Odynovo Tours Co., Ltd

Our English speaking guides were very competent and personable They recommended good local restaurants. We loved the onsens and hotels that Ada booked for us. Our hotel in Kyoto had excellent breakfasts featuring local specialties.

Family trip to Japan was planned through Kimkim was generally positive. There was a lot of back and forth finalizing the trip, all done online so there was some awkwardness with communication and getting all our questions answered efficiently.

The week in Tokyo was great, part self guided and private tours. The Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchi & Oishi Park tour was a bit of a disappointment because it was overcast and we did not see Mt. Fuji at all but our guide Yang was lovely and humoured us by letting us stop to eat Hoto noodles, shop at the fruit stand and skipped part of the tour due to the fact there was no view that day. The tour company Magical Trip was very good, with friendly local tour guides that really gave a personalized experience. The sumo experience was so fun and our tour guide Shiina Saito was amazing. All the private transfers were great, the drivers contacted us in advance via WhatsApp and were easy to keep in communication. We took the suggested self-guided tours as a rough guide and pretty much did our own exploration of the city. We booked our own ticket to a Giant's baseball game as it was easier to do so.

The week in Okinawa was also great but in retrospect would have preferred more self guided with a rental car as the bus trip to North Okinawa sightseeing tour & Churaumi Aquarium was a disappointment. Most of the time was spend in crowded bus stopping at places that did not interest us and we did not have much time at the aquarium which was what we wanted to experience. We left the tour at the second to last stop as our hotel was a 20 min walk away and the end of the tour would've taken us an hour away by car from our hotel, saving us 100 min sitting in a vehicle. The surfing and snorkeling trips were enjoyable. The Shuri castle tour was with Magical Trip, our private guide Maria was fantastic.

I have used Kimkim before for a Greece trip and our agent kept in contact via WhatsApp and was available immediately for questions and concerns. Our Japan tour guide Shona was very helpful but all our communication was through Kimkim messaging and there was always a delay because of this. There was no real emergency but there was one time in Tokyo we did not have access to our TeamLab tickets till last minute and a time in Okinawa where our private transfer driver was late and we had to improvise and take a taxi get reimbursed later. It all worked out but I imagine not all travelers could've rolled with the punches as we can speak some Japanese to communicate our problems.

Hotel Reviews

ANA InterContinental Manza Beach Resort

Okinawa

Great view and access to pool and beach. Nice little fitness centre. PST Pizza and buffet breakfast was great. Hotel was a little remote, far from other sights but there was a shuttle to the gate that saved from walking to local restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

Looked like a cruise ship

Location

Great view and access to beach/pool

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tosei Hotel Cocone Tsukiji Ginza Premier

Tokyo

Clean and convenient hotel. Great location, great service and buffet breakfast was very good.

Authenticity & Character

There was a public bath and small gym. Buffet breakfast was good.

Location

Staff

Staff was very friendly and helpful. They were able to keep our luggage for a week while we went to Okinawa for a week.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Okinawa Surfing Experience

Okinawa

Very small group activity which allowed it to be quite personalized. Guides were great.

Quality of Experience

Very small group and personalized.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Naha, Okinawa: Keramas Island Snorkeling Day Trip with Lunch

Okinawa

Keramas Island was beautiful. It was a bit of a large group tour but we got to see a lot of great marine life. Felt a little like cattle and did not have very much freedom during this activity but they seemed very concerned about safety which is I suppose is good.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Naha City

Okinawa

This was a big bus tour that was mostly stops for shopping. The stop at Churaumi Aquarium was too short to fully enjoy it. Spent a lot of time driving. The tour guide was stressed and mostly busy herding people. Our hotel was close the the second to last stop so we left to walk 20 min to our hotel otherwise we would have spent another 2 hours driving.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Authentic Sumo Experience in Tokyo: Enter the Sanctuary

Tokyo

This tour was very fun. Our guide Shiina Saito was lovely. The sumo wrestlers were funny and entertaining.

Quality of Experience

Food

Chanko nabe was tasty.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchi & Oishi Park

Japan

Our guide was very lovely but without a view of Mt. Fuji this all day tour is pretty disappointing.

Quality of Experience

If weather is not optimal make changes to itinerary?

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very friendly and accommodating guide.

Transport

Clean and comfortable van.

Our family had a dream trip expertly curated by Cannon from kimkim. It was my first time using this service and it delighted and exceeded expectations at every turn. Going to Japan for the first time seemed intimidating to plan and Cannon was with us every step of the way making sure we were prepared and enjoying every minute. Our guides and activities were all fantastic. Jason was particularly wonderful. He was knowledgeable, fun and easy to spend an action packed day with and attentive to our pace and preferences. Each driver and guide made contact the evening before and was right where they said they'd be each excursion. The app was easy to use and having it and Cannon in our "pocket" was a great comfort as we navigated each new place. We had an incredible time exploring a wonderful country and created memories we will treasure always. The experiences hit all the right notes and left us excited to plan our next trip! Thank you KimKim for making travel adventures so easy, accessible and absolutely enjoyable!

Hotel Reviews

Shinagawa Prince Hotel

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kyoto Umekoji Kadensho - Private Bath Facility

Authenticity & Character

Location

Proximity to train

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tokyo Dome Hotel

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hakone Yumoto Fujiya Hotel

Hakone

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full-Day Hakone Adventure: Mt. Fuji Views & Lake Ashi Cruise

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver was the best! So sweet and friendly.

Transport

Our driver!

Nishiki Market Brunch Walking Food Tour

Japan

Great guides! Josh was so fun and knowledgeable and made sure we tried lots of new things at the market and walked away with new knowledge and full stomachs.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kyoto’s Cultural Treasures: Fushimi Inari-Taisha, Kiyomizu-dera & Gion District

Japan

Jason was very knowledgeable and was very attentive to our preferences and pace. It was a lot to see in a day but it was so much fun!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ninja Experience in Kyoto (Family & Kid Friendly)

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tokyo: Sumo Show Experience with Drinks and Photo

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sushi & Home Cooking Class from Market to Table near Asakusa

Tokyo

Super fun and our teacher was wonderful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chase Cherry Blossom with Tsukiji Outer Market in Tokyo

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great guide

Transport

From Hakone to Kyoto

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amazing Japan trip with three couples (good friends) traveling together. We covered a wide range of different activities, and got a comprehensive feel for different parts of Japan, with many unique experiences.

Overall, the trip went as planned, though did require some upfront micro-management to get the itinerary in sync and consistent. The Kim Kim platform was effective, intuitive and easy to navigate by all users. Sandy Ren, and the Odynovo team (local Japan agent) were responsive and available, both before and during our trip.

All our hotels and ryokans were great - we really enjoyed the boutique hotel approach vs. relying on name brand chains.

Gora Kansuiro (our ryokan in Hakone) was an authentic traditional Japan inn experience, with low tables & chairs on our tatami mats in room, which were made into futons for sleeping, en-suite private hot spring bath, plus open-air communal hot spring bath where we relaxed gazing out at the quiet forest, and delicious spread of Japanese dishes for breakfast and dinner.

Ryokan Asunaro (in Takayama) was most comfortable, with larger rooms, chairs and futons in-room, communal hot bath, choice of western or Japanese breakfast, and comfortable chairs to relax in the lobby.

Activity highlights included Tokyo Sumo wrestling, early morning Toyosu Tuna auction, cherry blossoms in Tokyo, Mt Fuji backdrop on Lake Kawaguchi in Hakone and Takayama, Kirin whiskey tasting near Mt Fuji, sake tasting in Takayama, Hakone Open Air contemporary art museum, Sushi making at Nakata Cooking School in Kanazawa, Snow Monkey Park in Kyoto, Kobe botanic & herb gardens, Himeji and Osaka castles, and Hiroshima dome and memorial.

Some of the activities could have been improved by going at night with less crowds (such as Bamboo Grove and Fushimi Inari-Taisha (Torii gates) in Kyoto).

Our private guides were knowledgeable and helpful - highlights were Kei, our guide in Tokyo and Hakone, and our Takayama-Kanazawa driver (who was like a guide), who were engaging, funny and especially helpful.

We also had a good balance of self-guided days, in which we explored (mainly by walking, but also taxi & subway) historic Tokyo, the backstreets of Takayama & Kanazawa, and additional activities such as the Maiko (geisha) dance & tea discussion and a contemporary art museum in Kyoto, incredible Kobe steak lunch (in Kobe), and two different jazz Kissaten bars in Tokyo and Kanazawa.

Transfers and train tickets were seamless and all on time as planned. Strongly suggest you forward luggage from one hotel to next when taking trains as a group.

Overall, an incredible Japan trip packing six stops into 18 days (Tokyo, Hakone, Takayama, Kanazawa, Kyoto & Osaka) with nice balance of large metros with small towns.

Hotel Reviews

Mitsui Garden Hotel Osaka Premier

Osaka

Great view over the river, centrally located in downtown Osaka, included executive lounge

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Small Boutique Hotel Villa Sanjo Muromachi

Kyoto

Great breakfast and comfortable rooms

Authenticity & Character

Location

Ok

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Kanazawa Zoushi

Kanazawa

One of the nice options was evening Ramen at a common table included

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ryokan Asunaro

Takayama

A an excellent blend as traditional and western Vs. Japanese, onsen bath option, nice lobby to sit and relax, large rooms with futons and sitting area, central location

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Gora Kansuiro

Hakone

An authentic ryokan experience with Private Hot Spring baths and communal hot spring baths, tatami mats and low tables and chairs in rooms with authentic Japanese dinner and breakfast, we are in kimonos and sandals

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shiba Park Hotel

Tokyo

We love the library lounge area of the lobby to sit and relax

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

One Day Miyajima Island and Hiroshima Tour

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full day tour to Kobe and Himeji Castle

Osaka

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Osaka Castle and Umeda Sky Building

Osaka

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I

Half Day Bamboo Grove and Monkey Park Tour With a Boat Ride

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Osaka Expo approved Sushi & Japanese Cooking Class

Kanazawa

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tokyo Sumo Morning Practice in Ryogoku + Photo Shoot w/ Wrestlers

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exceptional guides, especially Kyoto.
Drivers were fine but limited English so not much conversation there.

Hotel Reviews

Daiwa Roynet Hotel Kyoto ekimae PREMIER

Kyoto

Great location with direct access to shops, restaurants and subway

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hakone Hotel Kajikaso

Hakone

Very different experience with foot bath, dinner and breakfast in the room and sleeping on floor mats

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

the b asakusa

Tokyo

Great location and ample breakfast variety

Authenticity & Character

Location

So close to walk to subways, restaurants and temple

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

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

Japan

Excellent and knowledgeable guide. Interesting history

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Explanations from the guide

Transport

Guide met us at our hotel..very convenient, then walked

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

Kyoto

Felt rushed through the museum

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Museum guide a bit hard to understand

Transport

Clean vehicle and enjoyable ride

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchi with Oishi Park

Japan

Wonderful boat cruise and views of Mt Fuji

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Little English but very accomodating

Drive to Hakone with Mt. Fuji Tour

Japan

Driver was good..little English but we managed

Quality of Experience

Driver was open to time we requested or needed at each location

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Master Tokyo's Must-Sees: 5-hour Tsukiji, Akihabara & Asakusa Highlights Tour

Tokyo

Very good tour, knowledgeable guide and good pace.

Quality of Experience

Food

Waygu beef was excellint; sushi not so much ...

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Found our way to meeting point

Tokyo Night Foodie Tour in Shinjuku

Tokyo

Guide was great but the food not so much for me!

Quality of Experience

Food

I'm sure it was very good...if you liked sushi 🍣!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We walked to location

Authentic Sumo Experience in Tokyo: Enter the Sanctuary

Tokyo

Very nice experience at a Sumo Stable! Wrestlers were engaging, entertaining and funny!

Quality of Experience

Authentic wrestlers who were very sharing of their life

Food

Eat like a Sumo! Delicious soup!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport