China and Japan Highlights

Greetings to our distinguished guests! Let’s explore the secrets of Asia’s ancient kingdoms on this 15 days China and Japan tour. Upon your landing at Beijing Airport, our guide and the driver will be ready serving you with a comfortable ride by private car to your hotel. Get some rest to adjust to the time difference and spoil yourself with the superb amenities and services of our selected 4 stars hotels.

★ Services Upgraded for Our Guests: In addition to a private tour guide, we’ll provide you with a private car with chauffeur throughout your China trip.
➤ Tip: If you’re feeling up to going out, check out the New World Department Store next to the hotel, or take a stroll through the nearby Ming Dynasty City Wall Relics Park.

Accommodation: Beijing New World Centre Tongpai Hotel (4 stars)

After breakfast, our private guide and the driver will pick you up from your hotel. We’ll kick off from the landmarks in the city center. Marvel at the sheer size of the Tiananmen Square, the site of China’s biggest rallies and National Day parade. Take a leisurely stroll and capture the major buildings on and around the square, including the Monument to the People's Heroes, Great Hall of the People, and the most iconic Tiananmen Tower, towards which we’ll proceed to the Forbidden City. Follow the guide into the world’s largest palace complex, which is 6 times larger than the Imperial Palace of Japan. Step into this palace of the Chinese feudal dynasties of the Ming and Qing (1368 – 1911 AD), and be amazed by the massive buildings and countless treasures left over from its 600 years of history. You won’t believe it, but these wooden palaces have stood for centuries without using a single nail!

★ Services Upgraded for Our Guests:
1. Treasure Gallery of Forbidden City: It requires extra cost and time, so other travel agencies usually do not arrange it, but we include it for free for you, because it concentrates the essence of cultural relics of the entire Forbidden City. The palaces are just living spaces, while these exquisite artifacts tell the real imperial life.
2. Welcome a la carte lunch (valued at CNY 150 per person and included in our price): For your first main meal of the trip, we will give you a sense of ceremony - the most authentic Chinese food prepared by a master chef in a fine restaurant near the Forbidden City. A la carte service is available, with the help of our guide.

In the afternoon, we will visit the Yonghe Temple and learn about its history, from a prince’s mansion originally established in 1694 AD to an imperial lamasery managing Tibetan Buddhist affairs. The same red and yellow color scheme as the Forbidden City you visited in the morning shows its special royal majesty. Ask the guide how to properly offer incense if you wish to pray for career, wealth, marriage, or health in the corresponding halls. Finally, visit the ancient buildings complex immediately to the west of the Yonghe Temple - Temple of Confucius, the site where the emperors worshipped the great philosopher Confucius, as well as Guozijian (Imperial Academy), once the country’s highest institution of learning and now a popular place for academic and cultural prayers.

➤ Dinner Suggestion:
In a lane near Yonghe Temple sits a popular restaurant named Liu Mian Shou Noodles, which we recommend you to try. This is where you can immerse in Chinese culture, by savoring Chinese cuisine while enjoying the imperial-level traditional architecture not far away. Try its Da Lu Mian, noodles with gravy, or Zha Jiang Mian, noodles with soybean paste, Beijing’s traditional signatures. Even locals would come all the way for these two dishes! Later, perhaps take a stroll to help digest along the elegant neighboring streets.

Meals: Breakfast, A la carte lunch
Accommodation: Beijing New World Centre Tongpai Hotel (4 stars)

Today you will explore China’s premier World Heritage site - the Great Wall. In the morning, our guide and the driver will pick you up from your hotel for a 1.5-hour drive to the Mutianyu Great Wall, one of the most representative sections of the Great Wall, featuring beautiful views, complete military fortifications, and less-crowded experience. Climb to the top of a beacon tower and look at the Great Wall like a giant dragon winding on the ridges, you will gasp in admiration at its grandness and imagine its strategic role in ancient wars, as you can’t see the end of it at all, and in fact the Wall stretches east and west for more than 20,000 kilometers (13,000 miles)!

★ Round-trip Cable Car Included:
The trip requires a considerable elevation increase and good physical strength, but don’t worry too much, because we will generously arrange a round-trip cable car, for you to avoid the boring lower half, and retain the interesting upper half for you to experience the hike. Please wear comfortable shoes as you will need to go up and down some stairs.

In the afternoon, we will return to the downtown for a photo stop at the National Stadium (Bird’s Nest) and National Aquatics Center (Water Cube), before plunging into the old Beijing Hutongs, a network of narrow alleys in the heart of the city, to discover the real life of the locals. A special rickshaw experience will be arranged for you. Ride the ancient vehicle slowly through the bustling hutongs, lined with many Siheyuan local residences (Old Beijing Courtyards), some of which have been converted into shops, restaurants and bars. What's more, visit a local family here, talk with the owners, look at the house they live in, and you will feel a great contrast with the high-rise street scene you’ve see on the main roads – a courtyard might be shared by several families, each with a small living area and outdated facilities, but you’d better know that this is in the very center of the capital where land is at a premium, and even a small house is worth a lot. Finally, the guide and the driver will escort you back to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Beijing New World Centre Tongpai Hotel (4 stars)

This morning will start with a visit to the Temple of Heaven, where emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties prayed for rain and bumper harvest. In the large green open spaces among the classical buildings, you can see many retirees exercising Tai Chi, singing, dancing or doing other sports. Next, we’ll head for the Summer Palace, the best-preserved and largest imperial garden in China. Its elegant mountains and huge lake, set against the ingenious layout and spectacular architecture, will tell you why it was the emperors’ choice as a summer resort.

Afterwards, our guide and the driver will escort you to the railway station for a 5-hour high speed train to Xi’an. Upon arrival, our local guide and a driver will be waiting for you at the exit. Take the exclusive car to the hotel, have a good rest, and get prepared for the coming trip to explore the ancient capital city tomorrow.

Xi’an welcomes you with its far-reaching ancient culture! It is an ancient city: built 3,100 years ago, it served for 1,300 years as the capital for thirteen dynasties of China, including the golden era of the Tang dynasty (618 - 907). As the cradle of Tang culture, Xi’an was the major witness to how it was spread to and settled in Japan via the Maritime Silk Road. The year 794 saw Japan move the capital from Nara to Kyoto, and the latter’s urban layout was planned after none other than Xi’an’s at that time. Although with development new regions were added in, the entire layout of Xi’an remains unchanged in the pattern of “井” (a grid pattern just as the Chinese character’s form implies) as it was a thousand year ago. During this trip, you get to visit these two charming cities for yourself, see what historical culture they share in common and how they have grown out of their past selves.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Somerset Xindicheng Xi'an (4 stars)

Spend this morning at the Terracotta Army Museum. These are not small terracotta works you might expect, but several huge conservation pits built on the site of the excavations, holding nearly 10,000 life-size terracotta warriors made more than 2,200 years ago to guard the burial of Qin Shi Huang (259 – 210 BC), the first emperor in Chinese history. Witness the terracotta soldiers, pottery horses, bronze chariots and battle headquarters that have been unearthed since 1976, revealing the once mighty military power of the ancient Qin Empire, and then you will understand why the Terracotta Warriors are considered the eighth wonder of the world and Xi’an is hailed as the cultural root of China.

★ Special Experiences for Our Guests:
1. Visit the old man Mr. Yang who first discovered the Terracotta Warriors in 1976, talk to him or his family, and learn about his adventure of finding a terracotta statue when digging a well.
2. Pottery making course: Make your own miniature terracotta warrior through a mold, and take it back as a souvenir.

Next, a visit to the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda will set history nearly a thousand years forward to the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907 AD), when Buddhism flourished in China. See the pagoda and the temple that surrounds it, which is the ashram where the monk Xuanzang, who took precious Buddhist sutras from India, translated and promoted the dharma after his return. Later, we’ll check out the downtown landmarks – pass the Bell and Drum Towers, take photos, and then visit the Great Mosque, which is a symbol of the fusion of Islamic culture and Chinese culture. Finally, take a stroll around the nearby Muslim Quarter. Immerse in the lively atmosphere, be dazzled by colorful handicrafts, and get overwhelmed by food craving for various street snacks – kebabs, Yangrou Paomo (Crumbled Flatbread in Mutton Stew), Cold Noodles, Honey Cake, Mung Bean Cake… You can be escorted back to the hotel, or stay longer here and return to the hotel on your own.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Somerset Xindicheng Xi'an (4 stars)

In the morning, walk like a local into the City Wall Park, a green belt surrounding the ancient City Wall, to see the colorful life of the locals, especially the retirees. You will see senior people exercising in the park, dancing, singing, doing Tai Chi, playing yo-yos, spinning tops... They look even more energetic than young people, and the carefree vibe will rub off on you. Join them if you like! Next, climb up the ancient Xi’an City Wall, which has guarded the city for more than 600 years. The wall that was once used to rally troops for defense is now your best observation deck. From above, take a commanding view of the low and protected old buildings inside the City Wall, and look at the modern high-rises outside the Wall showing the vitality of the city.
➤ Tip: There are sightseeing cars on the City Wall, and if you like, cycling on the Wall is also a good option. The guide can assist you with rental and payment.

Afterwards, you will be escorted to the airport for a flight to Shanghai. Our Shanghai guide will accompany you on a comfortable ride by private car from the airport to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Sunrise On the Bund (4 stars)

After breakfast, our guide and the driver will pick you up from the hotel to discover the hidden history of this modern metropolis. First, head to the People’s Square to visit the eye-opening Shanghai Museum, examining its rich and high-quality collection of precious ancient art works, including bronzeware, sculptures, porcelain, calligraphy works, paintings, jade, coins, and furniture, all in clear and neat classification. Next, head to the classical Yu Garden, which was originally a private garden built in the Ming Dynasty over 400 years ago. Admire its halls, library, viewing towers, leisure pavilions, stage, ponds, large rockeries, flowers and trees, and you can imagine the elegant and luxurious life of senior officials and rich people in ancient times. Wander around the Yuyuan Bazaar outside the garden if time permits.
➤ If it happens to be a Monday when the Shanghai Museum is closed, visit the Urban Planning Exhibition Hall instead.

★ A La Carte Lunch in Shanghai
At noon, we’ll specially arrange for you to enjoy authentic Shanghai and Cantonese cuisines at a famous upscale restaurant (worth CNY 150 per person and included in our price). Our guide will assist you with your order in advance.

In the afternoon, we will delve into the soul of the city to visit the Bund for the top waterfront view along the Huangpu River, known as the mother river of Shanghai. You will take a one-hour Huangpu River cruise to appreciate the two representative profiles of the city on both sides of the river. To the west is the Bund reflecting Shanghai’s colonial past. You’ll see exotic buildings of different styles but harmonious contours, which used to be foreign hotels, banks, business associations, newspaper offices, etc. Looking east, you’ll be struck by Pudong’s famous skyline, home to some of the world’s tallest buildings that express the city’s vibrancy and future, including the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Shanghai Tower, and World Financial Center. Enjoy some free time strolling along the Bund and taking photo before heading to Tianzifang, our last stop in Shanghai. Spend your last hours in China in this traditional neighborhood full of culture and art.

➤ Dinner Suggestion:
The area of Tianzifang, as you will see, offers many cafes and restaurants. At dinner time, we strongly recommend you to dine in one named Wei Xiang Zhai, a time-honored restaurant specializing in noodles. Listed in Michelin Guide, their noodles have been enjoying the same taste and quality as it was built nine decades ago. This place bears a significance unusual to Shanghainese as it carries forward their old memories, and, popular as it is, during all this time it doesn’t seem to care about moving to a larger location or expanding their business. Try Sesame Noodles, the restaurant’s signature.

Meals: Breakfast, A la carte lunch
Accommodation: Sunrise On the Bund (4 stars)

You’ll set off for Japan today. After breakfast, our guide and the driver will escort you to the Shanghai Pudong Airport for a 2.5-hour flight to Osaka. Upon arrival, please make your own way to the hotel we’ve already booked for you.

➤ Ways to Get from Osaka Kansai International Airport to Your Hotel:
1. Rail transit: 50 minutes, USD 10. Take the Nankai-Limited Express from Kansai-Airport Station, ride for 40 minutes (7 stops) to Namba Station, and then walk 6 minutes north to the hotel.
2. Taxi: 50 minutes, USD 130.

Check in at the hotel by yourself. The rest of the day is up to you. Take a break, or if you’re not tired, go for a walk on your own. The Shinsaibashi and Dotonbori commercial areas in downtown Osaka are highly recommended, all within walking distance of your hotel. Check out its bustling streets, full of stores, restaurants, and entertainment venues. It’s a good idea to have dinner or watch the night scene here.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Namba Oriental Hotel (4 stars) or similar, in Osaka

After breakfast, our Osaka guide will pick you up from your hotel and accompany you on a 2-hour rail journey to Hiroshima. Upon arrival, get to the pier for a 10-minute ferry ride across the sea to the Miyajima Island, marked by the huge red torii gate in the sea. The Itsukushima Shrine on the island is located in the intertidal zone and is the only wooden building on the sea in Japan designed basing on the principle of the rise and fall of the tide, which is rare in the world. At high tide, the Itsukushima Shrine seems to float on the sea, and its architecture is perfectly integrated with nature. Land on the island and follow the guide to visit the 1,400-year-old shrine. Walk through the cloisters that connect the various buildings and admire its stately and ornate architecture featuring red columns, white walls and black tiles.

In the afternoon, we’ll head back to the city center to learn what made Hiroshima dreadfully famous – the scars of the Japanese people from the atomic bombing in 1945. You’ll see that much of the city was rebuilt in the second half of the 20th century, but it’s hard to neglect the tumbledown Atomic Bomb Dome that remains in the city center, the only structure that miraculously survived the devastation. Next to the dome, we will visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Museum and get a sense of the background of the war through some historical materials. Finally, our guide will accompany you on the train back to Osaka for the night.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Namba Oriental Hotel (4 stars) or similar, in Osaka

In the morning, our guide will greet you at the hotel and accompany you on a train to Kyoto, the most famous ancient capital of Japan. See the majestic exterior of the Kyoto Tower when stepping out of the train station. Then, we will head to the Fushimi Inari Shrine, dedicated to the god of agricultural and industrial prosperity and affluence, where you can learn about the simplest beliefs of the Japanese. What we won’t miss is the Senbon Torii – nearly 10,000 red torii gates that line the path up the hill, making for one of Kyoto’s most photogenic sights. Next, our guide will take you to the Temple of the Golden Pavilion to admire its representative three-story gold foil-covered pavilion, which is bold and brilliant in contrast to your possible stereotype of dim Buddhist buildings.

In the afternoon, head for the Pure Water Temple, which offers not only ancient religious architecture and culture, but also an excellent vantage point. On its Pure Water Stage, a wide wooden veranda jutting above the ground, you will gaze out over a landscape where Kyoto’s historical monuments and raised pagodas contribute to the city’s unique charm. If you want to witness the surrounds dyed pink by cherry blossoms or red by maple foliage, book a visit to come in spring or autumn! We also wish you good luck encountering festive cultural performances which are occasionally staged, like Kyougen, a comic theater featuring witty dialogues, and Gigaku, an ancient form of masked dance drama. After visiting the temple, enjoy strolling along the ramps of the quaint Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka. Linger in the wooden huts selling souvenirs along the road and maybe fund yourself for some street food. Take a commemorative photo in front of the Yasaka Pagoda of the Hokan-ji Temple. Continue your walk to explore the Gion Geisha District, a collection of preserved classical wooden buildings, as well as traditional teahouses and theaters where the Japanese geishas perform and entertain guests. You might stumble across a geisha in an exquisite kimono. Finally, the guide will escort you back to your hotel.

➤ Tips to Enrich Your Visit:
1. Fancy a photo op? Consider renting a kimono to wear from one of the nearby shops. It would be incredibly photogenic against this ancient backdrop.
2. If you would like to watch a geisha or maiko show in a teahouse, about 1 hour of singing and dancing or tea ceremony, please contact our travel consultant or guide to book tickets for you in advance.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Mitsui Garden Kyoto Station (4 stars) or similar

➤ No guided tour for today.
We’ll give you a free day to explore Kyoto on your own. You can refer to the following suggested activities:

1. For history buffs, the Nijo Castle, Higashiyama Jisho-ji Temple, and Toji Temple are good places to go.
2. If you are interested in local leisure life and cuisine, don’t miss the 400-year-old Nishiki Market, and Pontocho, where gathers a cluster of restaurants and izakayas along the Kamo River.
3. For nature lovers, the best recommended destination is Arashiyama.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Mitsui Garden Kyoto Station (4 stars) or similar

After breakfast, please pack your bags and check out. Walk 2 minutes west to Kyoto Station for a 2.5-hour train ride by yourself to Tokyo (tickets reserved and included).

Upon arrival, our Tokyo guide will greet you at the train station, take you to the hotel. Check in for a short rest, and then let’s start our Tokyo adventure with some of the most iconic historical and cultural sights. First, go to the Meiji Jingu Shrine, built 100 years ago in memory of Emperor Meiji (1852 – 1912 AD) and his empress. Stroll through the gardens where the emperor and his wife once walked hand in hand and relax amid the greenery. Don’t be too surprised if you happen to see a traditional Shinto wedding here. The quiet hush, heavy with cultural difference, will envelop you. Unlike boisterous weddings of China and Western countries, here the newlyweds, led by a Shinto priest and two maids, glide through the shrine’s courtyard, followed by a silent parade of relatives.

Next, we’ll visit the 1,400-year-old Senso-ji Temple. In this oldest temple in Tokyo, our guide will teach you to wash your hands and rinse your mouth properly, as locals do, before entering the main hall to pray for good fortune. The bustling Nakamise-dori Street in front of the temple is also worth a visit, filled with shops selling handicrafts, specialties, local snacks, and renting kimonos. The guide will also tell you the best place to view the Tokyo Skytree from a nearby alley. Finally, return to the hotel and have a good rest.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel Century Southern Tower (4 stars) or similar, in Tokyo

➤ Group tour with shared bus and guide.

Today, you’re going to cross off the top spot on your visit list – Mount Fuji, an icon of Japan. After breakfast, walk 15 minutes northwest or take a taxi from your hotel to Keio Plaza Hotel, where the bus will leave at 8:15. Relax in the 2-hour ride to the Mount Fuji 5th Station or as high as possible. From the observation deck in the middle of the mountain, you can appreciate the scenery down and the exposed rocky mountain up. Stay for a while to see a shrine and a post office, or take a short hike up if you’re interested.

After a Japanese Sukiyaki (hot pot) lunch with fruit and coffee, you’ll be transferred to the Lake Ashi to board a sightseeing boat to see the other side of Mount Fuji on the rippling lake. Last but not least, take the Komagatake Ropeway up the mountain. The mountaintop offers an excellent viewing point, where you can overlook the sapphire Lake Ashi below, and the snow-covered cone-top of Mount Fuji in the distance. Enjoy a short hike to visit the tiny Hakone Mototsumiya Shrine and get great vistas of the Sagami Bay to the east. Take the ropeway down the mountain, and then the return bus to Tokyo, arriving at Shinjuku Station West Exit at around 20:00, from where you can walk south for 7 minutes back to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel Century Southern Tower (4 stars) or similar, in Tokyo

After breakfast, our guide will escort you from the hotel to the Hinode Pier, where you will board the Tokyo Bay Cruise - Himiko to Odaiba, to discover an entertainment venue on an artificial land in Tokyo, full of cutting-edge technology, the most fashionable shopping centers and rides. Wander through the Odaiba Seaside Park to see a miniature replica of the Statue of Liberty. Visit the Toyosu Market, where the formerly famous Tsukiji Market has been moved. Find your favorite food here and enjoy the lively atmosphere of the local life.

In the afternoon, we will visit the Imperial Palace, the residence of the Japanese Mikado, only around the ancient buildings and gardens outside, but its scale and history would still impress you. Across the moat, you can see the two-story house where the emperor lives, built with white walls and gray tiles on a stone base – ordinary, modest, and secluded. Our experienced guide will show you the best angle to photograph the representative Nijubashi Bridge of the Imperial Palace.

Next, head to Kabukicho, where you can see a different side of Tokyo – the most famous entertainment area with bustling neon-burning streets. The guide will leave you free time to explore. We kindly remind you to take care of your belongings, as it is very crowded, and resolutely refuse to be approached by strangers, as you may have heard of the red-light district here. The guide will then lead you to the Omoide Yokocho, a popular alley where you can find a favorite restaurant for dinner or an izakaya for a beer or sake. Finally, walk or take a taxi to return to the hotel by yourself.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel Century Southern Tower (4 stars) or similar, in Tokyo

Your vacation to China and Japan is coming to an end. After breakfast, please check out according to your flight time and leave for the airport by yourself. Wish you a pleasant trip home!

Meals: Breakfast

➤ How to Get to Airport from Your Hotel (for your reference):
1. To Narita Airport: Please leave 3 to 4 hours ahead of your flight departure time. A taxi takes about 1 hour and costs USD 170 to 200. Another way to the airport on a budget, which takes 1.5 hours and costs USD 15 to 25 per person, is to take a taxi to Tokyo Station and from there take the Airport Limousine Bus or JR train Narita Express Line to the airport.
2. To Haneda Airport: Please leave 3 hours in advance. A taxi takes about 20 minutes and costs around USD 50. Or you can go by rail transit, which takes 40 minutes and costs USD 3.5 per person: walk 7 minutes south to Higashi-ginza Station to take the Asakusa Line directly to the airport.