Japanese Memorial Garden: A Quick Getaway from Manila

Laguna is slowly becoming my favorite province so far. From mountaineering to chasing waterfalls and anything in between, Laguna never fails to deliver. But one thing I really love about this province is the numerous parks to visit for a quick day trip. One of them is the Cavinti Japanese Memorial Garden.

Lake Caliraya

Background

The Japanese Memorial Garden is located in the town of Cavinti, Laguna, along the shore of Lake Caliraya. Once a sleepy rural town, Cavinti has now become one of the well-known travel destinations near Manila.

The garden was established in 1970's by the government in partnership with Japan to commemorate the fallen Japanese soldiers of World War II.

Myth Busted: It was rumored that the tomb of General Tomoyuki Yamashita, "The Tiger of Malaya", is within the Japanese Garden also. But after few researches, we found out that the infamous general was actually buried in Tokyo, Japan.

Historical Fact: Laguna bore witness in the twilight days of World War II. Mt. Kalisungan in Victoria, Laguna served as one of the last bastions of the Japanese guerillas.

Road going to Japanese Garden

How to go there

1. Ride any bus going to Sta. Cruz, Laguna, regardless if coming from Cubao, Pasay or Alabang. Bus ride may take 3 - 4 hours one way.
2. Alight at the bus terminal and look for jeepneys going to Brgy. Lumot. Jeepney ride is about an hour long in a winding, beautiful mountain road. Ask the driver to drop you off at the Japanese Garden.
3. Alight at the garden entrance.

Japanese Memorial Garden entrance fee is 20 pesos per pax

The Japanese Memorial Garden has an entrance fee of 20.00 pesos per head. It was said that the money collected is not for profit but rather for the maintenance of the garden. The garden really reflects the Japanese attitude toward many things.

Yippeee!

Man-made structure gave way to nature, not the other way around, here in the Japanese Garden. The place is lusciously green during our visit despite the fact that the climate had been dry for quite some time. More new saplings were already planted along the pathways and other parts of the garden! It's like the Japanese has this craze in planting trees. 

Lots and lots of stairs

Aside from their love of nature, the stoicism in the garden's design was also evident. The memorial has minimal details, to give more emphasis on peace and meditation.

Just be sure to observe proper behavior when in the actual memorial stone for the fallen soldiers. NO EATING AND PLAYING also. Be reminded.

If visiting the garden, make sure to wear comfortable shoes and clothing since there’ll be lots and lots of stairs and trails to climb.

There is also a small lagoon in the garden that gives a very japanesey-vibe in your visit.

You can have a little picnic in the grassland at the very summit of the garden. Just make sure to bring all your trash with you after eating.

It took us almost three hours to explore the entirety of the garden. We spent the most of our time at the grassy “peak” of the garden, just loitering under one of the many trees planted there. Here, you can enjoy the sound of nature and watch the slow-creeping clouds amidst the blue sky.

It was already 3:00 in the afternoon when we decided to leave the garden. We texted the trike driver to pick us up and he arrived 40 minutes later. We told our driver if we can have a few photoshoots at the roadside looking at Lake Caliraya. He agreed happily and volunteered to be our photographer.

Things to Remember

1. There are only few Jeepneys plying the route of Sta. Cruz – Lumot and vice versa. Going there via jeepney will be time consuming while going back from the Japanese Garden quite stressful. Alternatively, you can hire a trike to bring and fetch you at the Japanese Garden. Rate is 500 pesos (back and forth), relatively cheap since the ride is almost an hour.

2. Observe proper decorum while inside the garden. The place is serene, clean and beautiful. Let’s keep it that way.

3. As of the writing of this blog post, the comfort rooms are not operational. This may cause a bit of a problem especially for our women.

4. There are stores inside the garden where you can buy food and snacks.

5. You can go sightseeing in Lake Caliraya if you ride a trike. Just ask the trike driver that you want to see Lake Caliraya.

Sidetrips

1. Pagsanjan Falls

2. Bumbungan Eco Park

3. Pueblo El Salvador Nature Park

4. Caliraya Resort 

The tricycle managed its way down the winding mountain road with the beautiful sceneries on our right side. We even saw the eagle-shaped town of Paete below. After few more minutes, the green forest gave way to houses and eventually establishments. Ahh, we’re back to reality.

Town of Paete, Laguna below

I wonder how a town became so blessed with natural resources and history as we passed by the Arco Real of Pagsanjan. Then I think about my hometown, Bacoor, Cavite. Is there a chance for Bacoor to be like Cavinti, or Pagsanjan, Laguna? Probably not. Maybe not in our lifetime but in the future it could be. I saw the town of Cavinti and Pagsanjan holding on to its natural beauty and historic roots while holding at bay the trudging march of city-life.

After the experience, I know this will not be the last time I’ll visit this place.

You can never tell that you already saw all the ideal places to live in if you haven't visited a quaint and simple town before.

-Adrian Villaflor, 2019