Odynovo Tours Co., Ltd

All of our transportation, travel and bookings went well. If anything, we could have done more on a day than what was planned or coordinated to make some trips more efficient.

Activity Reviews

Authentic Sumo Experience in Tokyo: Enter the Sanctuary

Tokyo

10/10, would recommend to everyone!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Hands-on Cooking Experience: Nigiri Sushi and More

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

When my friends and I started planning the trip to Japan, it wasn´t clear exactly where to begin. Fortunately for us, we discovered Kimkim, and shortly after completing the preferences survey, Shona got back to us with an itinerary proposal in no time. Since then, she has remained actively engaged with us through the rest of the planning, the trip, and up to the end.

In the planning phase, Kimkim´s itinerary chat allowed everyone on both sides of the chat to make and take into consideration others´ suggestions and recommendations. Shona let us know the requirements, addressed our concerns, and kept us up to date on bookings and reservations at every step, and we worked together to plan the best trip based on our budget. Thanks to this coordination, the itinerary was complete a long time before the trip. This breathing room ahead of the trip allowed for last-minute adjustments, which Shona actively managed for us.

During the trip, Shona and her team at Odynovo did not waver. From the moment we left for our trip up to when we returned, her team of coordinators, guides, and drivers was in constant communication with us. They made sure everything went smoothly, checking in to make sure we were where we planned to be and when we planned to be there; despite the language barrier.

The trip flowed seamlessly, a testament to their thoughtful planning. It was evenly paced, neither rushed nor laggy, considering the many activities we did and places we got to visit in a few days. The order of activities was well put together too. In every new place we visited, the guided days came first, followed by the self-guided days. Our tour guides were engaging and enthusiastic, intuitively showing us around, thereby boosting our morale to manoeuvre on our own and explore freely.

Leading up to the end of the trip, we only wished we had planned for more time. Shona and her team set a benchmark, a high bar, to which all trips to come, to Japan and other places around the world, will be compared. Japan is an interesting place, with a lot to offer in many aspects, and this trip, great as it was, was only an introduction, a momentous one. We look forward to returning sometime in the future, and we hope it will be just as amazing, if not more.

So, if you´re planning to visit Japan, and Shona is your agent, you´re in good hands. Actively participate in planning, remain engaged, and keep an open mind. Thanks, Kimkim, Odynovo, and thank you, Shona!

Hotel Reviews

Asakusa Tobu Hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

It´s close to great local places to explore for a tourist.

Staff

Welcoming and friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Overall, well-maintained.

Hotel Gracery Kyoto Sanjo

Kyoto

Authenticity & Character

Location

You can walk around the local area and discover a lot with little effort.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Monterey Le Frere Osaka

Osaka

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great views from the higher floors.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Tokyo City Tour

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Fushimi Inari Taisha and Kinkakuji Temple

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Samurai Sword Experience for Adults in Kyoto

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kyoto Authentic Sake Tour in Fushimi: Sake Tastings & Explore Historic Breweries

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Osaka Local Foodie Tour in Dotonbori and Shinsekai

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Sagano Bamboo Grove and Tenryuji Temple Tour

Kyoto

Our guides (Tomoe in Tokyo and Mitch in Kyoto) were super knowledgeable and went out of their way to make sure our family was happy.

My daughter and I took a 2 week trip to Japan. We started in Tokyo. It was helpful to have a driver take us from the airport to our hotel after the long flight and not having to try to navigate by ourselves to the hotel. In Tokyo, our first day was with Motoki Watanabe, who guided us to the Tsukiji Outer Fish Market, Meiji Jingu Shrine, and Sensoji Temple among other sights and provided some information about what we were seeing. He also was flexible to alter plans as needed. One thing I found useful was navigating Tokyo subway system with his help so we could manage it the next few days. The next couple days were spent at Tokyo Disneyland and Disney Sea. Both were nice parks but if I had to pick one, it would be Disney Sea as it's totally different from other Disneyland parks. The final day in Tokyo we went to to the Ghibli Museum and explored Tokyo by ourselves.

Leaving Tokyo, we took the bullet train to Kyoto. In Kyoto, we were guided by Yoshiko Yoshida to the Bamboo Grove and Monkey Park Tour with a Boat Ride. She shared information about the area and since we had a little extra time, we went to the Kyoto Imperial Palace. The next day we were guided by Asuka Koyanagi and saw more of Kyoto going to Kinkaku-ji Temple, Nijo Castle and Fushimi-Inari Taisha. Only the last day in Kyoto navigating by ourselves, we did Samurai Ninja Museum and Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya. The Tea Ceremony was enjoyable since you learned about the ceremony while dressed in Kimonos.

From Kyoto to Osaka, we were driven by a driver and had Yukari Onishi for our guide. We stopped in Nara and visited the Todaiji Temple and Kasuga Taisha Shrine. We also fed the bowing deer. In Osaka, we went to the Aquarium, which my daughter found really cool since we saw a couple whale sharks. We also did a Sushi class, which was enjoyable even though my daughter really doesn't like fish.

Overall, the experience was a good one and would look to do again. All the guides spoke good English, willing to change things up if needed, and provided information about the areas that we visited. Most texted us the day before about the pickup for the tours. The hotels were all nice and provided breakfast in the mornings. Having the Kimkim app download on a phone is helpful so you can get any updates to the itinerary.

One visit to Japan was very wonderful. Kimkim the traveling agency was really helpful. Our tour guides were very friendly and helpful. My grandkids boys really enjoyed our visit to most of the places went. The shibuya sky and shibuya crossing in Tokyo the busys cross street in Tokyo it is a.lot of fun to see the volume of people crossing with their camera 📷 talking fotos. I was very worried about traveling to Japan because we were black but I had nothing to worry about, we felt very comfortable . I will encourage tourists to use kimkim for to all their destinations.

Hotel Reviews

the b asakusa

Tokyo

Amazing in the center of all the activities in Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

The staffs are very helpful

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

The hotel in very very clean

Hakone Hotel Kajikaso

Hakone

The fin part of this hotel is the Japanese style bed and the hot springs

Authenticity & Character

The Japanese style bed room make a lot of difference and a good experience

Location

It is in the center of the city so getting access to the train station 🚉 was easy

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The hotel in very clean

Park Hotel Kyoto

Kyoto

Hotel clean and in the center of the city

Authenticity & Character

The food is good the staffs are very friendly

Location

It is easy to get transport and in the center of the city

Staff

The staffs are very friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kimkim is a very reliable travel agency to work with

Hotel Forza Osaka Kitahama

Osaka

This hotel is in the center of the city and it is easy to connect to wherever u want to go

Authenticity & Character

Location

In the center of the city and easy to move around

Staff

Very friendly and easy to communicate with them in English

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel very very clean and delicious breakfast

Activity Reviews

Enjoy Temples & Bamboo Grove in Kyoto with Your Family

Kyoto

Going through the temple and the bamboo grove was a very interesting experience it was peaceful in the grove

From Hakone to Kyoto

Japan

Half Day Nara Park & Todai-Ji Temple

Japan

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

Kyoto

Tokyo Discovery: From Traditional Landmarks to Akihabara’s Anime Haven

Tokyo

Full Day Mt. Fuji and Lake Ashi Tour with Hakone Tozan Railway

Japan

Although it was soo foggy 🌁 we were not abto see the mountain Fugi but it was wealth it the trip

Sandy put together an absolutely amazing first trip to Japan! Sandy really listened to what my husband and I were looking to do and see. Our tour guide Kyoko for Tokyo was also fantastic! The private tour guides in Tokyo and Kyoto were personable and knowledgeable for every site/temple/shrine we visited. They also explained Japanese customs so we didn't feel awkward. I have used KimKim a few times for overseas trips. The travel agent for Spain (first time using KimKim) and Sandy gave us the best itinerary. The hotel accommodations and locations (near train stations as requested) were perfect. I felt we experienced Japanese culture while still having some US amenities that made us feel comfortable. The onsen at the end of the trip was a perfect way to end our trip and absolutely felt immersed by then. Japanese onsen was incredible and very relaxing. The bathhouse was different than the "Japanese bathhouse" Ive experienced in the US and different from US hot spring resorts. My husband and I already want to plan another trip to Japan. Sandy will without a doubt be our official Japan travel agent. I live in Houston, TX and when they say Tokyo& Kyoto are hot and humid- they are not joking. The weather was very similar to Houston every day we were there in August. Houston just a lil more humid but no one is climbing Fushimi shrine in Houston. lol We spent 8-9 days (last day was mainly traveling from kyoto to narita airport 4hrs plus arriving 2.5hrs before flight). We split our time evenly in Tokyo and Kyoto. We had a day trip to DisneySea/Disney Tokyo and a day trip to Nara. Tokyo was like NYC for me. Everyone rushed but I did not have any negative experiences on the trains even when we were crammed like sardines. However my husband was with me. Very exciting city and loved the Nakano Broadway mall for anime which seemed to have more locals (and lower prices). We enjoyed Kyoto the most and want to go back to explore the city more along with stopping at some of the towns along the way.

Hotel Reviews

Marunouchi Hotel

Great local next to Tokyo station. The shower and bathtub combo is amazing and perfect at the end of long sight seeing days. The amenities (bath salts, moisture rescue facial cleanser along with fresh PJs) they supply every day was a luxury bonus.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Across the street from Tokyo station and can be accessed underground straight from hotel

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Thousand Kyoto

Kyoto

Love the iPad to control everything from lights, temperature and curtains along with room service, cleaning, extra amenities etc. Bathroom shower and tub combo separate from vanity and bidet is excellent. 4.75 stars because they did not give any amenities unless requested to be more environmentally friendly which they did explain on check in. We came from a hotel which stocked bath salts daily along with other luxury touches. The superior king room was large and the bed was the biggest my husband and I have ever slept in. We have a split california king at home. Daily fresh PJs was great touch. The hotel is beautiful and tranquil. The staff was very friendly and accommodating. Shower pressure was amazing and water temperature very hot which I love

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

daily amenities not included was only downside but very clean and comfortable otherwise.

Kadensho, Arashiyama Onsen, Kyoto - Kyoritsu Resort

Felt authentic and loved the individual bathhouses! Esp the outdoor ones. Very relaxing. The 30min limit per session was a downside but can always come back or use another one that wasn't in use. We loved that no shoes were allowed anywhere inside besides the reception desk to check in obviously. It set the pace and mood for relaxation. We loved the area of Kyoto it was in. We watched the sunset on the famous bridge and early mornings which was less than a 5min walk away. It only had a shower in the room but it was a bathhouse so not exactly necessary. The least room amenities for our trip but the atmosphere more than made up for it

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Dinner with a Geisha /Maiko Ozashiki Experience

Kyoto

This was hands down my favorite activity of our trip! We were fortunate enough have a geiko as our Geisha. Her dancing was beautiful to watch and loved that we were able to have conversations before and after her dancing. She loved having sake with us! The teahouse was super authentic and just loved loved loved the experience from start to finish. The meal was great and staff very attentive. The alcohol was included and as much as we wanted which in hindsight could have been our hint to offer sake to the Geisha and our interpreter. Our interpreter actually knew the Geisha since she first became a Maiko 6yrs prior and has seen her grow into a full fledge Geiko. Very special experience. Highly recommend

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Full Day Tokyo City Tour with Tsukiji Outer Fish Market

Tokyo

Kyoko was an excellent tour guide. She explained each temple and shrine thoroughly and loved the areas she took us. She was like an aunt to us by the end of the day. Best tour guide experience I have had.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff