Family trip to Japan

Japan | Aug 3 - Aug 12, 2025

Shona planned an amazing trip for my family which included me, my husband and 2 daughters ages 12 and 16. It was the perfect blend of learning about Japanese culture and activities that my daughters would enjoy. We had several activities that we liked a lot. On our 1st day, we had Yuto as a guide for 2 different activities. We did a bike tour all around Osaka during the day and a food tour at night. He made sure we were safe and allowed us to take breaks when we needed to (it was extremely hot that day). In Kyoto, we loved the tea ceremony where we dressed in kimonos and learned about the traditions of hosting a tea service. We also had a wonderful guide named Yasuko who took us to a temple, a shrine, and a boat ride down the Hozugawa River. This was a highight of the trip. Yasuko was very knowledgable and she took great care of us (getting our tickets, guiding us with the public transportation) during these excursions. In Tokyo, we had a lovely time with our tour guide, Yumi, who ventured with us in the rain. She was very patient with us as my daughter who loves anime and Harajuku fashion wanted to shop along a busy area in Tokyo. Again, we had another tour guide who kept us safe while teaching us about Japanese history and culture. Lastly, to celebrate my husband's upcoming 50th birthday, Shona planned a beautiful fine-dining experience on a boat going around Tokyo Bay. The staff made the experience a memorable one!
In terms of accommodations, the hotels were very clean and comfortable. Check-in was easy. We liked that we were able to do some laundry at the hotel during our trip and breakfast was included everyday. The location of the hotels were convenient and close to different restaurants and shops. Lastly, riding the bullet train was a blast. Although going through the train station was hectic with people everywhere (luckily, my husband is knowledgeable with using public transportation in different countries), Shona planned 1st class accommodations along with room for our big luggage which was key when traveling.
Overall, this was a trip of a lifetime. Shona planned the perfect blend of fun stuff for my kids (Universal Studios, sumo wrestling, anime) and historic stuff for me and my husband. It was busy and we were tired, but it was worth it! The communication before and during our trip was great. Everyday, we would get a text with all the information we needed for the day (tickets, which public transportation to use, locations on Google maps). As someone who usually plans our family vacations, using KimKim and having Shona plan everything made me feel at ease with no stress. Thank you to Shona, tour guides, drivers, and KimKim staff who made this trip one of the best we have experienced as a family. We look forward to having another trip with KimKim in the near future!