A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Taiyuan vs. Ise for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Taiyuan or Ise?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Taiyuan and Ise. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Taiyuan or Ise?

Taiyuan

With sleek architectural designs and blossoming businesses, this metropolis is simply brimming with invigorating excitement and once-in-a-lifetime entertainment. Despite its glimmering skyscrapers and gorgeous fountains, Taiyuan, China has an extensive history of nearly 2,500 years. During ancient China, Taiyuan, or the "Dragon City," was a major military town. Presently, this city is now one of China's most important industrial cities, producing more than half of the national coal mining output. Taiyuan is both the capital and largest city of the Shanxi province of North China. It is bounded by mountains on three of its sides, allowing this great city to be surrounded by fantastic views of its landscape. Besides its economic significance, Taiyuan also achieves tourist significance due to its plethora of landmarks and sights. Some of these attractions include Jinci Temple, Forest Park, Mengshan Giant Buddha, and Shanxi Museum. Taiyuan is also celebrated internationally for holding their annual Shanxi Taiyuan International Folk Arts Festival, a celebration held in September that hosts exhibition of fine arts, painting, paper-cutting, sculpture, drama, acrobatic and the culture of costume. With such a great deal to do in such a limited window of time, it is best to make the most Taiyuan while you visit!

Ise

A coastal city of Japan, Ise is best known for the Ise Shrine, arguably the holiest and most important Shinto site and the reputed home of the Emperor's Sacred Mirror. The shrine dates back to 4 BC and actually consists of two shrines: the inner shrine called Naiku and the outer shrine called Geku.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to China, The Best Tours for Seniors to China, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Japan, and The Best Cultural Tours in Japan.

When comparing the travel costs between Taiyuan and Ise, we can see that Taiyuan is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Asia, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Taiyuan Expensive? and Is Ise Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Taiyuan or Ise?

Taiyuan has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Ise. When comparing the sizes of Taiyuan and Ise, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.