Independent travelers needed a little help
Japan
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Jun 10 - Jun 19, 2026
My wife and I are pretty independent travelers. We have done trips to all 50 US States and a few trips abroad by basic research and online bookings. So this year when we decided to travel further and we picked Japan, I thought it would be the same. It really wasn’t. I was having a difficult time knowing where to stay (Tokyo is very large) what things we needed to see, and the best way to travel to multiple cities within our budget. Also we were a little worried about the language barrier and finding our way around. We did not want to do a guided tour, we like working on our own timetable, but were worried about doing this on our own. After looking through several websites, came across KimKim and on a lark filled out some information. Before long, we were contacted by Carinta and through a basic survey on our interests and goals she came up with a really great vacation package. We had a video chat and fine tuned a few things, but were very happy with the plan! So our anticipation grew and we had our vacation all prepped and planned well in advance. A few weeks before our trip we received our Roadbook with all the specific information and links, along with some helpful cultural tips. Another video chat with Carinta to go over the points and answer any questions and we were ready to go!
The accommodations that she picked for us were all wonderful. The train travel between cities was all laid out very well. We only had one ticket issue with an experience (could not get the ticket link to come up) but a quick text and the issue was solved immediately. All of the locations that were suggested that we had no idea about but went to because of the suggestion were all fantastic . And because we weren’t in a group dynamic, we did a few things on a lark that we had a great time doing. She did provide us with an airport pickup and a half day guided tour, so we did have a little help navigating the public transport and finding our way around to start. That was super helpful, and not sure we would have been so bold with our travels ha we not had that initial help. The contact from KimKim on travel days was appreciated, and even though we didn’t have any huge issues or emergencies, the fact that we had a resource there was incredibly comforting. This was honestly a great experience from the start through the trip and I am so happy that we went with this company, and we are already thinking of our next adventure with a little more confidence knowing this company is here.
Hotel Reviews
Very nice accommodation, super convenient location, staff was wonderful, nice breakfast buffet, had a great stay here.
Our first stay at a Ryokan and it was incredible. The room was super spacious and comfortable, the private onsen was so relaxing, and the meals there were some of the greatest meals we have ever had.
Great hotel super close to Kyoto Station. Nice neighborhood, very comfortable room.
Activity Reviews
Such a great way to get acquainted with the city. Learned a lot about the history of Tokyo while also getting a lot of tips about navigating such a vast space. Our guide, Charlotte, was tremendous.
Having a private driver so we didn’t have to haul luggage through public transport was a super comforting way to end our trip.
Very interesting cultural experience.
After 20 hours of plane travel, not sure how we would have found our hotel without this service. Highly recommend!
Nothing we would have individually picked, but what a great time! Incredible vacation experience.
So much fun! And the meal was delicious!
So much fun we actually did another in Kyoto.
So intriguing! I have seen Kabuki before, but never at this level and environment. Fascinating experience.
Great experiences, and not having to worry about individual ticketing is super nice.
