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austinmc86
Joined: 23 Feb 2010
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Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 8:53 am Post subject: Tokyo or Beijing? |
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Japan is expensive and China requires a visa. It's a toss up.
If everything were equal, which would you choose? |
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travel zen
Joined: 22 Feb 2005 Location: Good old Toronto, Canada
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Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 10:54 am Post subject: |
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China for dating and girls. Japan for making money and different culture (China seems to have little culture, IMO)
Japan for modernity, China for a facade of ancient culture. Buildings are shaped like Han Dynasty...that's about it. Maybe some food.
Japan for latest gadgets and fine cloths, China for very cheap, but very cheap merchandise.
Japan for friendly people, China to see "the masses". |
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nukeday
Joined: 13 May 2010
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Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 2:14 pm Post subject: |
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It's just a vacation, he's not moving there (I think).
Beijing is cheap and it's also a blast. Go for it. |
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DeMayonnaise
Joined: 02 Nov 2008
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Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 10:30 pm Post subject: |
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I'd say Beijing. More to see, and the money you spend on the visa you'll save in the cheap cost of stuff. Tokyo is ridiculously expensive. |
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Hotwire
Joined: 29 Aug 2010 Location: Multiverse
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Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 11:28 pm Post subject: |
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Please please please go to TOYKO!!!!
Beijing is one of the blandest cities I've ever been to!
The tourist attractions
1. Great wall. Oh wow I'm waking on a mountain that looks the same as the ones in Korea but the differance is I'm on a wall. Wow.
2. Tienamen Square. Yeah it does impress with it's sheer scale, but that's like ten minutes of awe.
3. The summer palace. IF you haven't been to a lot of temples in Korea AND Thailand both this could be impressive. Otherwise more of the same done to overkill.
4. The forbidden city. See above but Korean temples only.
5. Nightlife. Go to Seunlitan. Momentarily think you're back in Itaewon.
Tokyo is AWESOME!
Spend a day in the amazing Rapponggi Hills city within a city.... Spend a day shopping in Shibuya and Shinjuku and then clubbing in the evening. Stay ina capsule motel just for the novelty of it... Harajuku park on a sunday filled with COZ play girls, punk bands, reggae drummers and buskers... Go to Ueno park and see the whole surface of the lake covered in Lotus flowers and stroll around the quaint shinto shrine... You want temples, no-one does it as strikingly and aesthetically pleasing as the Japanese did with Asakusa... Catch a traditional Kabuko show at Kabuki Cho in Ginza....
Seriosly Beijing would impress if you've never been to Asia but if you have it's just like Korea xeroxed 2X with better food or Bangkok without the colourfulness nor the Thai charm... |
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shostahoosier
Joined: 14 Apr 2009
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Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 2:14 am Post subject: |
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Hotwire wrote: |
Please please please go to TOYKO!!!!
Beijing is one of the blandest cities I've ever been to!
The tourist attractions
1. Great wall. Oh wow I'm waking on a mountain that looks the same as the ones in Korea but the differance is I'm on a wall. Wow.
2. Tienamen Square. Yeah it does impress with it's sheer scale, but that's like ten minutes of awe.
3. The summer palace. IF you haven't been to a lot of temples in Korea AND Thailand both this could be impressive. Otherwise more of the same done to overkill.
4. The forbidden city. See above but Korean temples only.
5. Nightlife. Go to Seunlitan. Momentarily think you're back in Itaewon.
Tokyo is AWESOME!
Spend a day in the amazing Rapponggi Hills city within a city.... Spend a day shopping in Shibuya and Shinjuku and then clubbing in the evening. Stay ina capsule motel just for the novelty of it... Harajuku park on a sunday filled with COZ play girls, punk bands, reggae drummers and buskers... Go to Ueno park and see the whole surface of the lake covered in Lotus flowers and stroll around the quaint shinto shrine... You want temples, no-one does it as strikingly and aesthetically pleasing as the Japanese did with Asakusa... Catch a traditional Kabuko show at Kabuki Cho in Ginza....
Seriosly Beijing would impress if you've never been to Asia but if you have it's just like Korea xeroxed 2X with better food or Bangkok without the colourfulness nor the Thai charm... |
This is an interesting analogy...thanks!
I too loved Tokyo and did all of those things and then some!
There are few cities in the world that can match the energy of Tokyo...I mean like 2...maybe 3. Seoul doesnt compare. |
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runthegauntlet

Joined: 02 Dec 2007 Location: the southlands.
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Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 8:13 am Post subject: |
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Beijing is one of my favorite cities in the world. I'd choose it over Tokyo every time. |
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samd
Joined: 03 Jan 2007
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Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 8:53 am Post subject: |
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Both are great cities.
For someone who has been to neither, Beijing would get my vote, but then again, something about China really does it for me - everytime I go there I find it almost intoxicating. For me, both Korea and Japan are a little dull in comparison.
I think it depends what kind of holiday you want to have. Toyko is more expensive, but a lot more polished, and as Hotwire says, aesthetically pleasing. Beijing's tourist sites are awesome in a different way. I disagree with Hotwire here and think the Great Wall, Summer Palace, Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Temple of Heaven etc. are all well worth going, and when combined, make for a powerful experience.
The food is fantastic in both places, but you'll eat more in Beijing for cheaper, and the food will be proabably be newer to you and more surprising. |
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JBomb
Joined: 16 Oct 2008
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Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2010 4:41 pm Post subject: |
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Beijing is far cheaper but Tokyo is far better. |
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DeMayonnaise
Joined: 02 Nov 2008
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Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2010 6:29 pm Post subject: |
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You're comparing the Forbidden City with gyeongbucgong (whatever its called)?
After going to Beijing, I realized how sad the tourist sites in Korea really are.
China: We're the f'ing kings of the world. Let's build ridiculously cool palaces.
Korea: We're China and Japans lil b*****s. Let's not build anything big, cause it's just going to get burned down in a few years anyways. |
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Hotwire
Joined: 29 Aug 2010 Location: Multiverse
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Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2010 9:29 pm Post subject: |
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DeMayonnaise wrote: |
You're comparing the Forbidden City with gyeongbucgong (whatever its called)?
After going to Beijing, I realized how sad the tourist sites in Korea really are.
China: We're the f'ing kings of the world. Let's build ridiculously cool palaces.
Korea: We're China and Japans lil b*****s. Let's not build anything big, cause it's just going to get burned down in a few years anyways. |
My point is the designs and arcitecture of Korean and the temples you mentioned are very alike if not usually the same. So if you've been to the palaces and Temples in Korea, the ones in Beijing are the same but just on a larger scale.
Best Chinese temples I've ever seen are in Bangkok Chinatown. |
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swoodman
Joined: 24 Sep 2009 Location: Reading, United Kingdom
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Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 1:22 am Post subject: |
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'1. Great wall. Oh wow I'm waking on a mountain that looks the same as the ones in Korea but the differance is I'm on a wall. Wow.'
Ive never been to Tokyo but
The Great Wall was the most visually impressive historic site Ive ever been to and Ive been to the pyramids in Mexico and Guatamala and the Sistine Chapel. Its incredible. I seriously doubt this poster has been[/quote] |
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iselynjenniep
Joined: 01 Jul 2010 Location: bundang
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Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 1:34 am Post subject: |
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FYI: i went to tokyo in july and was disappointed to find that the harajuku girls aren't out on sunday anymore  |
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Drew345

Joined: 24 May 2005
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Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 3:34 am Post subject: |
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Both are great cities. Been to both a few times.
If you are American:
China puts an extra fee on the visa just special for Americans (and no other country)
Japan allows Americans and many other developed country citizens to enter visa free.
Why go somewhere where you're not wanted? Go somewhere where you are wanted instead.
If anyone really wants to go to China, fine, it's got lot's to see.
Don't forget to research the whole "must have 6 months left on your ARC to go to China" threads too. Could be a problem |
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Hotwire
Joined: 29 Aug 2010 Location: Multiverse
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Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 6:14 pm Post subject: |
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swoodman wrote: |
'1. Great wall. Oh wow I'm waking on a mountain that looks the same as the ones in Korea but the differance is I'm on a wall. Wow.'
Ive never been to Tokyo but
The Great Wall was the most visually impressive historic site Ive ever been to and Ive been to the pyramids in Mexico and Guatamala and the Sistine Chapel. Its incredible. I seriously doubt this poster has been |
[/quote]
Stop trolling.
The great Wall is literally a walk in the mountains (a long one) but you're on a wall.
The friend who I was with was like 'yeah buut when you think of the History and imagine the Mongolian hordes attacking etc.'
I was like
'Yeah I know but they're not now, that's all over. We're on a big wall on an averagely scenic mountainscape. and just paid man won for the most disgusting fried rice ever cooked.'
I mean, it's okay but I even found Bulguksa in Gyeongju more impressive and I don't rate korea's 'wonders' as beig more than average.
It is a big wall on a mountain. No more, no less.
fin. |
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