The Japanese Museum, sometimes called the Japan-Philippines Museum, is located in the Matsuo district of Davao City. The museum's collections contain a variety of exhibits dating back to different historical periods and telling visitors about the life of Japanese settlers in Davao before World War II (and in those years there were about 20 thousand of them here!), during the occupation of the island and after the liberation of Mindanao by the American-Filipino troops. In addition to evidence of the war years, you can see many interesting things from everyday life here, for example, a furu - a traditional Japanese bath, a collection of national Filipino and Japanese costumes and household items. Of great value is the collection of Japanese coins and banknotes. Of course, not without a huge number of drawings and photographs, first of all, of famous Japanese and Filipinos, as well as of the first Japanese-Filipino families and their descendants.
An interesting part of the collection is a real machine for processing Manila hemp, also known as abaca, and other implements, used on abaca plantations. Before and during World War II, Davao was the centre for the production of Manila hemp, which was used to make fibre for sea ropes, fishing nets and other items. The museum also features other fascinating exhibits, artefacts and antiques used in agriculture. There are also several magazines and other publications dating back to the post-war period, as well as reminiscences of Japanese residents of Davao at that time.
In general, the museum exhibits allow you to touch the lives of people who found themselves far away from their homeland and forced to adapt to a new environment.
Another popular tourist attraction associated with the Japanese presence in Davao is the Japanese Tunnel, located about half an hour from the city centre. This tunnel is said to have served as a safe haven for Japanese soldiers during the World War II. Today, the first thing tourists see as they approach the tunnel, - are statues of a Japanese soldier from World War II and a Japanese woman dressed in a kimono. In the tunnel itself, you can also see several statues of soldiers, holding cells. prisoners, guns, water tanks, etc. In addition, there are several chapels, including a replica of the Golden Buddha. The tunnel itself is small - about 300 metres in length, but it has branches that can lead deep into the structure. However, tourists are not allowed access to it.
