Vio Travel

Instead of booking a large, generic group tour with fixed dates, rushed schedules, and little flexibility, I wanted something more personal for my first solo trip to Japan—and Kimkim delivered exactly that. Being able to choose my own dates and have a completely customized itinerary was exactly what I was looking for.

My local specialist, Leny, really took the time to understand who I am and what I wanted out of this trip. Over several weeks, we worked together to create a thoughtful, well-paced daily itinerary. I could choose from hotels that matched my style and budget, a mix of private and small-group tours in areas I wanted to explore, the foods I was excited to eat, and the sights I didn’t want to miss. Everything was well organized, including realistic travel time between locations, which made the trip feel smooth and stress-free.

Leny’s expertise, planning, recommendations, and patience made this trip truly exceptional and memorable. Every tour she arranged was fantastic—none were canceled, and all of the guides were knowledgeable, friendly, and genuinely enthusiastic. Some personal highlights included the 5-hour Tsukiji, Akihabara & Asakusa Highlights Tour, Best of Shibuya Food Tour, Dinner with a Maiko in Kyoto (which unexpectedly turned into a private dinner with a Geisha!), the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest & Garden walking tour, Kyoto’s Nijo Castle and Imperial Palace tour, and the All-Star Food Tour in Ginza.

One of the most valuable parts of the experience was knowing that Leny or someone on her team was always available if I needed help. I received daily reminders of the next day’s plans along with any tickets or vouchers, which was reassuring. Her real-time communication and spot-on recommendations for restaurants, shops, souvenirs, and museums were invaluable. Even when something didn’t go as planned, Leny and her team jumped into action, kept me informed, and resolved the issue with a solution that ended up being even better than the original plan. And when I got lost in Japan’s train stations many times, her team’s patience and guidance made all the difference.

Even though this was a solo trip, I felt like I had a supportive team behind me. Next time, I plan to bring my two teenage daughters to Japan, and I will absolutely be using Kimkim again to plan that trip.

This was an amazing trip especially for only being there one week. All of the guides were great! Wish I had more time.

Hotel Reviews

Night Hotel Bangkok - Sukhumvit 15

Bangkok

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

De Lanna Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Ayutthaya Day Tour with Lunch

Bangkok

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chiang Mai Sunset Point, Wat Pha Lat, Wat Doi Suthep, Wat Umong

Chiang Mai

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Tuk Tuk Tour (Private)

Bangkok

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Doi Inthanon National Park Trekking

Chiang Mai

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Elephant Day Care at Patara Elephant Farm

Chiang Mai

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Leny was fantastic prepping for the trip. After numerous live calls we adjusted our itinerary to our needs and timing. Leny was patient and made all the necessary adjustments. The trip was fantastic and every day we had a text outlining our day and travel. Just an awesome experience and Leny was the best

What an incredible experience! As a first-time female solo traveler in Asia, I couldn’t have asked for a smoother, more enjoyable trip. The Kimkim team was fantastic, and a huge shoutout to Leny, my amazing Kimkim agent, who was always just a message away with helpful insights, restaurant suggestions, and even quick itinerary tweaks while I was in Japan. Truly a godsend!
My journey took me through Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Takayama, Kanazawa, and back to Tokyo over the span of two weeks. The big cities were so much fun to explore—especially with the thoughtfully chosen hotels that made each stay comfortable and convenient. The smaller towns gave me a completely different perspective on Japanese culture that I never would have discovered on my own.
Every hotel was excellent, the food was out of this world, and the tours were exactly what I hoped for—most ended up being private, which made everything feel so personal. The tour guides were incredible and really brought each destination to life.
If you’re a female solo traveler wondering if this is doable—it absolutely is! Kimkim made it stress-free and enjoyable from start to finish. 10/10 would recommend, and I’m already planning my next trip to Japan!

Hotel Reviews

Hyatt Regency Tokyo

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Matsuzakaya Honten

Kanagawa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Thousand Kyoto

Kyoto

Really such a fantastic location to get anywhere you need in Kyoto and beyond. In the center of it all!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mercure Hida Takayama

Takayama

The public baths are a huge win! What a great hotel and location. But beware, there are a LOT of tours that stay here too, so there tend to be long wait times to the elevators or breakfast in the mornings.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Hotel Sanraku Kanazawa

Kanazawa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Park Hotel Tokyo

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

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

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ken was a great tour guide and made the experience so fun and personal! 10/10 for Magical Trip

Transport

Ghibli Museum & Ghibli Film Appreciation Bus Tour (Round Trip from Shinjuku)

Tokyo

As a huge Studio Ghibli fan, visiting the museum was an absolute dream come true. My tour guide, Michico, was incredible—so knowledgeable and passionate, and it made the experience even more special knowing she was a fellow Ghibli fan. She was truly a highlight of the trip! The museum itself is something beyond words—magical, whimsical, and full of surprises. It’s a must-visit for any Ghibli lover. I spent hours exploring, letting my inner child lead the way, and loved every minute of it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Relaxing Evening: Private Onsen and Kaiseki Dinner

Hakone

Hakone is a beautiful and fun destination, but I realized that traditional ryokans aren’t for me. While the experience is unique and deeply rooted in Japanese culture—complete with traditional clothing and footwear—I personally found it a bit uncomfortable. For travelers who want an authentic cultural stay, I highly recommend trying a ryokan at least once. However, if you prefer familiar comforts, this experience might push you out of your comfort zone and could feel a little stressful. The site itself was amazing and the staff incredibly attentive.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kimono wearing and Tea ceremony (Sado) in Kyoto (Private)

Japan

I can’t rave enough about this Tea Ceremony experience! The women running the tea house were incredibly kind and generous with their time. What was supposed to be a 30-minute visit turned into an hour and a half of conversation, laughter, and exchanging stories with the staff. This was truly the highlight of my entire trip—an authentic, heartfelt experience that I’ll never forget. If you’re considering it, don’t hesitate. I recommend it 100%!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kyoto Arashiyama Bamboo forest & Garden Half-Day Walking Tour

Kyoto

My tour guide, Ayuri, was absolutely amazing! I loved this entire tour—it gave me the chance to see areas that most travelers overlook because of the usual “tourism blinders.” Ayuri’s knowledge and passion made the experience unforgettable.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Authentic Sumo Experience in Tokyo with Chanko-nabe Lunch

Tokyo

Wow, wow, wow—this experience was absolutely amazing! Learning about sumo wrestling directly from retired sumos was unforgettable, and then having them cook a delicious lunch for us? How cool is that! The sumos were hilarious, passionate, and so eager to share the history and culture of the sport. After the meal, we even practiced and had a match in the ring with them—which was hysterical fun and such a unique memory. 10/10 recommend, especially because our tour guide, Mayu, was so personable and an excellent translator, making the whole experience seamless and enjoyable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip was great - seamless and a lot of on the ground help once we got to Japan. We had fun learning about the metro system and generally walking all over. And some of the guides were terrific. The Kyoto visit was by far the most incredible part of the week. Thanks for your help!

Hotel Review

Patina Osaka

Osaka

Absolutely amazing! Brand new, right on Osaka Castle... A little walk to the metro but not bad. Breakfast was incredible. We will definately stay here again!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kyoto Arashiyama Bamboo forest & Garden Half-Day Walking Tour

Kyoto

Incredible. the guide Akira Itoh was knowledgable and very friendly. An incredible visit!

Quality of Experience

Food

Tofu lunch was a bit boring

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Experience Old and Nostalgic Tokyo: Yanaka Walking Tour

Tokyo

Very neat learning about this neighborhood. The guide Michiko Aoyama was incredible - she was tireless and took us all over, to all the alleys of the neighborhood finding millinium old shrines. Great tour! And wonderful tour guide!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

An amazing, enjoyable, exciting, and fun-filled trip to Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand all arranged by our spectacular agent Vicky Steinhardt. She did an amazing job of setting an itinerary to meet all our requests. The pre-arranged tours were all first class and hit the major highlights of the places we visited. In addition, Vicky's suggestions of things to do and see in our free time, and restaurant recommendations, were spot on - plenty of variety. We were especially appreciative when she quickly and seamlessly made new flight arrangements due to a late cancellation by one airline, without interrupting our itinerary. If you want the best experience of Australia and New Zealand, all 4 of us highly recommend kimkim, and Vicky in particular.

Vicky was able to accommodate our ever changing schedule. We were so grateful.

When we arrived to Seoul, we were supposed to have a 4 hour tour coming straight from the airport. However, it was 6.5 hours and we only did 2 of the 5 things listed on the itinerary before forcing to call it quits due to the young children in our group. This day was very poorly planned. We got to the lunch spot, bought a few different items, and were ready to go, but we were told we needed to stay put and wait for 30 minutes until our guide and driver had time to enjoy their lunch. This was a waste of our time. The guide also told us she’d reach out to her manager to see about a refund for the spots we were unable to hit and I have yet to hear back. If the cable car is known to have lines and you chose to not purchase tickets in advance, why would that not be the first stop?

The second day at the DMZ was amazing. Vincent was great.