CHINA AND JAPAN
Today we arrive in Beijing, the historic capital of China. Our representative will meet and assist us at Beijing airport and we will then transfer by our private deluxe motor coach to our luxury hotel.
Please note: We will provide two separate transfers by private deluxe motor coach with an English-speaking guide from the airport to the hotel. Luggage will be transported by a separate van to the hotel.
Beijing, one of the world’s oldest cities, is the capital of the People’s Republic of China and the country’s political, economic, and cultural center. Located on the edge of the North China Plain, it is the second largest city in the country with a population of more than 12 million. Beijing is a city of contrasts where the ultra-modern and the historical live side by side: the latest computers and cell phones coexist with the abacus; neon discos and nightclubs stand next to ancient temples. Inhabited by cave dwellers some 500,000 years ago and rebuilt by Kublai Khan in 1215 AD, Beijing—once a capital for Mongol and Manchu—is destined to be one of the most important cities of the 21st century. Many changes have taken place during Beijing's preparation for the Olympics in 2008.
The morning is free to relax after our long journey.
Discover Beijing’s history and culture this afternoon with our English-speaking guide. We begin our sightseeing tour by exploring Tiananmen Square. The Five-Star Red Flag and the Monument to the People’s Heroes dominate the center. Tens of thousands of people visit this public square daily, and it is the largest in the world. It has long been a political symbol of the People's Republic of China, where the Chinese imperial courts issued important instruction from the Heavenly Peace Rostrum facing the square at the north, and where Mao Tsetong—the founder of People's Republic—announced the establishment of the Republic in 1949. The Monument to the People's Heroes, Chairman Mao's Mausoleum, the national Congress House of the Great Hall of People, and the National Museum surround the square, which is a gathering place for locals and visitors alike.
Cross Chang’an Jie, the famous thoroughfare of Beijing, and enter the Forbidden City—located just behind the Tiananmen Square and the Heavenly Peace Rostrum—which has been home to 24 emperors. Laid out in a succession of courtyards, with each courtyard centered on a commanding hall that conformed to the dictates of ‘Feng Shui,’ the Forbidden City was, for almost 600 years, a mysterious, mystical, and magnificent manifestation of Chinese cultural tradition and impressive art galleries. Many of its buildings house historic treasures from throughout China. It is easy to imagine state occasions with rows of silk-gowned ministers and high officials kneeling in the Hall of Supreme Harmony. Throughout the visit, you will experience the imperial secrecy as well as the vast collection of treasures, and the dazzling world of the emperors’ pasts will be brought to life.
Tonight we will enjoy a Peking Duck Banquet Dinner at Quanjude Peking Duck Restaurant. Transportation will be provided by private deluxe motor coach from the hotel to the restaurant and back to the hotel. An English-speaking guide will be available to guide you through the evening.
After breakfast this morning, we will be joined by our English-speaking guide and will be taken by private deluxe motor coach on a full-day sightseeing excursion to the extraordinary Great Wall of China and the Imperial Ming Tomb.
The Badaling Section of the Great Wall is located at Yanqing County, more than 45 miles northwest from the center of Beijing City. It is a mountain pass of the Jundu Mountain. Badaling is at the highest point of the north end of the Guan'gou gorge, in which the Juyongguan Pass lies. Historically, the function of Badaling was to protect the Juyongguan Pass. Along with Guan'gou gorge, there are several points of interest and historic sites. Badaling is a rare, ancient military defense project. Its elevation is approximately 3,281 feet.
The wall of Badaling has a total length of 12,275 feet with an average height of 32 feet. The top of the wall can permit enough space for five horses to be ridden abreast. There are arched doors at the inner side of the wall with very little distance between the doors. The arched doors lead you by stone staris to the top of the wall. In 1988, Badaling was listed in the World Cultural Heritage Directory by UNESCO, a specialized agency of the United Nations.
After lunch at a nice local restaurant, we will visit the Imperial Ming Tomb.
The 13 tombs of the Ming Dynasty Emperors are located 6 ½ miles from the Great Wall in the basin surrounded by the Longevity Hills. The tombs were built by the Chinese Geomancy of ‘Fengshui,’ and each tomb was designed in palatial style. After our excursion, we will return to our hotel in Beijing.
We will spend the day visiting sites in Beijing. An air-conditioned deluxe bus and an English-speaking guide will be provided for the site visits for the full day in the city (09:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.).
Lunch will be provided at a nice local restaurant.
This morning we will have another site visit in Beijing. An air-conditioned deluxe bus and English speaking guide will be provided for the site visit in the city.
Upon our return to the hotel later this morning, we will be provided a box lunch.
In the afternoon, a group of 6 to 8 travelers will visit various companies to make presentations. Transportation to the company and back to the hotel will be provided by private cars and/or mini-vans with English-speaking guides.
Tonight our group will enjoy a Dinner Buffet at our hotel.
This morning we will be transferred by our private deluxe motor coach with our luggage and English-speaking guide to Beijing airport for our flight to Tokyo. Upon arrival at Tokyo Narita International Airport, we will be met by our English-speaking guide and will transfer to our centrally located hotel.
Before we check in at our hotel, we will be taken on an orientation tour of the city. We will visit Akihabara Electric Town and Asakusa Kannon Temple.
Akihabara Electric Town is a ‘wonderland’ that has evolved from a small group of electrical equipment shops into a huge computer marketplace. The name ‘Akihabara’ is now world famous. More than 250 electrical appliance and electronic shops of all sizes are located in a small area centered around Chuo-dori Street, which is to the west of Akihabara Station. In the past several years, the main trend has been a shift away from general home electrical appliances towards the new world of computers and the Internet. Emerging animation-related shops have also been attracting much attention. The shop assistants have a wealth of knowledge and are able to answer all sorts of questions. Many of them speak English.
The Asakusa Kannon Temple is the oldest temple in Tokyo. According to legend, one day in the 7th century, two local fishermen discovered a statue of Kannon, the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy, in their nets. The first temple is said to have been built on this site to house this statue. Since then, the temple has been rebuilt and enlarged many times. It is believed that the original statue of Kannon found by the fishermen is buried beneath the gold plated shrine, which is behind the main altar in the Main Hall.
The Kaminarimon, the Gate of the God of Thunder—with its huge red lantern—is the main entrance to the temple. The Japanese believe that the gate separates the everyday world from the divine world.
At the end of the street, a smaller gateway opens to a five-story pagoda and the Main Hall. Nearby is a fountain with numerous ladles. People cleanse their hands and rinse their mouths before entering the temple. This washes away any impurities. Next to the fountain is a bronze incense burner. Worshipers wave smoke over their bodies to heal or prevent illness.
After our tour, we will be transferred to our hotel.
In the evening, we will enjoy dinner at a nice restaurant near our hotel.
Today we will go sightseeing in Tokyo. An air-conditioned deluxe bus and an English-speaking assistant will be provided for the site visits for this full day in the city (09:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.).
Lunch will be provided at a nice local restaurant.
We will again go sightseeing in the city. An air-conditioned deluxe bus and an English-speaking assistant will be provided for the site visit for the full day (09:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.).
Lunch will be provided at a nice local restaurant.
Tonight, we will enjoy a Farewell Dinner in a private room at a chic restaurant in Tokyo. An LCD projector with projection screen and a microphone will be provided. Transportation by private deluxe motor coach from the hotel to the restaurant and back to the hotel will be provided by private deluxe motor coach. An English-speaking assistant is also included.
After breakfast, we will check out from our hotel.
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- International Study Programs
- MBA/EMBA Programs
- University Academic Study Trips
- High Schools
- Performance Groups
- Churches
- Mission Trips
- Alumni Travel Programs
- Corporate Travel Incentives
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