Exploring Little Kyoto Cebu: A Tiny Slice of Japan Escape
What if Japan’s charm could be found closer than you think?
Ohayou gozaimasu! What if experiencing Japan didn’t mean boarding a plane? Sachiko’s Little Kyoto is a little world of Japan in Cebu, a soft slow travel adventure and a serene escape in the mountains. Located in the highlands of Babag, Sachiko’s Little Kyoto feels like stepping into a different world and experiencing a tiny slice of Japan.
Walking through Little Kyoto of Cebu made my childhood love for Japan comes alive. I was inspired by anything Japanese when I was a child – it’s art, animation, it’s peaceful gardens, the air, it’s lifestyle, wearing of Kimonos and the way it tells stories in silence, even if I’ve only seen it in books and films. So visiting Little Kyoto in Cebu felt more than just a casual travel stop, it felt like walking into a place my younger self once dreamed of. The lanterns, the wooden paths, the quiet corners tucked between trees… everything reminded me why I fell in love with art in the first place.
My last-minute plan on how to celebrate my birthday was to visit Little Kyoto. A day before my birthday, I still couldn’t decide what to do or how to celebrate it. I made up my mind to just stay home and cook for my family and have dinner in the backyard. But a part of me wanted more, wanting to step outside. When I suggested the idea to my partner, he immediately agreed and was even more excited because he wanted to try wearing yukata. Haha
The day has come and like the usual I prepared food at home for us together with the kids. However, this adventure was only for me and my partner as a treat to myself. I chose to go there in the afternoon because I wanted to catch the soft lightings of the afternoon and sunset and the beautiful transition into nighttime. Seeing the gate from the distance made me feel happy and excited. It was a Tuesday afternoon and to my relief, the place wasn’t crowded during the time we arrived. I thought we saw no cars parked in the parking lot. This is a wonderful news for someone with social anxiety. Hehe
The entrance fee is 120 pesos per person, and seniors get a nice little discount too. We walked around some parts near the entrance and quickly realized we should wear our Kimonos for photoshoots before the daylight disappeared. We went inside the Kimono house and there were plenty of beautiful options to choose from.
Kimono rental is 150 pesos good for one hour with extra charges for late returns. I asked the staff if they had a mask because I wanted to look and feel mysterious. (Haha) And yes all accessories like umbrella, slippers, katana and the mask are rented for 50 pesos each. After finalizing our choices, it’s finally time for massive but quick photoshoot. We started along the red shrine path right beside the Nara Cafe and headed up to Kyoto Treats where you can see variety of Japanese food stalls. I learned that they literally serve Japanese foods in these stalls but we didn’t catch it since we arrived late.
We absolutely love the ambience. The Japanese lanterns and lamps began to light and a relaxing music in the background making the entire place calm and soothing. As busy parents, a relaxing place like this was what exactly we needed. We even noticed how serious our vibes became while walking around in our kimonos and we laughed about it. Haha! Such a fun moment.
There are lovely spots you can find on top such as the realistic big Pagoda, photos of Geisha’s, a lying Buddha, Mickey Mouse, human-sized anime characters from One Piece and Naruto and a huge Gundam. Going down, you’ll find even more beautiful spots and a souvenir shop.
We didn’t stay long and didn’t order food because we planned to have dinner with our kids at home. While exploring every corner inside, we talked about bringing our kids next time so we can all try the delicious foods together.
Overall it was a really fun experience. Even for that short visit, my partner and I enjoyed it so much. I felt like a fairy had granted me a wish to sneak quickly out of the house on my birthday and brought me straight into a magical place.
It was Little Kyoto with a big magic!✨