China & The Tokyo Stopover 2026#
The first week of an epic transpacific journey. Kicking off with an initial Tokyo stopover to decompress from flight delays and wander through rainy Shibuya, before crossing into China for high-speed trains, Shanghai street food, a modern wedding celebration in Jiaxing, and taking in the monumental scale of Beijing—all leading up to boarding a flight back to Japan.
Day 1: Narita Touchdown & The Midnight Skyliner Dash#
After the massive six-hour delay back at LAX, our flight finally touched down at Narita Airport late in the evening. As I rode the escalator down past the giant, cheerful Nintendo “Welcome to JAPAN” mural featuring Mario and Toad, I was greeted by an absolute travel miracle: the foreign passport immigration lines were completely deserted. I walked straight through without waiting a single minute.
Because of the severe flight delays, the Narita Express had already shut down for the night. Thinking fast, I pivoted over to the Keisei Skyliner, taking it into Nippori before transferring onto the Yamanote Line to Shibuya. I finally dragged my bags into the Shibuya Stream hotel and checked in at 11:30 PM. Running on pure fumes and jet lag, all I could do was collapse onto the bed and pass out.
Day 2: Shibuya Rain, Sweet Potato Frappes & Solo Leveling#
Jet lag showed no mercy, waking me up bright and early at 5:00 AM. Since Shibuya Stream has a dedicated laundry room on the 11th floor, I took advantage of the pre-dawn hours to get a full load of laundry washed and folded.
Stepping outside, the rain was coming down pretty heavily. I decided to pop into Starbucks downstairs for breakfast, ordering a chocolate banana donut and a sweet potato frappe. The donut was solid, but the sweet potato drink was strange—and worse, I discovered too late that it was completely caffeine-free. Needing an actual caffeine fix to start my day, I headed up to the Google office on the 35th floor to rescue myself with a proper espresso from the coffee bar while taking in the moody, rain-soaked panoramic skyline view.
Fully awake, I ducked into local arcades and wandered through MEGA Donki for some shopping. Along the way, I stumbled upon a lively outdoor Visa promotional booth (“What Will You Win?”). Naturally, I joined in the fun, threw on a festive blue Visa festival happi coat, posed with a “TOKYO” sign, and ended up scoring a neat prize.
For lunch, I stopped into a soba restaurant inside Tokyu Plaza, pairing the noodles with a fantastic appetizer of seared duck breast, charred leek, tamagoyaki, and yuzu kosho. Afterward, I headed upstairs in the same building to check out the Solo Leveling anime exhibition. The walkthrough featured impressive artwork, weapon displays, and full-scale statues of Sung Jinwoo wielding his dual daggers. After another stroll through the rain, exhaustion caught up with me and I headed back to the hotel for an afternoon reset nap.
For dinner, I stayed completely dry by taking the indoor pedestrian connection from the hotel directly into the Shibuya Scramble mall. We sat down for a wonderful shabu shabu dinner that kicked off with a creative monaka wafer tartare and savory mousse appetizer before diving into the hot pot meats.
Day 3: Haneda T2 to Shanghai & East Nanjing Road#
Another early 5:00 AM wake-up call to pack up my luggage for the morning flight to Shanghai. After catching up on some Discord chats, I checked out around 7:00 AM to take the train over to Haneda Airport before the morning rush hour peaked.
At Haneda, I checked out the Power Lounge Premium in the Terminal 2 international section. Interestingly, ANA is the only airline operating international flights out of Terminal 2, which made navigating surprisingly smooth. The lounge spread hit the spot with breakfast curry rice, crispy karaage, grilled fish, and hot coffee.
The flight into Shanghai was smooth and uneventful. Passing through customs was quick, my visa was stamped without issue, and my mobile data connected immediately. I hopped onto the Shanghai Metro toward the city center—it was fascinating to see airport-style luggage scanners at the subway entrance, but the tap-to-pay convenience was effortless.
Upon arriving at my hotel, I was pleasantly surprised to receive an upgrade to a room with a fantastic river view. Chiping met me at the hotel, and together we headed over to East Nanjing Road pedestrian shopping street to link up with Abdul. We stopped by Ah Ma’s Handmade for tea featuring handmade mochi instead of standard boba, and Chiping walked us through ordering at a Chinese McDonald’s, where I tried a wild burger stacked with an egg, fried salmon, and fried shrimp. We also checked out a themed Sanrio Cafe along the shopping strip, treating ourselves to an adorable Hello Kitty strawberry cake and a purple Kuromi katsu curry. After browsing through various stores, we capped off the evening with a food court dinner of roasted chicken, vegetables, and more tea.
Day 4: The Bund, Crab Roe Noodles & Shanghai Street Food Tour#
I kicked off the morning by taking full advantage of the extensive hotel breakfast buffet, which featured an impressive spread spanning traditional Chinese dishes, Indian specialties, Japanese bites, and Western staples. Fueled up, I took a scenic morning stroll along the iconic Bund and worked my way westward along East Nanjing Road.
Along the way, I got baited by anime store decor into ordering a Luckin Coffee with orange juice—a flavor combination that turned out to be truly vile. I cleansed my palate with some retail therapy, designing a custom shirt at the Jordan store. Later on the pedestrian strip, I checked out “爷爷自在茶” (Grandpa’s Tea)—a standalone specialty tea kiosk by KFC—grabbing a refreshing iced tea in an ornate pastel pink cup.
Later on, I met up with Abdul on West Nanjing Road, and we sat down for an incredible lunch of rich crab roe noodles and crab xiao long bao. As light rain began to fall, we ducked into Shanghai Book World, an expansive multi-story bookstore with a dedicated music floor where I scored a G.E.M. CD album. Heading back toward Pudong, I checked out a nearby mall and managed to find the coveted Shanghai-exclusive Adidas track jacket in my size.
In the evening, I joined the Lost Plate Shanghai Evening Food Tour led by Tony, an energetic guide who grew up in Korea and spent time living in Boston. The group was a great international mix of Australians, Europeans, and Americans—and by pure coincidence, two other tour guests were also Googlers, with one of them (Ben) working in my exact same building!
Tony led us through a phenomenal progression of local Shanghainese eats:
- Xiaolongbao: Steaming bamboo baskets of delicate soup dumplings packed with rich, savory broth.
- Dong Tai Xiang (东泰祥生煎馆): A stop at this time-honored intangible cultural heritage institution for their legendary semi-fermented shengjianbao (crispy-bottom pan-fried pork buns), fragrant scallion oil noodles tossed with dried shrimp (葱油开洋拌面), shredded egg crepe broth, and beef noodle soup.
- Benbang Family-Style Banquet: Gathered around a traditional round table and lazy Susan with cold Guangming beer, where the centerpiece was an incredible glossy tower of Shanghainese Hongshao Rou (红烧肉 - red-braised pork belly braised with quail eggs), accompanied by seasonal edamame, stir-fried greens, and savory rice cakes.
- Dessert: Refreshing bowls of Yangzhi Ganlu (杨枝甘露 - Mango Pomelo Sago) overflowing with sweet diced mango chunks and citrusy pomelo pulp.
We capped off the fantastic night sharing stories over drinks at a nearby neighborhood bar.
Day 5: Jade on 36, High-Speed Rail to Jiaxing & The Wedding#
Knowing a massive food day was ahead, I kept breakfast light at the hotel and hit the 4th-floor gym for a strength training session to build up an appetite. For lunch, I put my hotel dining credits to great use at Jade on 36 atop the Pudong Shangri-La, settling in beside floor-to-ceiling windows with a sweeping panoramic view across the Huangpu River to the Bund.
The French set menu was outstanding from start to finish:
- Bread Service: Warm, crusty French bread served alongside an artisanal trio of flavored butters (herb, plain, and beetroot).
- Appetizer: Rich, pan-seared foie gras complemented by crisp green apple textures, apple purée, and a delicate jus.
- Main: A beautifully cooked medium-rare beef tenderloin steak with a glossy red wine reduction, silky potato purée, and roasted mushroom mousseline.
- Dessert: A crisp, layered classic mille-feuille alongside a light cream dessert cup crowned with an intricate lattice tuile leaf.
After checking out, I reunited with Abdul at Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station to catch the high-speed bullet train over to Jiaxing for Chiping and Ning’s wedding. Arriving in Jiaxing, we took a quick DiDi to our hotel, got settled in, and suited up for the celebration.
The wedding was an incredible spectacle. The venue was breathtaking—anchored by an opulent stage framed by cascading floral arrangements, glowing circular chandeliers, and an illuminated flower-lined runway where we snapped photos with Chiping looking sharp in his tuxedo. The evening unfolded like a high-energy production with an entertaining MC, interactive game-show segments with audience raffles, and course after course of banquet delicacies flowing to every table. It was wonderful celebrating the newlyweds with friends before heading back to rest up for the next chapter of the journey north to Beijing.
Day 6: Journey North to Beijing#
After wrapping up the wedding weekend in Jiaxing, we boarded the high-speed bullet train (G14) for the long journey north to China’s historic capital of Beijing. The train stations provided an entertaining glimpse into modern automation—including an autonomous humanoid sentry robot with flashing police lights standing guard alongside an electric mini patrol vehicle.
One of the coolest highlights of the train ride was trying out China’s high-speed rail meal delivery service. By ordering ahead through the railway app, a fresh KFC meal was brought right to the train door at an intermediate station stop and delivered straight to my seat (Car 16, Seat 08A) in an insulated tote bag—complete with a spicy Zinger burger, crispy wings, a Portuguese egg tart, and fruit juice.
Pulling into Beijing, we made our way over to the Grand Hyatt Beijing, welcomed by its dramatic curved glass facade and grand fountain plaza right on Chang’an Avenue near Wangfujing. We set out to explore the bustling Wangfujing area, ducking into a nearby shopping mall where we stumbled across an amusingly tiny four-step escalator bridging split levels. Along our stroll, we treated ourselves to some afternoon refreshments: a fresh strawberry-mango drink in a round bottle from Heytea and tea-infused gelato in a waffle cone from Chagee.
For dinner, we celebrated our first night in the capital with an exquisite Peking roast duck feast at Made in China (长安壹号) inside the Grand Hyatt. The meal kicked off with the ultimate delicacy—crackling, paper-thin duck skin served piping hot and dipped directly into granulated white sugar, melting completely on the tongue. We then wrapped tender, roasted duck meat with sweet bean sauce, julienned scallions, and cucumber into warm, delicate steamed pancakes, paired with a smoky plate of dry-fried string beans with minced pork.
Day 7: Mutianyu Great Wall & Lost Plate Hutong Food Tour#
We dedicated the entire day to the Lost Plate full-day Great Wall, Hutongs & Evening Food Tour, an incredible journey seamlessly connecting Beijing’s ancient military engineering with its rich culinary heritage.
Our day began with the scenic drive north into the mountainous Huairou district, snacking on warm, freshly roasted sugar-fried chestnuts along the way. Arriving at the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall, we took the cable car up to the ridge and spent hours hiking the rugged granite ramparts. The sweeping mountain vistas stretching into the distance were breathtaking as we navigated the steep staircases and explored stone watchtowers, eventually making our way back down the mountain.
At the foot of the wall, our group sat down for a satisfying countryside farmhouse lunch highlighted by classic homestyle comfort food, including perfectly seasoned tomato scrambled eggs and fresh stir-fried greens.
Heading back into the city, our drive took us past Beijing Olympic Park, where we caught great views of the futuristic Beijing Olympic Tower and the iconic woven steel frame of the Bird’s Nest (National Stadium). We then dove into the heart of old Beijing, taking a lively afternoon stroll through the bustling, lantern-lit alleyways of Nanluoguxiang (南锣鼓巷).
As dusk fell, our guide transitioned us straight into Lost Plate’s evening hutong food crawl around the historic Gulou (Drum Tower) neighborhood:
- Rooftop Copper Hotpot: We gathered on an open-air terrace around a traditional charcoal-fired brass chimney hotpot (北京铜锅涮羊肉). We swished delicate ribbons of fresh, hand-cut mutton through the steaming broth, coated each bite in savory sesame paste (majiang), and toasted with cold pints of local craft beer from Great Leap Brewing.
- Door-Nail Meat Pies (Mending Roubing): Golden, thick pan-fried beef buns with a satisfyingly crispy crust and juicy filling.
- Old Beijing Zhajiangmian: Chewy hand-pulled noodles topped with dark, fragrant fried soybean paste, crisp shredded cucumber, radishes, celery, and whole soybeans.
- Spring Pancakes (Chun Bing): Delicate, warm steamed pancakes rolled with savory stir-fried bean sprouts, chives, and egg (Chao Hecai 炒合菜).
- Classics: Authentic Kung Pao chicken loaded with toasted peanuts and scallion rounds, alongside refreshing garlic smashed cucumber salad.
It was an unforgettable marathon of a day, seamlessly blending one of the wonders of the world with the best of Beijing’s street and hutong food culture.
Day 8: Wangfujing, Sanlitun Taikoo Li & Nanluoguxiang Snacks#
We kicked off our second full day in Beijing with classic breakfast comfort food, enjoying a freshly made Jianbing (煎饼果子) folded with egg, scallions, savory sauce, pickled vegetables, and a crunchy fried cracker center (baocui).
We spent the morning walking through the Wangfujing area, stopping by St. Joseph’s Church (Wangfujing Catholic Church / 东堂) to admire its historic early-1900s Romanesque revival grey brick facade. Later, we hailed a DiDi over to the trendy Sanlitun district to check out the stylish open-air plazas of Taikoo Li. We browsed several flagship storefronts and stopped into Shake Shack to try China-exclusive menu items that aren’t available in the US—a spicy Sichuan burger and crispy fried shrimp.
From there, we headed back into the vibrant hutongs of Nanluoguxiang for an afternoon street snack and shopping crawl:
- Disney Store: We ducked into the Disney Store tucked right along the hutong street, where I picked up a lovely souvenir for my mom.
- Tanghulu (糖葫芦): A glossy, hard-candied sugar skewer threaded with fresh strawberry and crisp grapes.
- Old Beijing Yogurt (老北京酸奶): Sipping thick, chilled fermented yogurt through a straw straight out of the iconic blue-and-white ceramic jar.
- Tea Crawl: Grabbing refreshing fruit teas and milk teas across popular local spots, including Heytea, fragrant floral sips from Molly Tea (茉莉奶白), and sweet drinks from Niulai.
Dinner took a fun, adventurous turn into China’s world of creative fast-food fusion:
- Tastien (塔斯汀): The popular homegrown “Chinese burger” chain famous for using fresh, oven-baked sesame flatbreads instead of standard buns, where we ordered a savory roast duck burger.
- China KFC: Testing out one of their wild experimental creations—a crispy fried chicken fillet nestled inside a dark cocoa bun stamped with an actual Oreo cookie pattern, rounded out with a warm, flaky Portuguese egg tart.
Day 9: Departure from Beijing: Flight Out to Osaka#
Our final morning in Beijing began with a relaxed breakfast stop at Starbucks for an iced coffee and a warm, cheese-baked savory sausage roll before packing up our bags, checking out of the Grand Hyatt, and heading to the airport.
At Beijing Capital International Airport, we stopped into the airport Pizza Hut for lunch before clearing security. In China, “New Orleans” chicken (新奥尔良烤鸡) is a fascinating culinary phenomenon: despite the American name, it has virtually zero roots in actual Louisiana Cajun or Creole cuisine. It was originally popularized in China by Western fast-food chains in the early 2000s as a sweet, savory, mildly spiced glaze tailored specifically to Chinese tastes, and it quickly exploded into a beloved national staple found everywhere from school cafeterias to sit-down diners. Naturally, we ordered their signature New Orleans-style Roasted Chicken Pizza, loaded with the sweet-savory roasted chicken, sliced mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes atop a distinctive crimped, cheese-stuffed crown crust.
From there, we boarded our flight across the sea to Japan. We touched down smoothly at Kansai International Airport (KIX) in Osaka just as evening set in. Stepping into the Kansai-Airport Station concourse, greeted by illuminated paper lanterns and autumn foliage displays, marked the official conclusion of an incredible first week across Shanghai, Jiaxing, and Beijing—and set the stage for Week 2 of our journey through Kansai and Tokyo!
