I was in Beijing for work in October 2026, and my company arranged a great sightseeing day.
Living in Japan, it's easy to forget how close the rest of East Asia is. Beijing is only a few hours' flight away, and autumn is one of the best times to go, with clear blue skies, mild days, and the city dressed up in flowers around the October 1 National Day holiday. Highlights include the Great Wall, the Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square, and a proper Beijing hotpot dinner.
Beijing is the capital of China. It is a huge city, with old palaces and temples right next to modern business districts, and the Great Wall is a day trip away.
The Great Wall
No trip to Beijing feels complete without the Great Wall. The sections near the city were mostly rebuilt during the Ming dynasty, and they climb steeply along the mountain ridges, so expect a lot of stairs. In autumn, the hillsides turn red and gold, which makes it one of the best seasons to go.
We visited the Badaling section. It was a beautiful day with breathtaking views. Some sections were very steep, and the uneven steps made it a little challenging to traverse.
There are a few sections you can visit from the city:
- Badaling is the easiest to reach, about 60 km away. A high-speed train from Beijing North (Qinghe) takes under 30 minutes. It is also the busiest.
- Mutianyu is a restored section with a cable car and a toboggan ride down. It is usually less crowded than Badaling.
- Jinshanling and Simatai are farther out and partly unrestored. They are best done with a tour or a hired driver.
Tickets are tied to your passport, so book ahead and bring it with you, especially on weekends and holidays. Wear shoes with good grip; some of the steps are tall and uneven.
The Temple of Heaven
The Temple of Heaven (Tiantan) is where the Ming and Qing emperors came to pray to heaven for good harvests. It was first built in 1420, the same year the Forbidden City was finished, and it is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its centerpiece is the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, a round wooden hall with three tiers of deep blue tiled roofs, standing on three levels of white marble terraces. The round shape stands for heaven. The hall you see today is a faithful rebuild from the 1890s, after lightning burned the original in 1889.
Visitors can't walk inside the hall, but you can look in from the doorway, and it is worth waiting your turn at the front of the crowd. The ceiling is held up by tall wooden columns: the four central ones are said to represent the four seasons, and the two rings of twelve around them the twelve months and the twelve traditional hours of the day.
The inside of the hall was really beautiful, but it was dim and hard to see. The photo really highlights it well.
Tip: buy the combined (through) ticket, since the basic park ticket doesn't cover the main halls. Go early in the morning if you can. The park fills up with locals doing tai chi, dancing, singing, and playing cards, which is half the fun. The east gate is next to Tiantandongmen station on subway Line 5.
Tiananmen Square
Tiananmen, the Gate of Heavenly Peace, was the main entrance to the old Imperial City and leads through to the Forbidden City behind it. It was first built in the Ming dynasty and rebuilt in 1651, and it was from this gate that Mao Zedong proclaimed the People's Republic of China on October 1, 1949. In front of it, across Chang'an Avenue, is Tiananmen Square, one of the largest city squares in the world. Every year around National Day, the square and the avenue are filled with huge flower displays, so autumn is a colorful time to see it.
We couldn't stop at Tiananmen Square or the Forbidden City, but we had a nice bus tour through the area.
Tip: entry to the square is by advance reservation with your passport, and there is a security check at the entrance, so allow extra time and check the current rules before you go. The nearest subway stops are Tiananmen East and Tiananmen West on Line 1. The flag-raising ceremony happens at sunrise every day if you want to get up early.
Eating in Beijing: copper-pot hotpot
Beijing's own style of hotpot is shuan yangrou, or instant-boiled mutton. It is cooked in a tall copper pot with a chimney in the middle, filled with a light, clear broth. You swish paper-thin slices of lamb (and often beef) in the broth for a few seconds, then dip them in a rich sesame sauce. Mushrooms, greens, and tofu go in too, and toasted sesame flatbreads (shaobing) are the classic side. It is a cold-weather favorite, so autumn and winter are the perfect time for it.
I asked for my hotpot extra spicy. It was good, but not overwhelmingly spicy.
Tip: wash it down with Yanjing, Beijing's local beer. Hotpot is best with a group, since the sharing platters are made for the whole table.
Where I stayed
I stayed at the beautiful St. Regis Hotel in Beijing.
Practical tips
Visas
Many passports can now visit China without a visa. Japan, South Korea, the UK, Canada, Australia and most of Europe can stay up to 30 days visa-free, but that list is set to run through December 31, 2026. US passports are not on it. Travelers from 57 countries, including the US, can use the 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit if they fly in and then continue on to a third country with a confirmed onward ticket. Rules change often, so check the current rules with China's National Immigration Administration or your nearest Chinese embassy before you book.
Paying for things
Almost everything in Beijing is paid by phone. Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay before you go. Both let you link a foreign Visa or Mastercard. Small payments under about ¥200 have no fee, and larger ones can have a 3% fee. Carry a little cash as a backup. I used Alipay and the setup was easy, but the first time I used it I had to confirm the purchase with my bank.
Getting around
The subway is the easiest way to get around. You can tap a contactless foreign Visa, Mastercard, JCB, or American Express card right at the gates, so there is no need to buy a ticket. Expect a quick bag check at station entrances. For taxis, the DiDi app has an English version, works with a foreign phone number, and takes international cards for its regular car rides.
The Forbidden City
You can't buy tickets on the day. Book online through the Palace Museum's official site or WeChat mini program. Tickets open at 8:00 PM Beijing time, seven days ahead, and they sell out. You book with your passport, and you need the same passport to get in at the Meridian Gate (the south gate). It is closed on Mondays, except on national holidays.
Final thoughts
Beijing packs centuries of history into a city you can reach from Japan in a few hours. Even a short side trip is enough for the Great Wall, the Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen, and a good hotpot dinner, and autumn is a great time to do it.
If you have the opportunity, I highly recommend visiting Beijing and the Great Wall.
Back to Side Trips or Home.