Free tour

Anime Inspired Beijing Palace Tour with Pop Culture and History

5.00

Excellent(1)

Beijing

Duration: 3 hours and 30 minutes

Languages: English

Guru: Xiaowen

Registered on 7 March 2025

Lived in Beijing for a decade. Obsessed with anime for life. Ready to explore the real places that inspired anime palace scenes? Let’s go!

Free reservation and cancellation

Pay-what-you-want tour, no set price, reservation and cancellation are free

Tour description

🎉 Welcome, Anime Lovers & Culture Explorers! 🌟

In this 3.5-hour walk, we’ll explore both ancient imperial power and modern pop culture — a journey from the Forbidden City to anime heaven!

We’ll begin at the Meridian Gate, move through key palaces like the Hall of Great Harmony and Gate of Heavenly Purity, and stop at the Imperial Pharmacy Hall — just like in The Apothecary Diaries. I’ll share real court stories that inspired anime plots!
( Tickets to the Forbidden City are not included in the tour price. You can book them in advance through the official website, or I can help you purchase them for $11 per person. )

After exiting through the Gate of Divine Prowess, we’ll hop on a public bus to Xidan — one of Beijing’s most vibrant commercial centers 🚌

There, we’ll explore Huawei Building Anime Street, packed with affordable anime goodies — blind boxes, keychains, fan art, and more. Then we’ll head to POP MART’s flagship store at Xidan Joy City. Their character LABUBU has become a global craze (even Lisa from BLACKPINK is a fan!) 🧸

This tour is perfect for those who love contrasts — palaces by day, plushies by night. Let’s explore the real, surprising Beijing — together!

Highlights

What will we see on this tour?

Meeting point:

87 Dong Hua Men Da Jie, Dong Cheng Qu, Bei Jing Shi, China, 100006

If you see the Chinese characters “标婷护肤品专卖店”, you’re at the exact meeting point. You can easily spot me standing in front of the store — I’ll be holding an umbrella with a cat on it (Nyanko-sensei from the anime Natsume's Book of Friends).

Entry not included

Meridian Gate

The Meridian Gate is the main entrance to the Forbidden City, where emperors and their attendants entered and exited the palace grounds. To enter, tickets must be purchased in advance through the official website, or you can entrust me to purchase the tickets for you at the cost of $11 per person. Your passport number is required to book the ticket on the official website. At the venue, you can enter by presenting your passport. Once the booking is done, I will send you a screenshot of the confirmation.

Outside visit

Hall of Supreme Harmony

The grand hall where emperors conducted state affairs — often depicted in anime scenes as the center of royal power.

Outside visit

Gate of Heavenly Purity

The dividing line between the Outer Court and Inner Court, representing the transition from political to private life, much like the area where concubines live in anime.

How much does this tour cost?

Free tours don't have a fixed price. At the end, each person contributes to the guide the amount they consider fair based on their satisfaction. As a guideline, Guruwalk recommends between €15 and $50 per participant.