Hiroshima

22/10/2008 Peace Memorial Museum The museum surveys the history of Hiroshima and the advent of the nuclear bomb. Its main focus though is on the events of August 6: the dropping of the bomb and its outcome in human suffering. The personal details displayed are quite upsetting and serve to …

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Kyoto Kinkaku-ji Golden Pavilion

Kinkakuji is a Zen Temple in northern Kyoto whose top two floors are completely covered in Gold leaf.  Formally known as Rokuonji, the temple was the retirement villa of the Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu and according to his will it became a Zen Temple of the Rinzai Sect after his death …

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Nara – Todaiji Temple

Nara is located in the Kansai region of Japan directly bordering Kyoto . It is home to eight temples, shrines, and ruins which collectively form the Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998. Nara was the capital of Japan from 710 to 784 and in …

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Forbidden city – Beijing

China’s most glorious palace sits in the heart of the capital city of Beijing. As one of China’s largest and most well-preserved heritage sites, the Forbidden City is a must-see for all visitors to China.. Built between 1406 and 1420 by the Ming emperor Yongle, the construction of the Forbidden …

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Terracotta Warriors Museum

The Terracotta Army in Xi’an, aka Terracotta Warriors and Horses, is a super large collection of life-size terra cotta sculptures in battle formations, reproducing the mega imperial guard troops of Emperor Qin Shi Huang (259 – 210BC), the first emperor of the first unified dynasty of Imperial China. Being the …

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Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China is one of the greatest sights in the world — the longest wall in the world, an awe-inspiring feat of ancient defensive architecture. Its winding path over rugged country and steep mountains takes in some great scenery, built over 2300 years, built in different areas by …

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Xian – Wild Ghoose Pagoda

The Pagoda was built in The Tang Dynasty  (618-907) for the study of Buddhist scriptures. Although it has been attacked by centuries of weather, war and seismic activity, which destroyed most of the original material of the structure, a pagoda by this name and style still exists on the site. The Tang …

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Guilin

Guilin is reputed as being one of the world’s most beautiful places with its  landscapes, clean rivers, idyllic countryside, majestic rice terraces, and ethnic minorities. It is in South China’s Guangxi Region, close to Hong Kong and Guangzhou to the southeast, and now only 6.5 hours ride from Chengdu by …

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Hong Kong

Hong Kong doesn’t have a capital. Hong Kong isn’t a country, it’s official full name is Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The latter part (SAR) is there because HK is still a part of China, but doesn’t follow the same laws as mainland China. At the very least, Hong Kong …

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The Po Lin Monastery

The Monastery is one of Lantau highlights and a visit is easily and frequently done together with the Big Buddha they are literally across from each other. There are several structures in this Buddhist complex, the first temples you will come to are relatively new, the original temples are tucked …

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