Day 1: Beijing Highlights
Your English speaking Beijing tour guide will meet you in the lobby of your Beijing hotel at 8AM. Afterwards, your guide will take you to Tiananmen Square to see the monument created by China’s modern history. Afterwards, you will proceed to the Forbidden City – the largest and best-preserved ancient imperial palace with over 700 years of history. The tour of the Forbidden City takes about 2 hours, all along the central axis from south to north.
On the way to the Temple of Heaven, you will have the opportunity to visit the Silk Museum and learn about traditional silk culture.
Next you will visit the Temple of Heaven. This is where the ancient emperors prayed for peace and a good harvest, and is still the world’s largest ancient imperial sacrificial complex. The visit to the Temple of Heaven will take about 1.5 hours, after which you will be transferred back to your hotel.
Day 2: Beijing Side Excursion
On the second day, in the morning, you will visit China’s No. 1 attraction: the Great Wall of China, which is one of the greatest projects in ancient China 2,000 years ago and is more than 10,000 miles long. It is tall, strong and continuous, and was built by the ancient Chinese people as a fortification against foreign invasion. After the tour, you will have a short visit to the Jade Museum to learn about the interesting Chinese jade culture.
Next, the tour will take you to visit the spectacular and wonderful Summer Palace – the largest and most beautiful royal garden in China. After about 2 hours in the Summer Palace, you will proceed to a local teahouse for a Chinese tea tasting. At the end of the day, you will be transferred back to your hotel.
Day 3: Beijing To Osaka
Enjoy a short trip to Beijing Olympic stadium area, then fly to Osaka in the afternoon, and driver will transfer from kansai airport to hotel in Osaka.
Day 4: Osaka Exploring
Start your day at Osaka Castle Park, one of Japan’s most famous landmarks and a symbol of Osaka’s historical grandeur. Originally built in 1583 by the powerful daimyo Toyotomi Hideyoshi to unify Japan, this castle was the largest of its kind at the time. After many renovations and reconstructions, today Osaka Castle has been transformed into an open park totalling 105.6 hectares, making it a must-see attraction.
Walking into the scenic area of Osaka Castle, you will be amazed at the enormous size and precision of the moats, gates and stone walls. The largest stone slab is 11 metres wide, and many of the stones are inscribed with the insignia of the 64 great lords who were responsible for the castle’s construction in 1620. Most breathtaking of all is Osaka Castle’s main tower (Tenshokaku), which stands high in the sky in the centre of the vast castle. Inside the castle tower is a museum displaying artefacts related to Toyotomi Hideyoshi and the history of the castle, and an observation deck on the 8th floor offers a panoramic view of Osaka Castle Park and the Osaka Plains.
Afterwards, you will experience the city’s unique charm through a street food and shopping tour. Shop at Shinsaibashi Suzuki Shopping Street, Osaka’s busiest shopping mall. Then, head to the lively Dotonbori district, where the waterways are lined with illuminated adverts and signs. During the festive season, the bridge shines with decorations. Filled with great restaurants, clubs and karaoke bars, this is the city’s entertainment destination. Take a photo in front of the iconic Glico Man sign. Try the Takasaki, spherical octopus bites, kushikatsu (Japanese deep-fried skewered meat and vegetables) and okonomiyaki, a delicious Japanese pancake topped with whatever you like.
Later on, visit the neighbouring Namba Yasaka Shrine, which dates back to the time of Emperor Nintoku, when a lion was believed to ward off evil spirits from a popular malady and the shrine was built.
Then visit the Kamigata Ukiyoe Museum, which offers a fascinating glimpse into the traditional Japanese art form of ukiyo-e. Take the opportunity to view famous 18th century Japanese prints and make your own woodblock prints at the Kamigata Ukiyoe Museum. Next visit the Umeda Sky Building – Umeda Sky Building Floating Garden Observatory, where a breathtaking 360-degree panoramic view awaits you as you ascend to the Sky Garden Observatory. The observatory is designed to give visitors a full view of Osaka, from the bustling streets below to the distant mountains on the horizon. On a clear day, you can even catch a glimpse of the iconic Osaka Castle and the sparkling waters of Osaka Bay.
Next visit Tempozan Giant Ferris Wheel, once the largest, tallest and most technologically advanced Ferris Wheel in the world. At night, the lights of the Ferris Wheel will forecast the weather, red for sunny days, green for cloudy days and blue for rainy days before returning to the hotel.
