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FRIDAY, JUNE 10th |
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Shuttle to Airport |
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Arrive Sea Tac Airport |
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10:00AM AS 2269 |
Alaska Airlines AS 2269 Seat: Not Assigned Depart Seattle at 10:00am Arrive Portland at 10:49am |
10:49AM |
Arrive in Portland |
2:35pm NW 005 |
Northwest Airlines NW 005 Seat 11G Depart Portland 2:35pm Arrive Tokyo Saturday, June 11th at 5:00PM |
SATURDAY, JUNE 11th |
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5:00PM |
Arrive in Tokyo (Note: Diane and Nick arrive on NW 11 from Detroit at 5:20PM) Watch for Signs for Connecting Flights Ask a NW Agent for the Gate information for NW 11 to Beijing Do not go through customs |
6:25PM |
Northwest Airlines NW 11 Seat 16-B Depart Tokyo 6:25PM Arrive Beijing, China at 9:15PM |
9:15PM |
Arrive in Beijing, China Clear immigration and customs ** Driver will meet us and take us to the hotel ** Email from hotel: "Transportation service from the airport to the hotel at US$30 per way per ca r (rmb 250). An uniformed hotel representative shall meet you outside the customs hall on arrival." |
11:00PM |
Check-in to hotel |
HOTEL |
Novotel Peace Hotel Beijing No.3 Jin Yu Hutong Wangfujing- Beijing 100006,P.R.China Perfectly located in the centre of the flourishing Wangfujing shopping district, the Novotel Peace Beijing is a short walk from the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square, a short drive from the Beijing Railway Station, and 30min from the international airport.
Hotel Website:: www.accorhotels.com/novotel_peace_beijing.htm** 5/28 Confirmed extra bed at 191rmb per night |
SUNDAY, JUNE 12th |
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9:00AM |
Breakfast at Hotel |
10:00 AM |
Sightseeing in Beijing |
Summer Palace Located in Haidian District, some 12 kilometers northwest of the downtown, the Summer Palace is the largest imperial garden in the world. It is a veritable museum of classical Chinese garden architecture. Admission 35 rmb, 1 ½ hours, Open 7am to 4:50pm Bus Routes: 907, 375, 801, 808, 732, 394, 718 |
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Tian'anmen Square Located at the center of Beijing City is Tiananmen Square, where you can visit Tiananmen Tower, Monument to the People's Heroes, Great Hall of the People, Mao Zedong Memorial Hall and see the national flag raising ceremony. Thousands of people come to the Square every day. It is the must place to visit in Beijing City. Open all day; recommended visit 30 minutes; free except for "Tower" |
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Forbidden City Lying at the center of Beijing, the Forbidden City, called Gu Gong, in Chinese, was the imperial palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Now known as the Palace Museum, it is to the north of Tiananmen Square. 60 rmb entrance fee; open 8:00 4:20pm; recommended visit time: 3 hours |
Temple of Heaven The Temple of Heaven is a worthwhile visiting place in Beijing. It is much bigger than the Forbidden City and smaller than the Summer Palace with an area of about 2,700,000 square meters. The Temple was built in 1420 A.D. during the Ming Dynasty to offer sacrifice to Heaven 35 rmb; 6:00-5:40pm; Recommended visit time: 1 ½ hours |
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Sunday Market Shopping http://www.thebeijingguide.com/panjia_market/index.html
Shopping at the Panjiayuan Weekend Market (see map in notes) |
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Dinner Peking Duck at Quan Ju De |
Peking Duck for Dinner Peking Duck has the reputation of being the most delicious food Beijing has to offer. Eating Peking Duck is seen to be one of the two things you are absolutely supposed to do while in Beijing. The other one is climbing the Great Wall. Quan Ju De Restaurant, which has outlets at Qianmen, Hepingmen and Wangfujing. It was established 130 years ago. OR: Grand Hyatt Bejing (Best Peking Duck in Beijing) |
MONDAY, JUNE 13th |
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7:00AM |
Breakfast at Hotel |
7:30 |
Driver Pickup at Hotel (arranged through Novotel Travel Desk) Depart Hotel for Great Wall Should we leave at 7:00AM? |
9:30AM 2:30PM Great Wall |
Great Wall of China 3-5 Hours walk on Great Wall It is about a two hour drive from Beijing to Jinshangling or Simaotai. The walk then takes between three and five hours. Simaotai is bigger, more developed and touristy than smaller Jinshanling. "I personally like Jinshanling better as a starting point because its much easier and faster to get up onto the wall. You will have to pay the road tolls and the driver may ask you if you want to take the "kuai lu" (fast road). Say "shi" (yes). It will cost you an extra 20 kuai or so but save you at least half an hour and stop and go traffic. Another plus to having a driver is you can get them to stop at the fruit stands or to use the toilet. If you plan to do the trip in one day you can arrange for a driver to drop you in Jinshanling and pick you up in Simaotai or vice versa. Should be 500 to 1000 kuai. |
Lunch |
Picnic on the Great Wall |
2:30-3:30 |
Drive to Ming Tombs |
3:30-4:30PM |
Ming Tombs 50 kilometers northwest from Beijing City lies the Ming Tombs - the general name given to the mausoleums of 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). The mausoleums have been perfectly preserved, as has the necropolis of each of the many emperors. 40RMB; 2 hours to visit; 8:30 4:30pm |
5:00PM |
Return with Driver to Hotel |
6:00PM |
Arrive at Novotel Hotel |
TUESDAY, JUNE 14th |
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FREE DAY IN BEIJING |
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Dinner Show |
Chinese Acrobats or Circus |
JAPAN
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15th |
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6:00AM |
Depart Hotel for Airport via Taxi |
6:45AM |
Check-in and Clear Immigration Wait in Northwest Lounge until boarding (Note: Allow 30-45 minutes to clear Chinese Immigrations) |
9:05AM NW 12 to Tokyo |
Northwest Airlines NW 12 Seat 11-C Depart Beijing at 9:05AM Arrive Tokyo at 1:50PM |
1:50PM |
Arrive in Tokyo |
2:00PM 3:00PM |
Clear Japanese Immigation and pick up bags (allow 1 hour) |
3:00PM |
Meet Driver (confirm with Miho) |
5:00PM |
Arrive at Hotel & Checkin |
Hotel in Japan |
Grand Hyatt Tokyo6-10-3 Roppongi, Minato-ku. Tokyo 106-0032 Japan Located in the heart of Roppongi, known worldwide as Tokyo's centre for business, commerce and entertainment, Grand Hyatt Tokyo is part of Roppongi Hills, Japan's largest private urban redevelopment project. Within easy access of Tokyo's Narita and Haneda Airports, the hotel is a minute's walk from Roppongi subway station and conveniently located close to Tokyo's famed Ginza shopping. |
Dinner |
Hard Rock Café Address:5-4-20 Roppongi, Minato-ku Eat "American" food for dinner; buy souveniers Taxi to and from the HRC (I think this is only 5 minutes from Hotel) |
THURSDAY, JUNE 16th |
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7:00AM |
Breakfast at Hotel |
8:30AM |
Board Tour Bus to Mt. Fuji Sunrise Tours: http://www.jtbgmt.com/sunrisetour/ |
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Mt. Fuji Deluxe motorcoach drive along the expressway to Mt. Fuji Leave Tokyo for a drive aboard a deluxe motorcoach to Mt.Fuji (3,776m . or 12,388ft.) |
Drive up Mt. Fuji 5th station A drive halfway up Mt. Fuji to the Fifth Station (altitude 2,305 m.),enjoying the natural scenery en route. |
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Lunch at Hotel Highland Resort
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A cruise on Lake Ashi A delightful cruise on Lake Ashi aboard a large sightseeing boat.Let the crisp air and surrounding verdure refresh you. |
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Mt.Komagatake Aerial Cableway Ride an aerial cableway up and down Mt.Komagatake for a sweeping view of celebrated Hakone National Park.
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Proceed to Odawara to board a Shinkansen train for Tokyo Brief stop(s) for 2 day tour participants.Drive to Odawara Station and aboard a world famous Shinkansen super-express. |
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9:00 |
Return to Hotel |
FRIDAY, JUNE 17th |
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7:00AM |
Breakfast at Hotel |
8:00AM |
Meet Ms. Miho Kitamura Tel: +81-3-5354-6783<mailto:miho.kitamura@ugs.com> |
8:30AM |
Board Tour Bus to Nikko with Miho as guide/escort Sunrise Tours: http://www.jtbgmt.com/sunrisetour/ |
Five-Story Pagoda -Niomon Gate -Three Monkeys -Yomeimon Gate -Main Sacred Hall |
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Toshogu Shrine , the mausoleum of the first Tokugawa Shogun.It's a gorgeous complex of colorful structures featuring the superb craftsmanship of Japan's 17th-century artisans. |
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Lake Chuzenji Lake Chuzenji at the foot of Mt.Nantai.
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Lunch |
Japanese-Style lunch at local restaurant. |
Kegon Waterfall About 100m. (351ft.) in height , the waterfall is one of Japan's three finest waterfalls. |
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Irohazaka zigzag driveway down the mountains Drive down the driveway with 28 hairpin curves.Routes for driving up and down are different. |
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Tour disbands on arrival in Ginza and Shinjuku. Individual return to hotels or elsewhere on their own. Infomation on return transportation will be provided to the participants. |
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Return to Hyatt Grand Hotel Tokyo with Miho as guide |
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SATURDAY, June 18th |
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Free Day to Tour Tokyo |
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The current Imperial Palace (Kokyo) is located on the former site of Edo Castle, a large park area surrounded by moats and massive stone walls in the center of Tokyo, a short walk from Tokyo station. It is the residence of Japan's Imperial Family. |
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Edo Castle used to be the seat of the Tokugawa shogun who ruled Japan from 1603 until 1867. In 1868, the shogunate was overthrown, and the country's capital and Imperial Residence were moved from Kyoto to Tokyo. In 1888 construction of a new Imperial Palace was completed. The palace was once destroyed during World War Two, and rebuilt in the same style, afterwards. | |
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From Koyo Gaien, the large plaza in front of the Imperial Palace, visitors can view the Nijubashi, two bridges that form an entrance to the inner palace grounds. The stone bridge in front is called Meganebashi (Eyeglass Bridge) for its looks. The bridge in the back was formerly a wooden bridge with two levels, from which the name Nijubashi (Double Bridge) is derived |
Tokyo Tower and Rainbow Bridge |
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Dinner |
Traditional Chinese "Barbeque" |
SUNDAY, June 19th |
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8:00am |
Breakfast at Hotel |
8:30-11:30 |
Free time in Tokyo |
11:30am |
Depart Hotel for Narita Airport; check-in and clear immigration |
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Sunday, June 19th Northwest Airlines NW 8 Seat 11-C Depart Tokyo at 3:30pm Arrive Seattle, 8:35AM (Sunday, June 19th) (Note: Diane and Nick depart on NW 12 to Detroit at 3:55pm) |
8:35 AM |
Arrive Sea Tac Airport Clear customs and immigration (Note: You gain a day on the trip home so you arrive before you left!!) |
NW Information |
ENBERG/CONSTANCEM NWA Confirmation Number: MIZD9UTicket Number: 0122115319490
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Hotel in China |
Novotel Peace Hotel Beijing No.3 Jin Yu Hutong Wangfujing- Beijing 100006,P.R.China Confirmation #: 92D-008Z. |
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Hotel in Japan |
Grand Hyatt Tokyo6-10-3 Roppongi |
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Flight Schedule (Summary) |
Depart Seattle at 10:00am Arrive Portland at 10:49am Depart Portland 2:35pm Arrive Tokyo Saturday, June 11th at 5:00PM (Note: Diane and Nick arrive on NW 11 from Detroit at 5:20PM) Depart Tokyo 6:25PM Arrive Beijing, China at 9:15PM Depart Beijing at 9:05AM Arrive Tokyo at 1:50PM Depart Tokyo at 3:30pm Arrive Seattle, 8:35AM (Sunday, June 19th) (Note: Diane and Nick depart on NW 12 to Detroit at 3:55pm) |
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Dianes Phone (China Only) |
1-586-925-5693 |
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Passport Number |
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Chinese Visa Number |
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Emergency Contact |
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Doctor |
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Contact in Japan |
Miho Kitamura Executive Assistant, UGS, Asia Pacific Odakyu Southern Tower, 2-2-1 Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 151-8583 Japan Tel: +81-3-5354-6783 Fax: +81-3-5354-6780 <mailto:miho.kitamura@ugs.com> |
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NORTHWEST Flight |
Origin-Destination |
Date |
Fare Basis Code |
|
AS 2269 |
SEA-PDX |
10Jun2005 |
WSTD/WP300 |
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NW 0005 |
PDX-NRT |
10Jun2005 |
WSTD/WP300 |
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NW 0011 |
NRT-PEK |
11Jun2005 |
WSTD/WP300 |
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NW 0012 |
PEK-NRT |
15Jun2005 |
WSTD/WP300 |
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NW 0008 |
NRT-SEA |
19Jun2005 |
WSTD/WP300 |
Base Fare: |
Tax: 68.43 |
US Custom Fee: 5.00 |
Immigration Fee: 7.00 |
E-Ticket Total: |
USD80.43 |
Method of Payment: Visa************6777 |
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Method of Payment: Miles |
Miles Debited: |
60,000 |
|
Fare Calculation: 6 SEAAS X/PDXNW X/TYONWBJS 0.00 WP30000 NWTYONWSEA 0.00 WP30000 $0.00 WP60000END ROE0 NW XT 28.20US 4.95XA 5.00AY 19.41SW 10.87CN |
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Other Restrictions: NONENDORSABLE FEES FOR CHANGE MAY APPLY |
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Name/Place of Issue: NWA.COM US E-TICKET TAR MPLS/ST PAUL MN/ |
BEIJING
Beijing is located in northern China, close to Tianjin Municipality and partially surrounded by Hebei Province. The city covers an area of more than 16,800 square kilometers (6,487 square miles) and has a population of 13.82 million people. Beijing is at its best in late spring and autumn, particularly during the months of May, September, and October when people can enjoy bright sunshine and blue skies.
As the capital of the People's Republic of China, Beijing is the nation's political, economic, cultural and educational center as well as being the China's most important center for international trade and communications. It has been the heart and soul of politics and society throughout its long history and consequently there is an unparalleled wealth of discovery to delight and intrigue travelers as they explore Beijing's ancient past and enjoy its exciting modern development.
How can one city boast so many phenomenal places? Beijing's long and illustrious history started some 500,000 years ago. It is here that the ancestors of modern Homo sapiens, Peking men, lived in caves. Records show that Beijing has been an inhabited city for more than three thousand years and has endured invasions by war-lords and foreign powers, devastating fires, the rise and fall of powerful imperial dynasties and has emerged each time as a strong and vibrant city. For more than 800 years, Beijing was a capital city - from the Yuan Dynasty to the Ming and Qing dynasties. Thirty-four emperors have lived and ruled the nation in Beijing and it has been an important trading city from its earliest days.
Although Beijing now is modern, fashionable and full of 21st Century vitality, you can experience authentic Beijing life and become acquainted with "old Beijing" by exploring its many teahouses, temple fairs, Beijing's Hutong and Courtyard and enjoy the Peking Opera. Add any or all of these to your Beijing tour and you will leave with a feeling of special appreciation in your heart for this ancient city that has truly seen it all and tells its story with matchless grace, charm and vigor.
With the biggest central square in the world - Tian'anmen Square, the Forbidden City that is the largest and best-preserved imperial palace complex, a superbly preserved section of the Great Wall, as well as the largest sacrificial complex in the world - the Temple of Heaven, Beijing attracts both domestic and foreign visitors who all come wonder at its century-old history and unique cultural relics.
Dwelling too much on the historical past of Beijing may give the false impression that it is it little more than an ancient city in style but this is definitely not so! Strolling around Beijing, you'll find it has much in common with any other great metropolis elsewhere in today's world. There are towering skyscrapers; busy shopping malls and an endless stream of traffic that makes the city the much the same as others. However, although you will find multinational chains with their own brands on offer, nowhere else on earth will you find such a variety of gourmet Chinese restaurants offering the very best of the eight different styles of Chinese cuisine as well as western style dishes. Modern hotels abound, each offering the highest standards of service and convenience.
After a day's exploration of the city, nighttime can hold other surprises for you. These can vary from traditional performances such as the Beijing Opera, acrobatics and martial arts to modern ones including concerts, ballroom dancing, pubs and clubs. Each and every one has its enchantment for the tourist. No description of our capital city is complete without mention of the friendly people who throng the streets. Everywhere you will encounter smiling faces and a welcome, especially from the children who love to say 'Hello!" All these things add up to make your visit a true cultural experience of a lifetime.
SUMMER PALACE
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/beijing/summer.htmLocated in Haidian District, some 12 kilometers northwest of the downtown, the Summer Palace is the largest imperial garden in the world. It is a veritable museum of classical Chinese garden architecture.
The initial construction of the Summer Palace began in 1750, commissioned by Emperor Qinglong as a gift for his mother's birthday. The construction took 15 years to complete. It had the name "Qingyi Yuan" (Garden of Clear Ripples) at that time. The plundering of foreign troops in 1860 destroyed most of the buildings, but they were renovated in 1888 by Empress Dowager Cixi, who was said to have embezzled the funds of the Imperial Navy to build the garden. After China's liberation, the garden became a park and got the name Yiheyuan (Summer Palace).
Covering an area of 4,300 mu 290 hectares, the park in Beijing is an outstanding example of imperial gardens. The landscape architect utilized Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake to create a paradise of hills and waters. Artisans reproducedthe garden architecture styles of various palaces in China and combined them to create a harmonious atmosphere. For example, the buildings in the palatial administration area and residential area near the East Palace Gate are courtyard dwellings linked to each other. The lake area in the south is divided by a dyke, imitating West Lake in Hangzhou. Structures on the northern side of the Longevity Hill area feature Tibetan Style Lamseries and Suzhou Street is lined with shops in traditional Chinese buildings. The Garden of Harmonious Interests is similar to the water town of south China. An elegant 700-meter-long corridor with exquisite color paintings links the buildings and gardens together and enables tourists to more easily appreciate the whole scenic area.
The layout of different buildings falls on quite a systematic arrangement and the designers also use rocks, plants, pavilions, ponds, cobble paths and other garden styles to create a poetic effect between different scenes. When you stroll among them, you will constantly find the area changing and not crowded.
The whole Summer Palace is divided into three parts: the administrative area, the residential area and the scenic area.
Admission Fee: |
35 |
Opening Hours: |
07:00 to 16:50 |
Recommended |
One and a half hours |
Bus Route: |
907, 375, 801, 808, 732, 394, 718 |
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Tiananmen Square
Located at the center of Beijing City is Tiananmen Square, where you can visit Tiananmen Tower, Monument to the People's Heroes, Great Hall of the People, Mao Zedong Memorial Hall and see the national flag raising ceremony. Thousands of people come to the Square every day. It is the must place to visit in Beijing City.
At the north end of the Square is Tiananmen Tower. Initially built in 1417 during the Ming Dynasty (1368 A.D.--1644 A.D.), the Square was the front door of the Forbidden City. The most important use of it in the past was to declare in a big ceremony to the common people who became the emperor and who became the empress. Until 1911 when the last feudal kingdom was over, no one could enter the Tower except for the royal family and aristocrats.
The granite Monument to the People's Heroes is just at the center of the Tiananmen Square. Built in 1952, it is the largest monument in China's history. " The People's Heroes are Immortal " written by Chairman Mao is engraved on the monument. Eight unusually large relief sculptures show to the people the development of Chinese modern history. Two rows of white marble railings enclose the monument, simple and beautiful.
West of the Square is the Great Hall of the People. This building, erected in 1959, is the site of the China National People's Congress meetings and provides an impressive site for other political and diplomatic activities.Twelve marble posts are infront of the Hall which has three parts--the Central Hall, the Great Auditorium and a Banqueting Hall.The floor of the Central Hall is paved with marble and crystal lamps hang from the ceiling. The Great Auditorium behind the Central Hall seats 10,000. The Banqueting Hall is a huge hall with 5,000 seats.
Mao Zedong Memorial Hall is at the south side of the Square. This Hall is divided into three halls and our dear Chairman Mao's body lies in a crystal coffin in one of the halls surrounded by fresh bouquets of various famous flowers and grasses.
Another important place for the tourist to visit is the China National Museum at the east side of the Square. It just came into existence in 2003 and is a combination of Chinese History Museum and Chinese Revolutionary Museum. This National Museum faces the Great Hall of the People. Inside the Chinese Revolutionary Museum are a lot of material objects, pictures, books and models to present the development of modern China. The Chinese History Museum shows a large number of cultural relics illustrating the long history and glorious culture of China from 1,700,000 years ago to 1921 when the last emperor left the throne.
Five Star Red Flag-the Chinese national flag, flies high in the sky above the Square. To see the guard of honor raise the Flag is a must for the tourist visiting Beijing City. You have to get up very early and arrive at the Square before sunrise. Only by doing so can you see the ceremony clearly as there are crowds of people attending the ceremony every day.
The present Tiananmen Square has an area of 440,000 square meters and has become a relaxing place for the common people to fly kites and walk. On a holiday, the whole square is covered with fresh flowers.
Admission Fee : |
Free for square visiting; 15 for tower ascending |
Opening Hours: |
Whole day |
Recommended |
Half an hour |
Bus Route: |
1, 4, 10 |
Forbidden City
Lying at the center of Beijing, the Forbidden City, called Gu Gong, in Chinese, was the imperial palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Now known as the Palace Museum, it is to the north of Tiananmen Square. Rectangular in shape, it is the world's largest palace complex and covers 74 hectares. Surrounded by a six meter deep moat and a ten meter high wall are 9,999 buildings. The wall has a gate on each side. Opposite the Tiananmen Gate, to the north is the Gate of Devine Might (Shenwumen), which faces Jingshan Park. The distance between these two gates is 960 meters, while the distance between the gates in the east and west walls is 750 meters. There are unique and delicately structured towers on each of the four corners of the curtain wall. These afford views over both the palace and the city outside. The Forbidden City is divided into two parts. The southern section, or the Outer Court was where the emperor exercised his supreme power over the nation. The northern section, or the Inner Court was where he lived with his royal family. Until 1924 when the last emperor of China was driven from the Inner Court, fourteen emperors of the Ming dynasty and ten emperors of the Qing dynasty had reigned here. Having been the imperial palace for some five centuries, it houses numerous rare treasures and curiosities. Listed by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site in 1987, the Palace Museum is now one of the most popular tourist attractions world wide.
Construction of the palace complex began in 1407, the 5th year of the Yongle reign of the third emperor of the Ming dynasty. It was completed fourteen years later in 1420. It was said that a million workers including one hundred thousand artisans were driven into the long-term hard labor. Stone needed was quarried from Fangshan, a suburb of Beijing. It was said a well was dug every fifty meters along the road in order to pour water onto the road in winter to slide huge stones on ice into the city. Huge amounts of timber and other materials were freighted from faraway provinces. Ancient Chinese people displayed their very considerable skills in building the Forbidden City. Take the grand red city wall for example. It has an 8.6 meters wide base reducing to 6.66 meters wide at the top. The angular shape of the wall totally frustrates attempts to climb it. The bricks were made from white lime and glutinous rice while the cement is made from glutinous rice and egg whites. These incredible materials make the wall extraordinarily strong.
Since yellow is the symbol of the royal family, it is the dominant color in the Forbidden City. Roofs are built with yellow glazed tiles; decorations in the palace are painted yellow; even the bricks on the ground are made yellow by a special process. However, there is one exception. Wenyuange, the royal library, has a black roof. The reason is that it was believed black represented water then and could extinguish fire.
Nowadays, the Forbidden City, or the Palace Museum is open to tourists from home and abroad. Splendid painted decoration on these royal architectural wonders, the grand and deluxe halls, with their surprisingly magnificent treasures will certainly satisfy "modern civilians".
You may start your tour by following our
virtual guide or clicking from attractions below.
Admission Fee: |
60 in summer; 40 in winter |
Opening Hours: |
08:30 to 16:20 in summer; |
Recommended Time for a Visit: |
Three hours |
Bus Route: |
1, 5, 819 |
Temple of Heaven
The Temple of Heaven is a worthwhile visiting place in Beijing. It is much bigger than the Forbidden City and smaller than the Summer Palace with an area of about 2,700,000 square meters. The Temple was built in 1420 A.D. during the Ming Dynasty to offer sacrifice to Heaven. As Chinese emperors called themselves "The Son of Heaven" ,they dared not to build their own dwelling,"Forbidden City" bigger than a dwelling for Heaven.
The Temple of Heaven is enclosed with a long wall. The northern part within the wall is semicircular symbolizing the heavens and the southern part is square symbolizing the earth. The northern part is higher than the southern part. This design shows that the heaven is high and the earth is low and the design reflected an ancient Chinese thought of "The heaven is round and the earth is square".
The Temple is divided by two enclosed walls into inner part and outer part. The main buildings of the Temple lie at the south and north ends of the middle axis line of the inner part. The most magnificent buildings are The Circular Mound Altar (Yuanqiutan), Imperial Vault of Heaven (Huangqiongyu) and Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest (Qiniandian) from south to north. Also, there are some additional buildings like Three Echo Stones and Echo Wall.Almost all of the buildings are connected by a wide bridge called Vermilion Steps Bridge (Danbiqiao) or called Sacred Way.
The Circular Altar has three layered terraces with white marble. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368 A.D. - 1911 A.D.), the emperors would offer sacrifice to Heaven on the day of the Winter Solstice every year. This ceremony was to thank Heaven and hope everything would be good in the future. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest is a big palace with round roof and three layers of eaves. Inside the Hall are 28 huge posts. The four posts along the inner circle represent four seasons-spring, summer, autumn and winter; the 12 posts along the middle circle represent the 12 months; and 12 posts along the outer circle represent 12 Shichen (Shichen is a means of counting time in ancient China. One Shichen in the past equaled two hours and a whole day was divided into 12 Shichens). The roof is covered with black, yellow and green colored glaze representing the heavens, the earth and everything on earth. The Hall has a base named Altar for Grain Prayers which is made of three layers of white marble and has a height of six meters. Another important building in Temple of Heaven is Imperial Vault of Heaven. If you look at it from far away, you will find that the Vault is like a blue umbrella with gold head. The structure of it is like that of Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest, but smaller in size. The structure was made of bricks and timber. The Vault was used to place memorial tablets of Gods. White marble railings surround the vault.
The Vermilion Steps Bridge connects the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest and the Imperial Vault of Heaven. The south end of the Bridge is lower than its north end. The emperors in the past believed that they could go to heaven through this Bridge, which is why this bridge is also called Sacred Way. A Yu Route and a Wang Route are on two sides of the Sacred Way. The former one is only for the emperors to walk on and the later one is for the princes and the high officials to pass.
Three Echo Stones is outside of the gate of the Imperial Vault of Heaven. If you speak facing the Vault while standing on the first stone, you will hear one echo; standing on the second and then the third stone, you will hear two and three echoes respectively.
Another interesting and famous place for you to visit is called Echo Wall owning special feature. The wall encloses the Imperial Vault of Heaven. Its perimeter is 193 meters.
If you and your friend stand at the east and the west roots of the wall respectively and you whisper a word, then your friend will hear clearly what you say. Isn't it interesting? The phenomenon utilizes the theory of sound wave.
Besides carefully designed buildings, there are also some other scenes that you can enjoy like Nine-Dragon Cypress. It got its name from branches which look like nine dragons wind with each other. It was said that the cypress was planted more than 500 years ago. Really, a grandfather tree!
Admission Fee: |
35 |
Opening Hours: |
06:00 to 19:50 |
Recommended |
One and a half hour |
Bus Route: |
34,6,35 |
SHOPPING AT Sunday Market
BADALING GREAT WALL
http://www.thebeijingguide.com/badaling/Badaling is located at Yanqing County, more than 70 kilometers northwest from the center of Beijing City. It is a mountain pass of the Jundu Mountain. Badaling is at the highest point of north end of the Guan'gou gorge, in which the Juyongguan Pass lies. In the history, the function of Badaling was to protect the Juyongguan Pass. Along with Guan'gou gorge, there are several interests and historic sites. Badaling is a rare ancient military defense project. The elevation of it is about 1,000 meters.
The wall of Badaling has a total length of 3, 741 meters with an average height of 8 meters The highest part is 15 meters. The total area for a tour is 19, 000 square meters. The top of the wall can permit five horses to be ridden abreast. There are arched doors at the inner side of the wall with very little distance between each two doors. The arched doors lead you to the top of the wall by stone stairs.
Badaling became a very important military strategic place since the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC - 476 BC) and the Warring States Period (476 BC - 221 BC). Many incomplete parts of the wall were proved to be built in the Warring States Period.
Badaling was the earliest section to be open to the tourists among all the parts of the whole Great Wall. 130 million tourists from China and abroad have visited Badaling; 370 foreign leaders and very important persons have come to climb Badaling successively.
This section of the Great Wall was made by huge bar stones. Some of the stones have a height of two meters with a weight of hundreds kilograms. Inside the Wall are made of mud and stone block. The top floor of the Great Wall is paved with square bricks which made the floor very orderly and smooth. On the highest place, signal fire platforms were set to send warning signals in the ancient China. One fire with one smoke means the enemy is about 100 men; two fires with two smoke means 500 men, and three fires with three smoke means more than 1,000 men...... By this way, the persons who were warned were able to know the state of the enemy.
Near Badaling, there is a large-scaled Great-Wall-of-China Museum as well as the Great Wall National Theater from which you can get a full and complete view of the Great Wall.
In 1961, the State Council decided that Badaling was a national key protected culture relic unit. In 1987, Badaling became "World Cultural heritage" by the United Nation.
Admission Fee: |
40 |
Opening Hours: |
06:40 to 18:30 |
Recommended Time for a Visit: |
Two and a half hours |
Bus Route: |
919 |
Tourist Bus Route: |
Take No. 1 at Front Gate |
PEKING DUCK
http://www.thebeijingguide.com/food/peking_duck.html
Peking Duck has the reputation of being the most delicious food Beijing has to offer. Some find it a bit too greasy, but others get hooked after one taste. In any case, a Peking Duck dinner is usually a fixed item on any Beijing tour itinerary. Eating Peking Duck is also one of the two things you are absolutely supposed to do while in Beijing. The other one is climbing the Great Wall. The place that offers the best Peking Duck is the Quan Ju De Restaurant, which has outlets at Qianmen, Hepingmen and Wangfujing. It was established 130 years ago and, if you count from the time when founder Yang Renquan began his duck business, it is 160 years old. At Quan Ju De, ducks are immersed in condiments unique to the restaurant and are roasted directly over flames stoked by fruit-tree wood. The best roasted duck is date-red, shining with oil, but with a crisp skin and tender meat. The chef than cuts the meat into thin slices, each having a piece of skin. Then the meat is served with very thin pancakes, Chinese onions and special sauce. The way to eat it is to coat the thin pancake with sauce, slap on a few pieces of meat and roll up the pancake. Chopsticks are optional: it is much easier just to grab the thing with your bare hands. Another famous restaurant offering Peking duck is the Bian Yi Fang (Cheap Restaurant), which opened in 1855, nine years earlier than Quan Ju De. At Bian Yi Fang, roasting is done in an enclosed container fueled with crop stalks. Restaurant of Peking Roast Duck Beijing Qianmen Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant Beijing Wangfujing Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant Beijing Jingxin Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant Beijing Hepingmen Roast Duck Restaurant Bianyifang Roast Duck Restaurant
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MING TOMBS
50 kilometers northwest from Beijing City lies the Ming Tombs - the general name given to the mausoleums of 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). The mausoleums have been perfectly preserved, as has the necropolis of each of the many emperors. Because of its long history, palatial and integrated architecture, the site has a high cultural and historic value. The layout and arrangement of all thirteen mausoleums are very similar but vary in size as well as in the complexity of their structures.
It was originally built only as Changling, the tomb of Emperor Zhuli and his empresses. This is the most magnificent of the tombs. The succeeding twelve emperors had their tombs built around Changling.
/images/photogallery/0021500/ming tombs beijing 10021292tl.jpg/images/photogallery/0021500/ming tombs beijing 10021292tl.jpg/images/photogallery/0021500/ming tombs beijing 10021305tl.jpg/images/photogallery/0021500/ming tombs beijing 10021305tl.jpgOnly the Changling and Dingling tombs are open to the public. Changling, the chief of the Ming Tombs, is the largest in scale and is completely preserved. The total internal area of the main building is 1956 square meters. There are 32 huge posts, and the largest measures about 14 meters in height.It inhumes Emperor Zhudi, the fourth son of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang. Travel China Guide recommends the Lingsi Palace in its second yard as really deserving a visit. This is unique as it is the only huge palace made of camphor wood. It covers about 1956 square meters. The ceiling is colorfully painted and supported by sixteen solid camphor posts. The floor was decorated with gold bricks.
Unlike Changling, Dingling is under ground and about 27 meters deep. It is the mausoleum of Emperor Zhu Yijun, the thirteenth emperor who occupied the throne the longest during the Ming Dynasty, and his two empresses. The main features are the Stone Bridge, Soul Tower, Baocheng and the Underground Place, which was unearthed between 1956 and 1958. The entire palace is made of stone. The Soul Tower is symbolic of the whole of Dingling and it forms the entrance to the underground chambers. The yellow glazed tiles; eaves, archway, rafters and columns are all sculptured from stone, and colorfully painted. The entire construction is stable and beautiful!
Served by three stone doors, it is divided into three Halls consisting of five high palaces - the front, the middle, the rear, the left and the right palaces. The Gate of the Tomb, the Gate of Eminent Favor and the Lingxing Gate all have the same structural form.
The front hall, considered the square of the Palace, has no building within it. No special artifacts remain in either the left and right palaces that are about 7 meters high, six meters wide, and 26 meters long. However, each has a centrally placed white marble coffin bed, the surface of which is covered with gold bricks. On each bed there is a square hole filled with loess. This is the so-called "Gold Well". A paved path leads to the central hall where there are three white marble thrones. Incense, candles and flowers were set in front of the thrones. Before each of them, there are glazed 'Five Offerings' and a blue china jar that would have been filled with sesame oil to be used for lamps. The rear hall is the main and biggest part of the Palace. The coffins of Emperor Zhu Yijun and his two empresses are in this palace. There are also some precious items displayed with these coffins; among them is the gold imperial crown, one of the world's most rare treasures.
We feel that it is necessary to remind visitors with heart problems to consider carefully whether they should enter the underground chambers. The atmosphere and dull lighting can be a problem. As always, do not hesitate to consult your guide, who will be able to offer advice.
Admission Fee: |
RMB 40 |
Opening Hours: |
08:40 to 16:30 |
Recommended |
Two hours |
Tourist Bus Route: |
1, 2, 3, 4, 5 |
Jinshangling Great Wall Section
140 kilometers at the north-east end of Beijing City, there is a section of the Great Wall, called Jinshanling Great Wall. It is 90 kilometers to
the Mountain Resort of Chengde. A tablet with the Chinese inscription of "Jinshanling Great Wall" was set in this section.On the right is the full view of the Jinshanling Great Wall. Its east end connects to
the Simatai Great Wall. Jinshangling Great Wall got its name because it was built on the bigger and the smaller Jinshan Mountains.The Jinshanling Great Wall was initially built from 1368 to 1389 in the Ming Dynasty, and in 1567 or 1570 rebuilding of the Wall was mainly directed by General Qi Jiguang. Poems and tablet writings can be found on the Jinshanling Great Wall left from the time Qi Jiguang directed building of this section of the Great Wall.
The total length of this section is about eleven kilometers (6.8 miles), and the scenic spot of the Jinshanling Great Wall has an area of 32 square kilometers. The Wall is about seven to eight meters high and five to six meters wide, which is made of brick and stone. The Jinshanling Great Wall has an elevation of 700 meters. Watching Beijing Tower is on the highest position, from which you can see Beijing. The Jinshanling Great Wall is second only to the Badaling Great Wall in its completeness.
There are more than 100 enemy towers along the whole Jinshanling Great Wall. Built stably and elegantly, different towers have different structures and appearances. Please see the left picture - it is one of the enemy towers. Rows of 3-meter-high Barrier Walls were built leading to the enemy towers to protect the towers. Some of the towers are storerooms as well. They were used to store food, hay and weapons.
Two of so many enemy towers are bigger Jinshan and smaller Jinshan. There is a legend about them. It was said that the two towers were built by 3000 soldiers from the Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provinces led northward by Qi Jiguang. In order to remind themselves of their hometowns, the names of bigger and smaller Jinshan Islands in Zhenjiang City, which is in Jiangsu Province, were used to name the two enemy towers.
As there are relatively few tourists at Jinshanling Great Wall, it is a good place to explore on foot.
In early mornings of spring and summer you can see a remarkable view - "Cloud Sea" below you from the Wall.
The Jinshanling Great Wall has never been repaired. You are safer when you visit this section of the Great Wall than other parts. It is safer as the service in this section of Great Wall includes that one tour guide is responsible for one tourist, for his/her safety actually. When needed, the tour guides will go hand in hand to protect the tourists.
An 800-meter long cable was built to entertain the tourists. Also a 3-kilometer section of the Wall was rebuilt and is bathed after dark in colored light, making a splendid "Night Great Wall".
Admission Fee: |
15 |
Opening Hours: |
08:00 to 16:50 |
Recommended Time for a Visit: |
Two hours |
Simatai Great Wall Section
To the east of the Jinshanling stretch of the Great Wall there lies the quiet and remote Simatai section. The ruinous state of this part of the Wall gives it an air of authenticity that has earned it the reputation of being the most beautiful section of the Great Wall. Unlike the sections to be seen at
Badaling or Mutianyu that have undergone extensive restoration, the wall at Simatai has received very little attention. Here, the wall really looks as one would expect it to look some 500 years after it was built during the Ming Dynasty. The local people are proud of this monument and proclaim that it was as a consequence of visiting Simatai that UNESCO was convinced the wall should be listed as a World Heritage site. It towers over the nearby villages and farmland as it winds its way like the spiny back of a dragon over the sharply clipped peaks of the mountains.Because this section has retained much of its original 500 year old features it offers a quite hazardous passage to those who wish to walk along it. Needless to say, the inherent dangers offer a challenge that is quite inresistable to dedicated hikers in quest of adventure. An additional attraction is that as Simatai is some 130 kilometers (80 miles) to the north-east of Beijing it is well beyond the reach of the huge crowds of tourists that throng the more popular and accessible parts of the Wall.
Enthusiasts, who like to study military architecture, find much to interest them along this 20 kilometer barrier as it appears to dance from east to west over the mountain ridges interrupted only by the presence of the Simatai reservoir that divides it in two. Here, those who are keenly interested can study and compare a wide range of watchtowers, blockhouses and platforms representative of the many styles to be found along the Great Wall.
Visitors have a choice of accessing the wall from either Jinshanling or Simatai. Most enter at Jinshanling for a fee of 30 Yuan and make their way to Simatai. It is at Simatai that the Wall takes the hiker upwards to the perilous Simatai ridge.
There are in total sixteen watchtowers set at intervals along this expanse and it will take about two hours to reach the twelfth watchtower. Beyond this point the condition of the stairs and walkways deteriorates and the passage becomes both steep and narrow which means that it is often safer to use the adjacent footpath rather than try to walk on the Wall itself. A lack of firm footholds creates quite a struggle and in places it may prove necessary to go on all fours in order to make any progress.
For 100 meters between the fourteenth and fifteenth watchtowers there is an incline at an 80 degree angle with only a single parapet wall. It is quite narrow compared with more substantial sections of the wall and in height it varies from two to four meters from its base. The terrain forms a natural barrier while the Wall gave the Chinese soldiery a combination of protection and an advantage of height from which to defend themselves against enemy attack. The defences are reinforced by rows of embrasured walls built vertically to the main body of the Wall so as to withstand any possible incursion by enemy soldiers. As this section of the Wall is so steep, it is known as the "Stairway to Heaven". The fifteenth tower has been named "The Fairy Tower" and is noted for its fine architectural features which include stone sculptures of twin lotus flowers on its arched doorways. Only the bravest hikers will climb the "Stairway to Heaven" but those who do and reach the sixteenth and highest tower will be rewarded with a breathtaking view. Known as 'Wang Jing Lou' [Watching Beijing Tower] the sixteenth watchtower with its elevation of 986 meters is the highest visitor attraction in the environs of Beijing. At night the lights of the city, when seen from the watchtower, are a wondrous sight to behold.
The descent can be made to the seventeenth watchtower and from there along the hill path to the exit gate.
How to Get There:
There are two routes: You can take the coach at Beijing Bus Station in Dong Zhi Men to Miyun County where you change to a minibus that goes direct to the sightseeing spot. Alternatively, there is a No. 12 tourist Bus from either the Xuan Wen Men or Dong Si Shi Tiao stops. An economy class ticket costs 60 RMB and the luxury class costs 70 RMB. Departure times are from 06.00 hours to 08.00 hours.Safety Advice:
Remember that much of Simatai is in a state of ruin. Consequently, you will be embarking on an adventurous hike. In parts, the way is steep and hazardous and is not for the feint hearted! It is not really suitable for more elderly people who should always be accompanied. As with all dangerous exploits it is advisable to have an experienced guide or someone who has been before to go with you. Also, take particular care not to loose your footing when stopping to take photographs! Never take unnecessary risks and keep to the recognised paths.Clothing:
You will be visiting military fortifications that are built mainly along high, steep and exposed mountain ridges. You will need light, loose fitting, comfortable clothing that is waterproof, wind-resisting and air permeable. In autumn and winter, warm sweaters and gloves are recommended. Gloves should not be too thick as you will need to use your hands when climbing particularly steep sections of the route. Finally, footwear should be comfortable walking shoes or boots with soles that have a good grip.Avoid setting out with new and untried footwear so as to prevent discomfort and blisters.
Necessary Items:
You should carry half a litre of w ater for each hour you intend to walk. Alkaline drinks may be substituted for part of your water ration. Do not take alcoholic drinks. A camera, films, a pocket flashlight, packed food and a garbage bag are other basics. When walking in a group, it is a good idea to take a length of nylon rope as a means of helping each other over difficult terrain.
Tokyo
Located halfway along the archipelago of Japan, Tokyo lies across the Kanto Plain, overlooking Tokyo Bay. Consisting of many cities within a city, each district is easily accessible via an efficient transportation system. At its heart is the Imperial Palace, to the west the skyscraper district of Shinjuku, and to the east the business centre of Marunouchi and the shopping area of Ginza.
Tokyo is served by a major international airport, Narita Airport, 40 miles from Tokyo, and a domestic airport, Haneda Airport, just five miles from the city centre. Renowned worldwide for the Bullet Train, the train system is fast and efficient and is the standard choice of transportation for domestic travel.
Grand Hyatt Tokyo is located in Roppongi Hills, a cultural lifestyle centre. In addition to the hotel, Roppongi Hills features the Mori Arts Centre, a 54-storey office tower, TV Asahi headquarters, Virgin cinema complex and 200 shops and restaurants.
Whether you are in Tokyo for business or leisure, the city has something for everyone, from the historic site of the Imperial Palace to the delights of Tokyo Disneyland.
Imperial Palace
Site of the main residence of the Emperor and Empress of Japan and Edo Castle, the manicured gardens and pine trees of the Imperial Palace are one of the most popular attractions for international visitors. While the palace itself is only open to visitors at New Year and on the Emperor's birthday, the remainder of the 250-acre garden is often open to the viewing public.
Tokyo Tower
Modelled after the Eiffel Tower, Tokyo Tower is the largest structure in Japan at 333 metres high. From two observatories, Mount Fuji can be seen on a clear day.
Ginza
Ginza is the most famous shopping area in Japan, with numerous luxury brand stores and private art galleries. While to the east is Tsukiji, home of the world's largest fish market.
Parks
Throughout Tokyo there are many shrines and parks, with the most famous one being Meiji Shrine, dedicated to Emperor Meiji in Yoyogi Park.
Points of Interest
Roppongi Hills
Imperial Palace
Shinjuku Gyoen Park
Shinjuku district
Asakusa Kannon Temple Meiji Jingu (shrine)
Omotesando fashion district Tokyo
Disneyland Tokyo
National Museum
Tsukiji fish market
Ueno Park and Zoo
Sensoji Temple
National Museum of Modern Art
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office
Sumo Museum
Rinkai-fukutoshin (Odaiba) area
Hama Rikyu detached palace garden
Distances to the Hyatt Hotel
New Tokyo International Airport (Narita) (NRT) - 90 minutes by car
Tokyo International Airport (Haneda) (HND) - 40 minutes by car
Tokyo Disneyland - 40 minutes by car
Tokyo Station (Marunouchi) - 15 minutes by car
Roppongi Station (subway) - 3 minutes' walk