China Report (English)
Instead of our brother's association this year including their wives used to be held every
year, we four brothers visited China(Beijing and Sian) as doing last year. In accordance with
the suitable schedule of the the eldest brother who is a drugstore owner, we could realize
our travel to China for five days from 21th, Wednesday to 25th, Sunday in November, 2012
that was almost the same period as the travel to Vietnum last year.
Instead of our brother's association this year including their wives used to be held every
year, we four brothers visited China(Beijing and Sian) as doing last year. In accordance with
the suitable schedule of the the eldest brother who is a drugstore owner, we could realize
our travel to China for five days from 21th, Wednesday to 25th, Sunday in November, 2012
that was almost the same period as the travel to Vietnum last year.
Before going to China, Japan had some problems with China such as Senkaku Islands and
Japanese accident at near the Great Wall, so to tell the truth I felt uneasiness and
unsafety to go China, however we carried out to parcipate in this tour. As a result we could
enjoy seeing historical spots, eating delicious Chinese food and return to Japan without any
trouble. I had ever been to Beijing once on business trip in June, 1981 when it was 30 years
ago. With an eye to check the change of China as compared with before, I went on board
to Beijing.
Japanese accident at near the Great Wall, so to tell the truth I felt uneasiness and
unsafety to go China, however we carried out to parcipate in this tour. As a result we could
enjoy seeing historical spots, eating delicious Chinese food and return to Japan without any
trouble. I had ever been to Beijing once on business trip in June, 1981 when it was 30 years
ago. With an eye to check the change of China as compared with before, I went on board
to Beijing.
1. Four hours flight to Beijing
We four brothers assembled at Narita airport after one year without thinking uneasiness.
Our flight CA926 left Narita for Peijing at 15:15 on schedule. The top of Mt.Fuji over the
clouds was seen in the left through my window, and mountain ranges covered with snow
around Gifu prefecture and Wakasa bay in Fukui prefecture were also seen under my eyes.
We enjoyed having meal and drinking beer and wine for a while. TV in the front began to
display our current flying position, so I could expect our flight route to Beijing beyond over
Dairen. Anyway we landed on Beijing airport at 18:20(local time, -1hour time diffrence).
When we finished all of procedures required for entry of China and went out the exit, Mr.
Cho, our tour guide who was fluent in speaking Japanese, had been waiting to escort us by
car to our hotel tonight. It was not until arriving at the hotel "Wing King"that I noticed ten
Japanese members of this tour. After checking in the hotel, we four brothers took dinner at
a restaurant on first floor and toasted together with Tsingtao beer for a good travel in
china.
2. Sightseeing in Beijing
Next morning we got up at six and took breakfast in a Viking style. The car picked up our
ten members at 7:15 in front of the hotel and headed toward Tian'anmen Square. On the
way, we could see "Bird's nest"stadiumin used in Olympic games from our car window. Tian'
anmen Square was dull and foggy. The wall of Gugong (Forbidden City) hanged with Mao
Zedong's portrait and Great Hall of the People where the political power was handed over
lately, were also seen dimly and vaguely. We entered into Gugong through the underpass.
That reminded me of visiting here 30 years ago and the scene of movie "Last Emperor". We
were escorted to the back gate while feeling the greatness of Chinese 4,000 years history
by hearing the explanation of our guide. Through the road of willow planted along the moat
around the castle, we ran toward the north aiming at the Great Wall (Hattatsu Rey). We
stopped at a restaurant serving "Kantong Foods"located near mountainaus area, and
enjoyed eating by dishing out, and also drinking by toasting with Tsingtao beer. After about
20 minutes drive toward the mountain on the road remaining snow, we arrived at the gate
of Great Wall (Hattatsu Rey). It was very cold and we had a little snow. The road in the
rampart on the top of the mountains was seen and we selected to climb "Women's slope"
which was said to be easier than "Men's slope"for going up. We didn't meet any Japanese all
the way except our members because of a current unusual situation between two countries.
We took pictures each other and I reached out of breath at the top of the Great Wall from
where I could see the mountains covered with snow far ahead. My hands and feet were
coldly frozen. We returned to the gate all together while taking care of my eldest brother
weak in the legs. On the way to be back to Beijing city, we stopped at a jade shop and I
bought a lavender color brooch for my wife after tough negotiation. We tasted tonight "
Beijing duck"one of famous dish in China as our dinner. After then we enjoyed seeing "
Classical Chinese Play"(Kyo Geki) which interested me in it's performance. Because of early
flight to Sian tommorow morning at 7:20, we went to bed earlier than usual.
Next morning we got up at six and took breakfast in a Viking style. The car picked up our
ten members at 7:15 in front of the hotel and headed toward Tian'anmen Square. On the
way, we could see "Bird's nest"stadiumin used in Olympic games from our car window. Tian'
anmen Square was dull and foggy. The wall of Gugong (Forbidden City) hanged with Mao
Zedong's portrait and Great Hall of the People where the political power was handed over
lately, were also seen dimly and vaguely. We entered into Gugong through the underpass.
That reminded me of visiting here 30 years ago and the scene of movie "Last Emperor". We
were escorted to the back gate while feeling the greatness of Chinese 4,000 years history
by hearing the explanation of our guide. Through the road of willow planted along the moat
around the castle, we ran toward the north aiming at the Great Wall (Hattatsu Rey). We
stopped at a restaurant serving "Kantong Foods"located near mountainaus area, and
enjoyed eating by dishing out, and also drinking by toasting with Tsingtao beer. After about
20 minutes drive toward the mountain on the road remaining snow, we arrived at the gate
of Great Wall (Hattatsu Rey). It was very cold and we had a little snow. The road in the
rampart on the top of the mountains was seen and we selected to climb "Women's slope"
which was said to be easier than "Men's slope"for going up. We didn't meet any Japanese all
the way except our members because of a current unusual situation between two countries.
We took pictures each other and I reached out of breath at the top of the Great Wall from
where I could see the mountains covered with snow far ahead. My hands and feet were
coldly frozen. We returned to the gate all together while taking care of my eldest brother
weak in the legs. On the way to be back to Beijing city, we stopped at a jade shop and I
bought a lavender color brooch for my wife after tough negotiation. We tasted tonight "
Beijing duck"one of famous dish in China as our dinner. After then we enjoyed seeing "
Classical Chinese Play"(Kyo Geki) which interested me in it's performance. Because of early
flight to Sian tommorow morning at 7:20, we went to bed earlier than usual.
3. Moving to Sian and visiting Terracotta Warriors, etc.
Breakfast was prepared by our guide with a meal box contained a bread and a boiled egg
because of early morning. After finishing checkout, we loaded all luggages into our car and
left the hotel for taking CA1203 flight to Sian. It took 2 hours to Sian by flight. I heard the
capital city in those days was located there and called "Chouang" in the age of Tang
Dynasty just like Kyoto or Nara in Japan. We ran into the pastoral landscape through willow
avenues and arrived at "Kanyoryou" underground museum where we saw historical exhibits.
After then we moved to World Heritage "Terracotta Warriors Museum" where I was excited
to see a lot of excavated worriors standing in a line on the ground. The idols of worriors are
said to be soldiers to guard the grave of Shin's Emperor. To my surprise, their looks all
were different each other. There was the place under excavation and we could see such
idols as oxen and horses lying on the earth as it was, through the glass passage. After
seeing them, we moved to visit the grave of Shin's Emperor while viewing from our car the
hot spring mountains that were said to be liked by princess "Yang"in those days. Our car
stopped at a stone monument in front of a big thick mountain on a plain. The red letters on
the stone monument could be read as the grave of Shin's Emperor and the big thick
mountain behind was the unexcavated grave itself. We took pictures in front of the
monument each other and we were also impressed by Chinese great history. Afte our guide
conducted us to a carpet shop and a bedding supplier, we took dinner at the "Shabu-shabu"
restaurant and enjoyed eating and drinking beer. The hotel tonight was prepared at "Grand
Metro Park" located within the Sian rampart where was well equiped and with clean facilities.
Breakfast was prepared by our guide with a meal box contained a bread and a boiled egg
because of early morning. After finishing checkout, we loaded all luggages into our car and
left the hotel for taking CA1203 flight to Sian. It took 2 hours to Sian by flight. I heard the
capital city in those days was located there and called "Chouang" in the age of Tang
Dynasty just like Kyoto or Nara in Japan. We ran into the pastoral landscape through willow
avenues and arrived at "Kanyoryou" underground museum where we saw historical exhibits.
After then we moved to World Heritage "Terracotta Warriors Museum" where I was excited
to see a lot of excavated worriors standing in a line on the ground. The idols of worriors are
said to be soldiers to guard the grave of Shin's Emperor. To my surprise, their looks all
were different each other. There was the place under excavation and we could see such
idols as oxen and horses lying on the earth as it was, through the glass passage. After
seeing them, we moved to visit the grave of Shin's Emperor while viewing from our car the
hot spring mountains that were said to be liked by princess "Yang"in those days. Our car
stopped at a stone monument in front of a big thick mountain on a plain. The red letters on
the stone monument could be read as the grave of Shin's Emperor and the big thick
mountain behind was the unexcavated grave itself. We took pictures in front of the
monument each other and we were also impressed by Chinese great history. Afte our guide
conducted us to a carpet shop and a bedding supplier, we took dinner at the "Shabu-shabu"
restaurant and enjoyed eating and drinking beer. The hotel tonight was prepared at "Grand
Metro Park" located within the Sian rampart where was well equiped and with clean facilities.
4. Tour in Sian the last day
We got away from the hotel at 8 o'clock after taking breakfast in a buffet style. Our main
schedule today was to go sightseeing in Sian. We took a tour first "Shaanxi province
Historical Museum"and went around in the gallery to see the ancient work of art one by
one. We took lunch at an antiquated restaurant and enjoyed eating "Large thick noodle "
and drinking beer with my brothers. The noodle was very delicious and matched with drinking
beer. After being full, we got out of the restaurant and then saleswomen standing along the
road pushed us so as to buy such fruits as big pomegranates, persimmon and tomatoes etc.
I managed to refuse to buy them and returned to our car. We got off at the plaza of "
Daiganji Tower" called "Leaning Tower of Pisa in China". It was seemed certainly to be
inclined a little bit to the right. The street to be looked in the age of Tang Dynasty was
extended to the other side of the plaza. I was stinked by uncleanliness and smell when using
a public toilet in the street. Moreover I was shocked to see a boy who was begging by laying
his sick mother on the road of street. Nowaday China had become the 2nd large economic
country in the world, however some people were still seen to be very poor. I appreciated
that when I had my cap left at the restaurant for our lunch, our guide kindly picked up it for
me later. Next we visited to "Seiryuji Temple" which was deeply related with Japan in being
transfered buddhism by "Priest Kukai" in the age of Tang Dynasty. We registered our name
by one by into a visiting note at a souvenir shop there and moved to the plaza of "
Shoukorou" located in the center of the city and equipped a big bell and drum on a square
tower for alarming fire in those days. We took pictures in front of the squre each other and
our final dinner in China was served with "Gyou-za dish" cooked by using only steam
different from Japanese baked gyou-za. After enjoying dinner, we saw the traditional "Tang
Dynasty sing and dance show" at the theater of "Rien " available for eating and drinking
seat. We were back to the hotel while being moved deeply by the beautiful tradition dance.
We got away from the hotel at 8 o'clock after taking breakfast in a buffet style. Our main
schedule today was to go sightseeing in Sian. We took a tour first "Shaanxi province
Historical Museum"and went around in the gallery to see the ancient work of art one by
one. We took lunch at an antiquated restaurant and enjoyed eating "Large thick noodle "
and drinking beer with my brothers. The noodle was very delicious and matched with drinking
beer. After being full, we got out of the restaurant and then saleswomen standing along the
road pushed us so as to buy such fruits as big pomegranates, persimmon and tomatoes etc.
I managed to refuse to buy them and returned to our car. We got off at the plaza of "
Daiganji Tower" called "Leaning Tower of Pisa in China". It was seemed certainly to be
inclined a little bit to the right. The street to be looked in the age of Tang Dynasty was
extended to the other side of the plaza. I was stinked by uncleanliness and smell when using
a public toilet in the street. Moreover I was shocked to see a boy who was begging by laying
his sick mother on the road of street. Nowaday China had become the 2nd large economic
country in the world, however some people were still seen to be very poor. I appreciated
that when I had my cap left at the restaurant for our lunch, our guide kindly picked up it for
me later. Next we visited to "Seiryuji Temple" which was deeply related with Japan in being
transfered buddhism by "Priest Kukai" in the age of Tang Dynasty. We registered our name
by one by into a visiting note at a souvenir shop there and moved to the plaza of "
Shoukorou" located in the center of the city and equipped a big bell and drum on a square
tower for alarming fire in those days. We took pictures in front of the squre each other and
our final dinner in China was served with "Gyou-za dish" cooked by using only steam
different from Japanese baked gyou-za. After enjoying dinner, we saw the traditional "Tang
Dynasty sing and dance show" at the theater of "Rien " available for eating and drinking
seat. We were back to the hotel while being moved deeply by the beautiful tradition dance.
5. Homecoming to Japan
We waked up at 5 o'clock in the morning to be in time for 6 o'clock departure from the
hotel to the airport. The boarding procedure was carried by our guide and we were able to
take CA1206 flight to Beijing at 8:40 a.m on schedule. After flying about two hours, we
arrived at Beijing airport and spent three hours there for transfering to Narita airport. Our
flight CA167 took off the runway smoothly at 1:25 p.m and headed toward Japan. We could
return to our country without any troubles and hoped that both countries would make
every effort to have good relation as before as soon as possible. (The End)
We waked up at 5 o'clock in the morning to be in time for 6 o'clock departure from the
hotel to the airport. The boarding procedure was carried by our guide and we were able to
take CA1206 flight to Beijing at 8:40 a.m on schedule. After flying about two hours, we
arrived at Beijing airport and spent three hours there for transfering to Narita airport. Our
flight CA167 took off the runway smoothly at 1:25 p.m and headed toward Japan. We could
return to our country without any troubles and hoped that both countries would make
every effort to have good relation as before as soon as possible. (The End)
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