CEBU ADVENTURE: LITTLE KYOTO | FLY WITH NEO
Sachiko’s Little Kyoto
A new tourist attraction that has cropped up in the eight years that I’ve been away is Sachiko’s Little Kyoto.
Located in the highlands of Babag, Sachiko’s Little Kyoto offers Cebuanos and tourists alike a taste of Japan. Literally, it has Japanese food stalls and a cafe serving Japanese treats such as ramen, gyoza, teriyaki and maki.
Entry to Little Kyoto will set you back 60 pesos (£2-ish) person which is worth it so long as you’re not visiting during a drought, which is what happened to us! Googling Sachiko’s Little Kyoto will uncover photos of the vast botanical gardens spread across varying levels of the mountainside.
While there was plenty of greenery, much of the colourful flowers had dried and died when we visited, which was such a shame as I imagine Little Kyoto is absolutely gorgeous in full bloom. We also had Sirao Garden aka Little Amsterdam on our trip list as well but binned it off once we saw how the heat had sadly impacted the landscape.
Those seeking Instagrammable locations in Cebu will LOVE Sachiko’s Little Kyoto.
Walking through the Torii gates adorned by Japanese paper laterns and lamp posts, you quickly get a taste of all the photo opportunities the site has to offer. This includes a reclining buddha statue, statue of the loyal Hachiko, life-size replicas of anime characters, maneki-neko cats and daruma dolls. Minnie and Micky Mouse are also there!
While there are plenty of decks and spaces to take in the panoramic views of the mountains, it’s worth noting that getting into Little Kyoto will be tricky for those with mobility issues. The Taoist Temple and Temple of Leah both have enough to keep guests who struggle with stairs occupied but to access much of the sites of Little Kyoto, one has to battle with a hefty amount of steps and stairs, which was tough enough in the extreme heat!
That being said, on our next visit, we’ll likely return to Sachiko’s Little Kyoto and ~hopefully~ see the landscape in bountiful bloom.
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