The month of June means a lot of things in the Philippines – the start of classes (and heavier-than-usual traffic), the beginning of the rainy season, the end of the first half of the fiscal recording year (only people in the accounting field will probably care about this) and, for some, the beginning of the countdown to Christmas 2016 (nope, it’s never too early, not in the Philippines). But it also marks the annual observance and celebration of the Philippines’ Independence after 333 years of occupation by Spain, every June 12. So I thought I’d try to do a bit of my own celebration by making posts about places I’ve seen with historical significance.
There was a time during my school life that I declared History as my favorite subject. Sibika at Kultura, then HeKaSi (Heograpiya, Kasaysayan at Sibika), then Araling Panlipunan, it went by a lot of names, but let me just boil it down to History. Then it shifted to English and Literature when my mind was about to burst from having to memorize dates and names.
See, that’s the problem if you are in a country with a history that is as colorful and eventful as the Philippines. #PhilippineIndependence
Even so, a part of me was always interested in history, or anything that explains why this and that came to be like, well, this and that. I have to admit, though, that there aren’t a lot of places in my country that I have willfully visited for their historical significance. I fully admit guilt about that.
But for this post, let me talk about this one place we made a quick stop in when we were in Davao City and had a free morning. We headed to the Japanese Tunnel.
Technically, it was a Japanese Tunnel Resort and Restaurant. But we were there only for the Tunnel.
The Japanese Tunnel in Davao City is one of the remnants of the Japanese occupation during the Second World War. The Japanese soldiers used it as a place to hide in from the Americans, and to hold their captives. By order of the Japanese Imperial Army, Filipino slaves and prisoners were the ones to dig it.
Going in, I knew it’s not going to be an entirely pleasant and “wow-this-is-so-pretty!!” experience, but we just kept in mind that this is a piece of history worth remembering. And to smile about, because we are grateful that it was long past.
We arrived at the Japanese Tunnel at 9:30 am. We were the first ones there for the day, and we had to register before we could go in. Registration is Php50.00 per head, and a guide was assigned to our group.
Outside the entrance to the Tunnel were several statues of Japanese soldiers and a shogun. “Shogun” is the title assigned to a military commander in ancient Japan and, later on, when the government became a shogunate, the title of the ruler of the country (the emperor was just a figurehead, not the one with the actual power).
At the mouth of the cave stood the statue of a geisha or a Japanese lady in a kimono and a parasol.
The ceiling of the tunnel is quite high, so there is no need to crouch (well, unless you’re close to 7 feet in height). The passages were also quite wide. It was dry close to the entrance but, as you go deeper, the air starts to smell dank, and the walls, floor and ceiling are damp. Go deeper, and they’re more than damp already.
No need to bring flashlights because there are well-situated lamps and bulbs. There were also fans set up, just to keep air circulating. On very hot days, I can imagine the inside to be scorching. We were fanning ourselves at some point while walking around inside.
There were several alcoves or what I’d like to call “cubicles”, with installations featuring life-sized Japanese soldiers in the act of guarding a passage, being in a meeting (or playing cards, I’m not sure), or simply keeping watch.
There was also this area that looks like a chapel, since it had a shrine with a Golden Buddha replica on it. It’s the replica of the “Daibutsu”, (“god”) the largest “gilded bronze buddha” which is found in Nara, Japan.
According to the guide/curator who was patiently leading us around the tunnel, the statues were life-sized…. and they were quite small… then we realized that they, too, were Asians… and most likely young boys forcibly sent off to war. (I got Niomiya-Kazunari-as-Saigo feels.)
I thought it was very well-maintained. I appreciated that they did not do anything to get rid of the dampness. It just made the Tunnel feel even more real, like a throwback to that tumultuous time decades ago.
We passed by the small holding cells, and decided to go in, to try how much it’ll hold. It was a very tight fit and, according to the guide, close to 20 Filipino slaves were stuffed in there.
The Japanese Tunnel of Davao was used both as a headquarters for the Japanese Imperial Army, and as a dungeon. The gold and ammunition found inside meant it also served as a cache for the Japanese.
The Japanese Tunnel of Davao is 300 meters long, and it did not take us more than 25 minutes to fully walk its length and back (and take photos in between).
Just last month, I was able to visit two other Japanese tunnels (one in Legazpi, Albay and the other in my own Baguio City). This, having been turned into an attraction, is obviously the most well-maintained one.
Places like these are great for visiting if only to satisfy your curiosity. Today’s generation can only rely on what’s written on history books (which are often skewed, depending on who wrote them) and accounts and narratives passed on from generation to generation (so imagine the edits made through time, transition and translation). Getting glimpses of these historical places keeps us in touch with our history and what shaped this country. And hope that it’s something that won’t ever be repeated.
The Japanese Tunnel of Davao is located close to the end of the Diversiion Road in Matina Balusong, roughly 25 minutes away from the downtown proper. You can take a taxi going there or, if you are like us, who are in a group, you can hire a van. Usually, you will find a visit to the Japanese Tunnel included in the itineraries of most city tours.
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