Travel with Me: Discovering Sachiko's Little Kyoto

Hi Hivers, @itsmemic is back once again! How was your weekend? I hope you had an amazing and a great time! Now, I am glad to share with y'all the journey of my recent exciting trip to Sachiko’s Little Kyoto – a place that holds whispering accents of Japan at every turn, with my mother. So, without further ado, let me take you through all of its wonders, shall we?

But before that, allow me to tell you how our travel actually started.

My adventurous start of the day begun with my mother and me taking a V-hire to Cebu City. This was a fun-filled journey par excellence, and I could not help but take a picture of the sidlakDANAO signage along the way.

When we got there at around 7AM, we first went to have breakfast at Jollibee where my mother ordered corned beef with garlic rice and fried egg; chicken with rice for me and both of us took a cup of coffee.

Next, we come rushing to the SM store to buy foods. This I expected that the day would have a lot of activities which informed more packing of sweets and other goodies for the day. Walking amid the market I smelled the takoyaki and I was compelled to taste some before getting going.

Unfortunately, we could not see any taxis or buses around, so we grabbed for a more adventurous ride on a motorcycle to get to Sachiko’s Little Japan, hoping that the quiet and lovely ambiance of a Japanese enclave is within our reach in this colorful Cebu city.

Well, here is my mom who is the adventurer whose spirit led us to Sachiko’s Little Japan. Thanks to her love for the excursions and passionate desire to discover new places, she happily suggested to come to this fascinating place. As we set out on our journey, I had to take a moment to stop and thank my lucky stars she is such a wild spirit with me and for the memories we are making.

Thank you, my dear Mama, for initiating this unFORGOTTEN journey and becoming my travel buddy in exploring sachiko’s little japan.

Japan has been one of my most preferred travel destinations since a long time. The idea of visiting a country where tradition walking hand in hand with the contemporary culture has always appealed to me. The numerous appealing geographical features present in Japan including the cherry blossom trees in the spring, the autumn leaves and many others make this nation an ideal travel destination for me.

The history and cultural background are another factor why Japan is a wonderful country to visit. Each of these destinations has ageless temples, splendid tea rituals, and vibrant festivals, so the surprises never run out. I have always been fascinated by the concept of carrying out a stroll through historical alleys, involving in cultural festivities, and observing the synergy of both
ancient and modern.

I am so grateful that here in Cebu, there's a Sachiko’s Little Kyoto: A Little Slice of Japan in Cebu. I get the sense of witnessing the actual places and things that are associated with Japan like flowers and environment.

Once you set your foot into Sachiko’s Little Kyoto, you will be surrounded by an atmosphere inspired from Japan. Here is your entrance ticket, a one time, non-returnable pass to this quiet haven.

Not only does Sachiko’s Little Kyoto have aesthetically pleasing plants, such as bushes and flowers which are closely trimmed to form beautiful gardens, but it also mirrors tea houses, which is a beloved part of Japan’s culture. That is why it has become a place that I can go to and feel a way that I always wanted to feel when in Japan, as this place makes me feel almost like I am there already.

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Lucky Cat

When I was walking and looking around, the Lucky Cat, or maneki-neko, seemed to be close enough to capture my interest. But what drew my attention in the first place was its friendly-looking pose, with one of its front paws raised as if it is waving at me; I have read that the Lucky Cat brings good fortune to its owner and as such wanted my mum to take a picture of me with it.

The moment captured was full of amusement and cheekiness. Being near the Lucky Cat statue, I felt a thrill like the feeling of something good awaiting and I like it. With its bright colors and smiley face, it was a welcome sight wherever it was put. This chance meeting ignited my interest in the narrations as well as the folklore associated with the Lucky cat; the impression it leaves on me is one of cheerfulness in as much as it helps to spread luck and joy to the people it comes across.

DARUMA DOLL

It was my first time seeing a Daruma doll and I was amused by its spherical form and dour look. This can be compared to the Lucky Cat which is supposed to bring good luck. In Japan, people use Daruma dolls to set goals: You paint with one eye when you begin and the other when you have reached the goal. It made me realize to never give up on what I desire in life.

LYING BUDDHA

Upon seeing the lying Buddha for the first time, the first thing I noticed was how peaceful it looked. The calm posture of the Buddha lying down made people feel relaxed and appeal to them to take a few moments and contemplate. The quality and fine workmanship put in to the statue was an added bonus.

If you're physically turning around or changing your position after looking at the lying Buddha the beauty of Sachiko’s Little Japan greets your eyes. There are a number of trees, full of blooming flowers and different types of plants. It seems to be a rather calm and tranquil area, reminiscent of an oasis. It is another lovely place to sit back and take in the natural scenery with a hint of Japan.

POPULAR ANIME HEROES

Now, climbing one of the peaks of Sachiko’s Little Kyoto, there are the figures popular anime heroes Luffy, Nami, Zoro, and others like Ichigo and Zetsu from Bleach or Naruto. These are wonderful statues, which people love to take photographs with as they pass by. They are placed on a stand where once can take a selfie with them in the backdrop.

STATUES OF MICKEY & MINNIE MOUSE

Higher on this location, one can see statues of Mickey and Minnie Mouse, the characters that make people recognize the beautiful view quickly. It is entertaining to take unique photos here for all lovers of anime and vintage cartoons and comics.

TORII GATE

When we were going down, my mom tried to take a photo of the whole place with the torii gate in the shot. Earlier, I could not get a picture because there were other people still posing for a picture.

In this photo, I am happy and delighted as I entered under the traditional Japanese structure known as torii. These gates are seen frequently in Shinto shrines which represent entry to areas that are considered to be inhabited by Shinto deities. At Sachiko’s Little Kyoto, they are normally painted in a bright red or an orange color which makes the place look more like a traditional Japanese restaurant.

Also, mom was able to take a picture of me later and even though she was a little far from me, she was able to capture the sign, ‘I Love Little Kyoto.’ After bringing up the information of these places, admittedly, I have fallen for Japanese culture and its magical sites.