Comparison · Beijing vs Tokyo · China / Japan
Beijing vs Tokyo
Two great trips, different strengths. Here is how they compare on the things that decide it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
Choose Beijing for Forbidden City, Great Wall and lower day-to-day costs; choose Tokyo for Shibuya Crossing, Sushi and ramen, beaches and free sights. Beijing is generally less expensive, and the two are about 2,089 km apart.
Key facts
- Distance apart
- 2,089 km
- Less expensive
- Beijing
- Best time for Beijing
- April–May and September–October
- Best time for Tokyo
- March–May and October–November
Side by side
| Beijing | Tokyo | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | China | Japan |
| Known for | Forbidden City, Great Wall and Peking duck | Shibuya Crossing, Sushi and ramen and Temples and shrines |
| Best time to visit | April–May and September–October | March–May and October–November |
| Ideal stay | 5 days | 6 days |
| Mid-range budget per day | $120–$230 | $150–$280 |
| Cost level | Moderately priced | Moderately priced |
| Warmest month | July, 31°C (88°F) | August, 31°C (88°F) |
| Coldest month | January, 2°C (36°F) | January, 10°C (50°F) |
| Free sights in our guide | 6 | 11 |
| Day trips in our guide | 7 | 7 |
| Beaches | — | Yuigahama, Kamakura |
| Airports | PEK, PKX | HND, NRT |
Which one is right for you?
Choose Beijing for…
Forbidden City, Great Wall and lower day-to-day costs. Beijing has been China's capital for most of the last 800 years, and its imperial core still lines up along a north–south axis from the Temple of Heaven through Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City to the Drum and Bell Towers. Around it, grey-brick hutong…
Choose Tokyo for…
Shibuya Crossing, Sushi and ramen, beaches and free sights. Tokyo is less a single city than a cluster of distinct centres linked by an exceptionally efficient rail network: neon-lit Shinjuku and Shibuya, the department stores of Ginza, the temple quarter of Asakusa, the museums of Ueno and the anime shops of…
Top sights compared
| # | Beijing | Tokyo |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Forbidden City (Palace Museum) | Senso-ji Temple |
| 2 | Great Wall at Mutianyu | Meiji Jingu Shrine |
| 3 | Temple of Heaven | Shibuya Crossing |
| 4 | Summer Palace | Shibuya Sky |
| 5 | Tiananmen Square | Tokyo Skytree |
Food compared
| Beijing | Tokyo |
|---|---|
| Peking duck | Sushi |
| Noodles with soybean paste | Ramen |
| Dumplings | Tsukemen |
| Jianbing | Tempura |
Which is cheaper?
Beijing is usually the less expensive of the two: a mid-range day costs about $120–$230 per person there, against $150–$280 in Tokyo (AMZBooking estimates, excluding flights). Beijing on a budget.
Can you visit both?
They are about 2,089 km apart, so combining them means a flight. With 12 days or more it works; otherwise pick one.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Beijing or Tokyo cheaper?
Beijing is usually less expensive: about $120–$230 a day mid-range against $150–$280 (estimates).
+Is Beijing or Tokyo better for a first trip?
Pick Beijing for Forbidden City, Great Wall and lower day-to-day costs, or Tokyo for Shibuya Crossing, Sushi and ramen, beaches and free sights.
+How far is Beijing from Tokyo?
About 2,089 km in a straight line.