundry service on every floor, though it was always busy and we couldn't use it ourselves. Great bar also.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Matsuzakaya Honten

Kanagawa

Step back in time to have an authentic old-fashioned Japanese experience. Loved the spacious room and the onsen.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Nice, picturesque mountains

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Gate Hotel Kyoto Takasegawa by Hulic

Kyoto

5 star hotel in the middle of Kyoto. Right in the middle of the town, with easy access to the city's attractions.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel New Otani Osaka

Osaka

Great hotel and very comfortable lodgings right in the middle of the town. Walking distance to the castle.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchi with Oishi Park

Tokyo

It was a cloudy day but great attractions. We got our Mt Fuji picture anyway thanks to some clever photography. Nice places to shop and eat close by. The funicular to the top of the hill was beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tokyo Highlights Day Tour with Tsukiji Outer Fish Market

Tokyo

I loved the Shibuya crossing and Parco Department store. Also we did some wonderful parks, shrines, and even the Emperor's Castle.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sam was amazing and very knowledgable.

Transport

Yanaka Historical Walking Tour in Tokyo's Old Town

Tokyo

It was fun. Not what we thought, but we liked the shrine, the city, and the cat cafe was wonderful.

Quality of Experience

The cat cafe.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very knowledgeable guide.

Transport

Full Day Kyoto City Tour with Fushimi Inari-Taisha

Kyoto

Very fun! Also a very edifying experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was knowledgeable and friendly

Transport

Half Day Sagano Bamboo Grove and Tenryuji Temple Tour

Kyoto

Beautiful grove, nice boat tour. I loved the tour of the temples. If you want to learn about Japanese history, this is the tour for you.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was a teacher and also knowledgable and friendly.

Transport

Tea Ceremony in Kyoto FLOWER TEAHOUSE

Kyoto

It was fun although my least favorite of the experiences we booked. I have never been through a tea ceremony. So it's worth doing if you haven't done it before. Funny thing if you go into a regular tea place, they will do a form of this if you order matcha.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Osaka Highlights Bike Tour

Japan

Loved this tour. Got to eat Okonomiyaki. Most of the biking is easy, with a lot of it downhill.

Quality of Experience

Food

Okonomiyaki is the best!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very knowledgeable and friendly; we thought this would be worse than it was since they changed the guide at the last minute.

Transport

Full Day Miyama Village Tour From Kyoto

Japan

Very fun; got to do Japanese tie-dying, which was a last minute change due to another feature being unavailable. We had a blast with our tie-die. You should add this permanently to the tour. The village was fun, though far, and it gave us a unique experience. We are glad we did this tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

the guide was wonderful. She's a teacher and very friendly.

Transport

transport in an SUV, with comfy chairs!

Kyoto-Nara -Osaka

Osaka

Very fun tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Working with KimKim, and our local specialist, Shona, was simple and efficient.
Shona worked hard for us. She went above and beyond with helping us before and also during our trip.
We are very grateful for Shona's service, expertise, timeliness, and dedication to ensuring we had a great trip.
Shona had so many great ideas for our family to do each day in different areas around Japan.

All of our daily guides and drivers were also excellent, helpful, and patient. Our group was not always easy for them, but they did a wonderful job despite some challenges that occurred during our daily activities and tours.

A big thank you to everyone who helped make our trip a great success!

Hotel Reviews

Asakusa View Hotel Annex Rokku

Tokyo

The location was perfect! The staff was extremely kind and helpful. Everything was very clean. The breakfast buffet was amazing!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ryokan Aura Tachibana

Hakone

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cross Hotel Kyoto

Kyoto

This was probably my favorite hotel I've ever stayed at. The design and decor was phenomenal. Everything was very clean. The breakfast buffet was amazing! The location was perfect.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Candeo Hotels Osaka Shinsaibashi

Osaka

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bathroom sink area was rather small it was very dimly lit.

Activity Reviews

Full Day Yokohama Tour with Cup Noodles Museum

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Osaka Castle and Shinsaibashi Tour

Osaka

We loved learning about the history of the Osaka castle.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Meiji Shrine,the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace Akihabara,and Harajuku Tour

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchi with Oishi Park

Tokyo

The boat ride to see mount Fuji was disappointing because the mountain was behind clouds. This is not the fault of our guide. We also got caught in a thunderstorm downpour that day, which added some spice to our day. We were not able to complete the full experience our guide had planned for us because of the rain.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Sagano Bamboo Grove and Tenryuji Temple Tour

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Nara City Tour, Overnight in Osaka

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From Hakone to Kyoto

Japan

We had good experiences riding the bullet trains.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

We loved learning about the traditional tea ceremony and dressing up in the traditional clothing and taking photos together.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fushimi Inari Taisha and Kinkakuji Temple

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

One Day Miyajima Island and Hiroshima Tour

Japan

Miyajima island and the shrines on the water were so beautiful! Our guide had some extra challenges with our group that day, and she did an amazing job with dealing with the circumstances to ensure we could finish seeing all the things and the museum in Hiroshima.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Great planning and preparation by Shona. We did hit a snag, but kimkim jumped on it and resolved. I highly recommend using them over others. The trip cost was a fraction of what others charge after getting proposals from several others for same activities.

Hotel Reviews

Mitsui Garden Hotel Ginza gochome

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Vischio Kyoto by GRANVIA

Kyoto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Candeo Hotels Osaka Shinsaibashi

Osaka

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The breakfast offered was awful compared to other hotels on our trip

Activity Reviews

Kyoto Night Foodie Tour

Kyoto

Food was awful! I cant believe I paid for a tour that involved food and it was awful in Japan. Only place we ate that was bad during 11 days.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Ho Pot was not good.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ramen Cooking Class Experience

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Learn the Secrets Behind Sushi in a Cooking Class

Osaka

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kyoto Historical Highlights Bike Tour with UNESCO Zen Temples

Kyoto

Great Guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport