Lindsey Takahashi

T&T 164
China and Japan
Their economic strength, military power, and political influence have given China and Japan
reputations as world superpowers, next to America and the United Kingdom. Their cultures are rich
with awe-inspiring history, and they continue to impress the world with their industrial and
technological growth. Visitors to Japan would most likely arrive in the business center of Japan, which
is Tokyo. This airport is the Narita International Airport (NRT). The major airport locations are Beijing
(BJS), Shanghai (PVG), and Hong Kong (HKG).
One of the most famous historical attractions in China is the Great Wall. It has been claimed as
the Eighth Wonder of the World and is one of China's greatest symbols of wisdom. To tempt brave and
adventurous people to climb the Wall, written on it is a quote from Mao Zedong, "He who has never
been to the Great Wall is not a true man." Started in approximately 770BC-221BC, the wall was built to
protect the northern kingdoms of China. But after years of war and modifications, it was clear it was
not able to protect an entire nation from outside influence. It now hosts sightseeing opportunities for
thousand of tourists. Tourists are able to get to it from several ports, whose names are Badaling Great
Wall, Mutianyu Great Wall, and Jiankou Great Wall. Coach buses are available to get to these locations,
and even a place to stay overnight is offered at Mutianyu.
A historical must-see in Japan is the city of Nara. This was the city of Japan from 710-784, and
had a powerful influence even after the capital city was moved. It boasts eight beautiful Buddhist
temples. Together with the other shrines and the Kasugayama Primeval Forest, they are known as the
Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara. Besides the religious features, another famous aspect of Nara
is the surprising amount of deer that freely roam the streets in Nara Park. According to legend, a god
named Takemikazuchi came down on a white deer to protect the city. Because of this legend, deer are
considered divine spirits in Japan and are left to defend this old capital. There are several vendors that
sell deer biscuits so visitors may feed them.
In China, Shanghai is often referred to as a shopping paradise. This is the perfect location to
observe Chinese souvenirs and make them your own. Woolen needlepoint tapestries and wooden
carvings are crafted for an inexpensive price. Silk cheongsam, a type of dress for women, are a huge
attraction to female tourists. This tight fitting dress is the symbol of traditional Chinese beauty. Nanjing
Road East is the specific reason Shanghai is named the shopping paradise. It is a popular place for
both tourists and businessmen because of success there. Its West Road is hailed for more luxurious and
expensive items.
Akihabara, one of the districts in Tokyo, Japan, is renowned for its technology and electronics.
Favored by otaku, people with obsessive interests in Japanese culture, it houses many shopping centers
for video games, anime, and manga. Many visitors to Japan flock to the famous maid cafes. At these
cafes, young girls dressed in frilly maid outfits greet you and serve the order of your choice from well
decorated menus. As fully consenting servers, they also provide dancing and singing as entertainment if
the guest, or mistress/master, requests it.
The similarities between these two countries include the spoken and written language. The way
Japanese speak their language is different from the Chinese, but some words and written characters do
draw influence from the latter's. The Japanese language is comprised of three alphabets, Kanji (Chinese
characters), Hiragana (simplified characters), and Katakana (characters reserved for foreign words).
Because Japan is so close to the mainland of China, they had ties to ancient Buddhist missionaries that
led the Chinese to share language with the Japanese. When Japan isolated itself from the rest of the
world around 1853, the Japanese language developed into something that closely resembles their
modern way of speaking. China, however, continues to sport several different dialects that do not share
most of the same words. Several of these dialects are Mandarin, Wu, Cantonese, and Yue.