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15 nights · Latin America · Australia · Europe · Long-haul markets

China + Japan

Two countries, one partner, one contract. For clients flying a long way, China and Japan together make the flight worth it. Shanghai and Beijing on the China side, linked by high-speed rail; then a short flight to Osaka, Kyoto for three nights, and the bullet train to Tokyo. The Japan half is operated by our sister company Vb Japan DMC, so the handover is internal.

  1. Shanghai3 nights
  2. Beijing4 nights
  3. Osaka2 nights
  4. Kyoto3 nights
  5. Tokyo3 nights
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Marble terraces and the red-walled Hall of Central Harmony in the Forbidden City, Beijing
Photo: Reinhold Möller, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Day by Day

The route, day by day

Transfer times are typical door-to-door or train times and are confirmed against live schedules when we quote.

  1. Day 1

    Arrive Shanghai

    Arrive and rest. Evening on the Bund.

    TransferPrivate airport transfer, about 45–60 minutes OvernightShanghai
  2. Day 2–3

    Shanghai and Suzhou

    Day 2: Yu Garden, the old town and Pudong. Day 3: Suzhou's classical gardens by high-speed train, about 30 minutes each way.

    OvernightShanghai
  3. Day 4

    High-speed train to Beijing

    Evening in the hutong lanes around the Drum and Bell Towers.

    TransferHigh-speed train from Shanghai Hongqiao to Beijing South, about 4.5–6 hours OvernightBeijing
  4. Day 5–7

    Beijing: Forbidden City, Great Wall, Temple of Heaven

    Day 5: Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. Day 6: the Great Wall at Mutianyu. Day 7: Temple of Heaven and the Summer Palace.

    OvernightBeijing
  5. Day 8

    Fly Beijing to Osaka

    Handover to Vb Japan DMC's ground team on arrival. Evening in Dotonbori.

    TransferInternational flight Beijing to Kansai, about 3 hours OvernightOsaka
  6. Day 9

    Osaka and Nara

    Nara's temples and deer park, under an hour by train, then Osaka Castle.

    OvernightOsaka
  7. Day 10–12

    Kyoto

    Three nights for Kyoto's temples, Higashiyama's old lanes early in the morning before the crowds, Arashiyama's bamboo grove and Fushimi Inari's gates.

    TransferTrain from Osaka, under an hour OvernightKyoto
  8. Day 13–15

    Tokyo

    Asakusa, Shibuya, a day trip to Hakone or Nikko, and a final evening in the city.

    TransferShinkansen bullet train from Kyoto to Tokyo, about 2 hours 15 minutes OvernightTokyo
  9. Day 16

    Depart Tokyo

    Homeward flight.

    TransferPrivate transfer to Haneda or Narita Overnight—
Before You Sell

Entry, season and planning notes

Entry route

China: 30-day visa-free entry for Brazilian, Argentine, Chilean, Peruvian, Uruguayan, Australian and most European passports. Japan entry depends on the passport and is confirmed separately at quote stage by Vb Japan DMC.

When to go

Late March to May (Japan's cherry blossom, mild in China) and October to November (autumn colour in Japan). Avoid China's Golden Week, 1–7 October, and Japan's Golden Week at the start of May.

Planning notes

  • One contract and one invoice for both countries. Vb China DMC and Vb Japan DMC are trading brands of the same company.
  • Japan entry rules are confirmed separately for each passport at quote stage.
  • The routing reverses easily: start in Tokyo and end in Shanghai if the long-haul flights suit that better.
  • Kyoto ryokan stays and sought-after dinners are booked first in peak seasons; Vb Japan DMC handles those reservations.
Along the Way

On this route

The Great Wall running along a green forested ridge under a blue sky
Photo: Velatrix, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Pudong skyline across the Huangpu River at night, seen from the Bund in Shanghai
Photo: King of Hearts, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Stone lanes and wooden shopfronts of Higashiyama, Kyoto, early in the morning
Photo: Vb Japan DMC
Destinations

City guides for this route

Imperial Capital

Beijing

Beijing guide for agents: Forbidden City, Great Wall at Mutianyu, Temple of Heaven, halal dining in Niujie, ticketing rules and how many nights to sell.

Gateway City

Shanghai

Shanghai destination guide for agents: the Bund, Pudong, Yu Garden, water towns and Suzhou day trips, theme-park days and rail links to Beijing.
FAQ

Questions agents ask about this route

Why use one partner for both countries?

One contract, one point of contact and one invoice, and no gap at the handover between countries: our China and Japan teams are part of the same company, so the arrival in Osaka is arranged internally.

Can the Japan part be shorter?

Yes. A 5-night Japan section covering Kyoto and Tokyo works; Osaka and the Nara day are the first to go.

Do clients need a visa for Japan?

It depends on the passport. Vb Japan DMC confirms Japan entry for each nationality when it quotes the Japan section.

Other Routes

Compare with

9 nights

First China

BEIJING → XI'AN → SHANGHAI

11 nights

Halal Silk Road

XI'AN → LANZHOU → DUNHUANG → YINCHUAN

9 nights

240-Hour Transit Circuit

BEIJING → XI'AN → SHANGHAI

Quote China + Japan for your clients

Updated 2 November 2026. An indicative framework, re-paced and priced for every brief.