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Oku Japan

Oku Japan operates guided, self-guided and custom tours around Japan. Our main office is in Kyoto, and some of our sales staff are based in the UK. In spring 2015, Oku Japan opened a branch office in the village of Chikatsuyu, where we are proud to be part of the local community.

Our mission is a simple one; to introduce visitors to Japan to the beautiful scenery, delightful towns and villages, and above-all the lovely people, we have discovered on our travels. We are a small team of people passionate about Japan, and every one of us speaks Japanese and knows the country intimately. We have travelled the length and breadth of the country; stayed at hundreds of hotels, Ryokan and Minshuku, taken trains, planes, ferries and buses to the far corners of this amazing country, to discover the best food, best accommodation and best service that you can expect.

We strongly believe in travel having a positive impact on both the traveler and the local people. Our tours travel both to the famous sites, but also to the lesser-known places that have not made it into the guidebooks. You may find yourself on a super-fast bullet train one day, and the next sitting in a small country hot spring miles from the nearest town.

We try to strike a balance between easy, comfortable travel, with seeing places that require a degree more effort to get to. Some of our destinations are not visited by any other tour company, and that's because they are not suited to mass-market tourism. Our favourite inns may not have internet access or even their own website, but they have the freshest food and personal service you can't reproduce on a large scale.

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Recent Trip Reviews for Oku Japan

We understand that you were busy, but we were...
Japan | Nov 2 - Nov 15, 2023

A
ann s.
Morocco | Reviewed on Nov 23, 2023
We understand that you were busy, but we were it appeared to us that it took an overly long time to finalize our plans. We have not experienced these types of delays with other companies with whom we have dealt. We do understand that you were were coming out of the pandemic, but we thought you should know how we felt. Overall, we were extremely happy with our trip. Read more

We understand that you were busy, but we were it appeared to us that it took an overly long time to finalize our plans. We have not experienced these types of delays with other companies with whom we have dealt. We do understand that you were were coming out of the pandemic, but we thought you should know how we felt. Overall, we were extremely happy with our trip.

Activity Reviews
Full Day Private Tour with a Local Guide
Full Day Private Tour with a Local Guide
Kyoto

Excellent! Could not have asked for more!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
See Peter Zingg's review about needing a second ticket for one train.
Private guided day in Tokyo
Private guided day in Tokyo
Tokyo

He spent extra time with us at the end giving us advise.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Kanata Ide
Kanata
Kanata Ide
Local specialist in Kyoto, Japan | Replied on Nov 24, 2023

Hello Ann,

Thank you for taking the time to provide some feedback. We are delighted to hear that everyone had an enjoyable time on the tour.

We certainly understand that the request and confirmation process may have taken longer than expected. We are currently seeing delays in response times from the small family-run inns we work with due to the unprecedented amount of demand for travel in Japan at this time. Your patience is greatly appreciated.

If you do ever wish to visit again we would be more than happy to welcome you back and create a new itinerary!

Kind regards,
Kanata

We had a great trip. Our three guides were fr...
Japan | Nov 2 - Nov 15, 2023

Peter
Peter Z.
San Rafael, CA | Reviewed on Nov 22, 2023

We had a great trip. Our three guides were friendly, knowledgeable, and overall just excellent. Each gave us insight into today’s Japan as well as the historic sites they led us to.

The Oku Travel written guides and maps were informative and clear, and we had no trouble using the train tickets and IC cards provided to us. We really liked the quality and variety of lodgings, dinners and breakfasts in Koyasan and in the Nakasendo post towns.

Local specialist: Kanata Ide
Kanata
Kanata Ide
Local specialist in Kyoto, Japan | Replied on Nov 29, 2023
Hello Peter,
Thank you for taking the time to submit a review and upload these photos. Our team here in Kyoto is very happy to hear that you had a great experience and we will be sure to share your kind words with your guides as well.
Our tour documents have been refined and developed over years of welcoming travelers and conducting inspection trips so we are glad to hear that you found them to be informative and clear. We are also very proud of the small-family run inns we are partnered...
Read more

Hello Peter,
Thank you for taking the time to submit a review and upload these photos. Our team here in Kyoto is very happy to hear that you had a great experience and we will be sure to share your kind words with your guides as well.
Our tour documents have been refined and developed over years of welcoming travelers and conducting inspection trips so we are glad to hear that you found them to be informative and clear. We are also very proud of the small-family run inns we are partnered with so we are delighted to hear that you enjoyed your stays and the culinary experiences offered.
We hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you back to Japan in the future.
Kind regards,
Kanata

We were initially very happy in dealing with ...
Japan | Feb 11 - Feb 17, 2023

Iain
Iain M.
Singapore | Reviewed on Feb 23, 2023

We were initially very happy in dealing with Andy as he seemed to understand our interests well. Subsequently due to Covid delays and his change of jobs we ended up interacting with other specialists who were sometimes pretty unresponsive (1-2 weeks to reply) and didn't see to know our interests as well

Local specialist: Andy Moser

Best trip ever because of Kimkim
Japan | Oct 24 - Oct 28, 2019

C
Candyce K.
| Reviewed on Nov 17, 2019
I cannot begin to write a review that can give my friends and my experience traversing the Nakasendo Trail in Japan. I think a large part of this amazing time was the service provided by Kimkim and the team. We did not use a guide but honestly, this group is so organized, they gave us almost step by step instructions on how to hike the trail, going to far as to provide pictures of junctures so that we could not get lost even if we tried.
All our train tickets, itinerary and inn...
Read more

I cannot begin to write a review that can give my friends and my experience traversing the Nakasendo Trail in Japan. I think a large part of this amazing time was the service provided by Kimkim and the team. We did not use a guide but honestly, this group is so organized, they gave us almost step by step instructions on how to hike the trail, going to far as to provide pictures of junctures so that we could not get lost even if we tried.
All our train tickets, itinerary and inn reservations (including food restrictions) were all handled ahead of time with no necessary added work on our part. In fact, due to the typhoon that occurred just prior to our trip, a Kimkim agent came to our inn with updated instructions and amended train tickets to accommodate the change in plans due to problems on the trail. I have never, never experienced such service in my life.
This is what I would say, if anyone is considering walking the Nakasendo Trail, please trust your trip to Kimkim. Yes, you can do it yourself, and yes it might cost to give it over to this company. However for peace of mind and even looking back on it now, it was the smartest move and the best money I have ever spent on a trip.

Local specialist: Patrick Marsh

Kumano Kodo - Do it!
Japan | Oct 7 - Oct 17, 2019

E
Emily S.
Salt Lake City, UT | Reviewed on Oct 22, 2019

Carrick was integral in making this trip happen! From booking the travel and accommodations, to answering questions, to helping me be as flexible as possible, there was no way I could have done the Kumano Kodo without her help. Through Carrick, I was able to do not only the Nakahechi Route, but the lesser traveled and (I think) more rewarding Kohechi Route. Even when things went slightly awry, their English speaking support team was able to help me work through any missed connections. I fully recommend her, Oku Japan, and their services via KimKim! Thank you for making my trip so amazing.

Local specialist: Andy Moser

Hike Japan's Nakasendo Trail - 5 Days
Japan | Sep 14 - Sep 18, 2019

P
Phillip A.
Australia | Reviewed on Sep 19, 2019

The trip was very well organised by Kanata. Our only concern in booking was a delay in progress every now and again. The hike was FANTASTIC! Accommodation SUPERB. Maps and booklet etc EXCELLENT

Local specialist: Kanata Ide

Kumano Kodo Self-Guided Tour - 6 Days
Japan | Mar 30 - Apr 6, 2019

R
Ralph A.
Canada | Reviewed on Apr 08, 2019

Another great trip with Kim Kim. Accommodations were great, trail instructions accuracy, food amazing.
Well organized.

Local specialist: Patrick Marsh

Discover the Nakasendo Trail
Japan | Oct 9 - Oct 14, 2018

Louise
Louise I.
| Reviewed on Oct 27, 2018
Thanks to kimkim, our 4-night, 5-day Nakasendo adventure in October was amazing. We have been highly recommending it to friends and family. All arrangements were professionally, efficiently and patiently handled by our pre-travel contact Andy, our trip guide Atsuko-san and our local guide from Usui Toge to Yokokawa, Riki-san. The online information was very helpful and was among the deciding factors for joining our Nakasendo group. A delicious kaiseki dinner in Kyoto with Atsuko-san on... Read more

Thanks to kimkim, our 4-night, 5-day Nakasendo adventure in October was amazing. We have been highly recommending it to friends and family. All arrangements were professionally, efficiently and patiently handled by our pre-travel contact Andy, our trip guide Atsuko-san and our local guide from Usui Toge to Yokokawa, Riki-san. The online information was very helpful and was among the deciding factors for joining our Nakasendo group. A delicious kaiseki dinner in Kyoto with Atsuko-san on the night before our hike for our group of 12 set the tone for the beautiful breakfast and dinner settings we experienced during the entire trip. The accommodations were comfortable and full of atmosphere, whether the inn we stayed at was rustic and charming (Tsutamuraya in Otsumago and Iseya in Narai) or refined and charming (Komanoyu Ryokan outside of Kiso-Fukushima and Nakadanaso Ryokan in Narai). All the towns we passed through were so enjoyable to explore, but I especially loved the historic beauty of Magome and Tsumago. We were so impressed by Atsuko-san's attention to every detail, like arranging four different options on the last day to meet the needs of those traveling directly to Tokyo, those who chose to visit Karuizawa first, those who wanted a longer hike and the rest of us who chose to ride up to Usui Toge and then hike down to Yokokawa. Atsuko-san even escorted us from Tokyo Station to the frenetic and huge Shinjuku Station in order to point us in the right direction. Well done, kimkim and Oku Japan!

Local specialist: Andy Moser
Andy
Andy Moser
Local specialist in Kyoto, Japan | Replied on Jun 09, 2019

Hi Louise, thank you again for choosing to travel with us along the Nakasendo trail - we're very happy to know the group enjoyed staying with the locally-run inns along the trail. We've also communicated your kind words to Ako-san and Riki-san. Please don't hesitate if we can assist with a future trip.
Best regards, Andy / Oku Japan

Discover the Nakasendo Trail
Japan | Oct 9 - Oct 14, 2018

Gwen
Gwen P.
Kailua, HI | Reviewed on Oct 26, 2018
We planned our trip with Andy who was accessible and communicated clearly. He made special arrangements for those that needed them. Once we got to Japan, our trip was amazing.
Akosan was such a gracious, accommodating, professional, knowledgeable guide. Despite the disparate needs of our group, she never made us feel that we were asking too much and always accommodated us. She took the time to listen and then shared her wonderful cultural and historical wisdom. She made the trail come...
Read more

We planned our trip with Andy who was accessible and communicated clearly. He made special arrangements for those that needed them. Once we got to Japan, our trip was amazing.
Akosan was such a gracious, accommodating, professional, knowledgeable guide. Despite the disparate needs of our group, she never made us feel that we were asking too much and always accommodated us. She took the time to listen and then shared her wonderful cultural and historical wisdom. She made the trail come alive! We had different hiking abilities-all were accommodated with sometimes as many as 4 options in a day provided. We transited with ease between locations, as Akosan was always organized and on schedule. SHe is a master at time management and set reasonable expectations for all of our schedule.
from the WE all had little needs and accommodations were top notch. We enjoyed

Local specialist: Andy Moser
Andy
Andy Moser
Local specialist in Kyoto, Japan | Replied on Oct 29, 2018

Hi Gwen, we are very happy to know the group had an excellent time along the Nakasendo - we've also communicated your kind words to Akosan.
Best regards, Andy / Oku Japan

Discover the Nakasendo Trail
Japan | Oct 9 - Oct 14, 2018

C
Clarence P.
Honolulu, HI | Reviewed on Oct 22, 2018
It was a wonderful experience from the start of the planning with the Kimkim team through the actual hike with Ako-san. Andy and the team were very responsive to our needs and went out of their way to celebrate my wife's birthday with a cake at our initial dinner. Our guide was fantastic in her service and knowledge of the trails and the history. She explained fully what was happening and gave us many options to take. If we do another hike or tour in Japan (which we will) we will request... Read more

It was a wonderful experience from the start of the planning with the Kimkim team through the actual hike with Ako-san. Andy and the team were very responsive to our needs and went out of their way to celebrate my wife's birthday with a cake at our initial dinner. Our guide was fantastic in her service and knowledge of the trails and the history. She explained fully what was happening and gave us many options to take. If we do another hike or tour in Japan (which we will) we will request specifically for Ako-san. I would highly recommend to anyone to use this company and their guides. Thank you for a wonderful time.

Local specialist: Andy Moser
Andy
Andy Moser
Local specialist in Kyoto, Japan | Replied on Oct 23, 2018

Hi Clarence, we are happy to know the group had such a fantastic time in Japan, and has made many good memories along the trip. We've also passed along your kind words to Ako-san.
Best regards, Andy / Oku Japan