Japanese tunnel new Baguio tourist attraction

BAGUIO CITY – The City Government, in partnership with the Baguio Japanese Resident Society recently inaugurated the newly lighted Japanese tunnel in the Baguio Botanical Garden last Feb. 4.

The new tourist attraction, along with the Japanese Sister City Park is the brainchild of the Japanese community in the city and will serve to highlight the sister city relationship of Baguio City and Japanese Cities Wakanai City in Nagano Prefecture and Hanyuu City in Saitama Prefecture.

 According to Supervising Tourism Operations Officer Benedicto Alhambra, the project is one of the Japanese projects that were set in motion back in 2004.

“The survey of the site and the intended improvements and developments were made back in 2004 and was started in 2008, and continued to the present,” said Alhambra.

In addition to the lighted tunnel, the Japanese park consists of a torii(Japanese Gate), pond, rainforest park, and Buddha statues.

“The main aim of this project is to allow tourists to experience and have a taste of Japan,” added Alhambra.

The tunnel was a former makeshift hospital made by Japanese soldiers during the 2^nd world war and remained so until a decade ago wherein plans to convert it into a tourist attraction went underway. The tunnels are more than 150m long and stretches out from Botanical to the Mansion. Some of the parts and areas were sealed to prevent visitors to be lost.

City committee on tourism chairperson, Elmer Datuin, added the inspiration of the lighting came from the tunnels in South Korea.

“Tunnels dug by soldiers in the border between South Korea and North Korea were converted into tourist spots which became our basis for the lighting. Mood lighting was used in order to preserve sense of history,” said Datuin.

Mayor Mauricio Domogan further thanked the Japanese community in his message for their support and initiative and for doing it in their own expense.

LED lights were used and would be running for 12 hours a day.

Directional signs would be the next phase of the project. -- David Balway and Cleo Mae Valdez