ENTICING JAPAN & CHINA ITINERARY:
DAYS 1 & 2, Sunday & Monday - Depart for Tokyo, JAPAN
Depart on Sunday from your hometown and arrive in Tokyo on Monday afternoon.
You will be met and transferred to your luxury hotel to rest after your long flight.
The luxurious Imperial Hotel is located across the avenue from the Emperor's Palace.
Feel free to dine at the restaurant of your choice, as the evening is at leisure.
Imperial Hotel
DAY 3, Tuesday - Tokyo
Explore one of the world's largest cities, including a brief stop at the Imperial Palace
Plaza to view the Emperor’s home and grounds. Drive by the imposing National Diet
Building and visit the Garden of the Meiji Shrine, Tokyo’s most magnificent
Shinto shrine. Continue on to the entertainment district of Asakusa and savor a
delicious barbecue lunch. Also see the Nihombashi and Ginza shopping districts.
After returning to the hotel, the remainder of the afternoon is at leisure for
independent pursuits.
This evening join your fellow travelers for a welcome cocktail dinner party to learn
more about the exciting adventures ahead. Imperial Hotel
DAY 4, Wednesday - Tokyo & Nikko
Your full day excursion to Nikko will begin on the Tobu Express Train. You’ll visit the
fabulous Yomeimon Gate and the Toshogu Shrine, the final resting place of the first
Tokugawa Shogun.
After lunch, travel to the beautiful Lake Chuzenji in the Japanese Alps, 4,194 feet
above sea level. Witness the thundering Kegon Falls, known for its rainbow displays
on sunny days, and Ryuzo-no Tako (Dragon's Head Cascade).
Return to Tokyo on
the Tobu Express. Imperial Hotel
DAY 5, Thursday - Kyoto
Travel by the fantastic Bullet Train from Tokyo to Kyoto, where you will transfer to
your luxury hotel. The Westin Miyako Kyoto commands spectacular views of the
ancient capital, and offers prestigious history and luxurious amenities.
One of the world’s most alluring cities, Kyoto exudes the tranquility and charm
of
Japan's ancient culture. It is the center for traditional arts and industries: silk,
embroidery, lacquer ware, ceramic, doll making and flower arranging.
Begin your tour of Kyoto with a visit to Nijo Castle. Built in 1630 as the residence of
the first Tokugawa Shogun, it was intended to show his prestige and power. Continue
to the famed Kinkakuji Temple (Temple of the Golden Pavilion), originally built in 1397
as a retirement villa for a shogun. It was burnt to the ground in 1950 by a young
monk and reconstructed in 1955. Your final stop is at the Heian Shrine, established in
1893 to commemorate the 1,100th
anniversary of the founding of Kyoto. The Westin
Miyako
DAY 6, Friday - Kyoto & Nara
This morning enjoy a visit to a private home. Our gracious hostess demonstrates the
traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony.
In the afternoon drive to Nara, the imperial capital during the 8th
century, and now a
peaceful provincial town. Visit the lovely Deer Park, surrounding the magnificent
Todaiji Temple, and enjoy feeding the deer in the park. Todaiji Temple is famous
for its high bronze Buddha housed in the largest wooden structure in the world.
Also see the Kasuka Shinto Shrine, standing in perfect harmony with its natural
setting, and the 3,000 bronze and stone lanterns lining the avenue leading to this
dignified shrine. Return to Kyoto late in the afternoon.
The Westin Miyako
DAY 7, Saturday - Beijing, China
Today fly from Osaka to Beijing, arriving midday. (As this airfare is not included in the
journey, please liaise with Travcoa that you are traveling on the correct Travcoa
flight.)
Chinese history has strewn Beijing with sites of cultural and historical interest. Some
of them, such as the Great Wall, Imperial Palace, Temple of Heaven, and the
Summer Palace are UNESCO
endorsed World Cultural Heritage Sites.
En route to your luxury hotel, stop at the Summer Palace, constructed in the Jin
Dynasty (1115-1234) during the succeeding reign of feudal emperors. By the time of
the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), it had become a luxurious royal garden, providing
royal families with rest and entertainment. But as with most of the Beijing gardens
of the time, it could not elude the rampages of the Anglo-French allied force and
was destroyed by fire.
In 1888, Empress Dowager Cixi embezzled navy funds to reconstruct it for her own
benefit, changing its name to Summer Palace (Yiheyuan). She spent most
of her later
years here.
Arrive at your luxury hotel, The St. Regis, the hallmark of luxurious accommodations in
China, located on the grounds of the historic Beijing International Club in the center of
the city's Diplomatic District. St. Regis Hotel
DAY 8, Sunday - Beijing
Tiananmen Square, in the center of Beijing, is the world's largest city square. It began
as a gathering place and location of government offices during Imperial days, and
still serves that purpose today.
Discover the wonders of the Imperial Palace, also known as the Forbidden City.
Twenty-four emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties lived within the red walls
and only on rare occasions did they emerge from their 20-acre home. Walk through
the halls, pavilions, palaces and courtyards built between 1406 and 1420, once
restricted to the members of the royal family and their households. Over 200,000
men were involved in the building of this complex. It is the largest royal palace
complex in existence in China. St. Regis Hotel
DAY 9, Monday - Beijing
Today travel outside Beijing to the Great Wall, known to the Chinese as the “Long
Wall of Ten Thousand Li” (over 3,100 miles). It stretches from the Shanhaiguan
Pass on the East Coast to the Jiayuguan Pass in the Gobi Desert.
Originally built in small sections by individual feudal states during the 5th century
B.C., the Great Wall was connected at the end of the 3rd century B.C. on the
orders of the Emperor Qin Shi Huang when he unified all of China. The Great Wall
was built as a defense against invaders from the north and became a conduit of
communication, with news and orders carried by the armies that traveled it.
The Great Wall at Badaling is 25 feet high on average. Five horses or ten people can
walk along it abreast. There are ramparts, embrasures, peepholes and apertures for
archers on the top. The watchtowers, built at various intervals, were used for
accommodations, storing military equipment and observing enemy movements.
The Great Wall is the only man-made structure visible from space. You will have
leisure time for a walk on it and to photograph it.
Our next stop is the famous “Avenue of the Animals,” also known as
the Sacred Way
of the Ming Tombs. The Sacred Way stretches from south to north through the
center of the tombs area. It was originally built for the tomb of Emperor Yongle,
the most powerful emperor in the Ming dynasty. As subsequent tombs were built
either to the right or to the left of the Sacred Way, it became the central road to
all of the tombs.
The famous “Avenue of Animals” had its origins in the Han Dynasty (B.C. 206–220 A.D.). There are twelve statues on each side of the road – lions, camels,
elephants, horses and two mythical creatures. Continuing on, you see six mandarin
statues; according to legend, they were erected in order to serve the dead emperor
and his wives in the after life. St. Regis Hotel
DAY 10, Tuesday - Xian
This morning fly to Xian, the capital of the Shaanxi Province and the largest
city in
northeast China. A principal center of Chinese culture, Xian has been
inhabited since 6000 B.C. Home to eleven Chinese dynasties and the ancient
capital of China for over 1,000 years, it became the most important center
in Asia and vied with Rome and later Constantinople for the title of the
greatest city in he world.
This afternoon you will visit the remarkable Shaanxi Historical Museum. It houses
one of the most extraordinary collections of ancient Chinese artifacts in the world
with over 113,000 fine cultural elics. The museum is divided into seven parts with
exhibitions on the prehistoric age, the Zhou Dynasty, the Qin Dynasty, the Han
Dynasty, the Wei Jin Nanbei Dynasties, the Sui and Tang Dynasties, and the Song,
Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties. It shows the history of Shaanxi Province
from
1,150,000 years ago to 1840.
In the museum, see the Tang Dynasty Frescoes – taken from the corridor walls of
more than 70 Tang tombs scattered throughout the Shaanxi Province and now stored
here. Shangri-La Hotel or Sofitel Xian
DAY 11, Wednesday - Xian
The highlight of this morning’s Xian excursion is a visit to the site where the terra
cotta figures have been excavated and whee excavations and restoration
continues today.
In 1974 the world was astounded when farmers accidentally discovered a terra cotta
army of thousands of life-sized soldiers guarding the tomb of the First Emperor
Qinshihuang (246–209 B.C.). Over 7,000 life-size figures have been uncovered –warriors, chariots and horses, each with their own individual characteristics, lined
up just as they were 2,000 years ago, ready to march off on a military campaign.
The Museum of Emperor Qinshihuang’s Tomb Figures of Soldiers and Horses is one of
the most famous places in China and is a World Heritage Site. The actual tomb is still
to be unearthed and is reputed to contain extravagant palaces and pavilions filled
with rare gems.
Continue to the Small Wild Goose Pagoda, which dates back to 707 A.D. and is one
of several fine Buddhist monuments in the city center. The Small Wild Goose Pagoda
is the model of the close eave brick towers in
the early period and originally was built
with 15 foors. Drive by the City Wall, dating back to the Ming Dynasty.
Shangri-La Hotel or Sofitel Xian
DAY 12, Thursday - Shanghai
This morning fly to Shanghai. For generations, the name Shanghai has been
synonymous in the West with mystery, romance and intrigue. For the Chinese,
however, Shanghai has become Chinaʹs most prosperous and populous city.
You will be dazzled by the modern metropolis and gateway to a developing China,
and also will be able to immerse yourself in the unique Shanghai culture, a combination
of Chinese and Western elements. As you will discover, Shanghai’s major attraction is
the city itself.
The afternoon’s sightseeing includes a visit to the famous Shanghai Museum of Art
and History, a comprehensive art museum with a 123,000
piece collection of cultural
relics, with a focus on bronze and porcelain works, books and paintings. Completed
at the end of 1994, the museum building is shaped like a large bronze pot.
Your hotel is prominently situated along the famous Huangpu River, with breathtaking
views of Shanghai's legendary riverfront, the Bund. This evening you will enjoy a
Chinese acrobatic performance, schedule permitting. Pudong Shangri-La Hotel
DAY 13, Friday- Shanghai
On your morning tour of Shanghai you will visit the Jade Buddha Temple, famous for
the rare white Burmese Jade Buddha. The Yufo (Jade Buddha) Temple, built
in 1882,
is a sanctuary of Zen Buddhism. The temple derives its name from the jade statue.
The image of the Buddha, his graceful posture and the serene look on his face are
mesmerizing.
Continue to Nanjing Road, China's best-known and most elegant shopping street.
Your tour
of the city includes a visit to Yu Garden, built in 1577. Behind the high walls
you’ll find a small lake, various teahouses, and more than 30 halls, pavilions and
fishponds. A visit will also be made to the Children’s Palace.
This evening you will have a dinner party to bid farewell to your
fellow traveling
companions. Pudong Shangri-La Hotel
DAY 14, Saturday - Depart for Home
You will be taken to the airport for your flight home or continue on to your next
destination.
NOTE: The Daily Itinerary above is subject to change dependent upon local
conditions and/or operational changes or improvements. The specific times
and order of inclusions within each destination may also be altered to best
accommodate unscheduled closure, special events, weather, traffic, etc.
Please contact your Vacation Planner before scheduling any coinciding
appointments. You will receive an up-dated, itinerary approximately 30 days
prior to your journey’s scheduled departure date.
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