Journey to Singapore's Secret Japanese Shrine Gates

I'm on a journey to West Singapore in search of the secret Japanese Torii Gates. Recently, a local Singaporean shared that he has found Torii Gates in an abandoned park named Bukit Batok Hillside Nature Park. Torii Gates are usually located in front of a Japanese shrine and it separates the real world and the sacred world. But not much is known about the Torii Gates at this location. Who made it? Why was it made? Where is the shrine? To have a look myself, I traveled all the way to Bukit Gombak.
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#Singapore

[@sktokyo9457]

Definitely a side of SG that you don’t see on the guide books. Fascinating stuff!

[@mechislander]

My friend told me last time in the army, he and his section got lost on a night exercise and a torii kind of just loomed out of nowhere. He was also saying that just before that, all the normal jungle sounds just stopped. No noise, then suddenly the torii.

[@jefftan9676]

Hey Ghib: Some info from a birdwatcher who has been doing research at Bukit Batok Hillside Park for the past year: Bukit Batok Hillside Park used to be a government-managed park, but was abandoned back in the 2000s. It was designed to have a "fairytale-like theme" with rocks being made artificial and also pavilions and the Torii gates in place to create this look! Today, BBHP is a degraded secondary forest, with quite a few bird species (and ant species haha) to spot. Hope you enjoyed your hike Ghib, before it eventually gives way to more development (for BTOs) soon 😊 p.s. If I'm not wrong you just missed the gates; they're to the right of the easy entrance 🥲

[@rei-nw9hv]

My singaporean friend took me to Little Guilin 30years ago. Unfortunately, Our relationship changed. But I'm happy to see there again. Thank you from Sapporo.😊

[@HemanthRajGplus]

For those wondering, in Japanese English Revenge means "try again" with a nuance of not giving up!

[@lululalalo123]

It was actually a detour to the left into the woods from the 2nd path you entered from, about 10-20m before reaching the abandon well. Really easy to miss it as the path is not clearly paved out.

[@GhibOjisan]

Thanks for the info!

[@78Mkv]

I saw the path at the side in the video

[@pajamas86]

Yes that's the easier way to the "gates". There's a small red marker to the detour. I went on a Saturday and took a longer way in (from the peak where u see the HDB) and navigated with the help of other trekkers. You should have better luck on weekends (but may be too crowded for making a video).

[@Kyo_ming]

@@78Mkv where?

[@yixichen467]

I highly appreciate the LOST WOODS zelda reference..

[@thepotatouncle5511]

The quality of your videos has improved dramatically over the past half year. You learned a lot and it really shows. Wish you all the best with KZbin and your adventures as a TV host! Just today I saw you on CNA. You are doing great!

[@DressedRunner]

Wow first video of Ghib Ojisan exercising instead of eating

[@BreakawayBites]

I think the last time I was at Little Guilin was like 6 or 7 years ago.... Thanks for putting in the hardwork despite the conditions..... Stay safe... Be vigilant..

[@tanjpk]

Bro, former Shinto shrine built by Japanese army during WW2 is at edge of MacRitchie reservoir near the Island Country golf course. Opposite the walking trail.

[@calincalin2223]

神秘的な感じで、面白かったです😃✨ぜひ、リベンジを❣️❣️

[@miyazakihiroshi2548]

ゴージャスやセレブだけやないシンガポールを見せてくれるのがこのチャンネルの良い所👍頑張れ‼️

[@1962terri]

Really appreciate your great effort & energy, Ghib! you're amazing & really look like my brother back home in Malaysia. Enjoy very much all your videos! Keep up the good work!

[@PocketSizeTours]

Super nice!! Looking forward to explore this side of Singapore. Thank you so much ☺️

[@shezoomin]

お疲れ様です！ Hope you'll find it the next time. Back in the 90s, watched a local documentary that deep in the dense forest of MacRitchie Reservoir, there's ruins of a Japanese shrine (Syonan Jinja) that was built during the Japanese Occupation in Singapore. Too bad the historical site remains inaccessible to the public till today.

[@karjeecheng9024]

The stone steps and path --- sooooo beautiful!

[@gemmawee67]

My admiration for braving the "unknown" and the red ants. I remember being bitten by ONE and it hurt for days! Enjoy all your tapes, very interesting and real. Hope you find the Torii gate or gates someday. Guess it is a relic from the Japanese Occupation. Maybe ask an old timer.

[@dennistani1986]

Ghib, you have the same plan I've followed all my life. Walk for 15 to minutes, then start eating snacks!!!!!! Thanks, keep up the great work!

[@tekkotoharu0608]

お疲れ様でした！ とても神秘的な森でしたね！ あんなに色んな人が探しても見つからないなんて...。

[@Paul-gj9sm]

Thanks for sharing, I have enjoyed this video! These are places which even the locals hardly visit.

[@user-bl1yy6fc9w]

いつも日本から楽しませてもらってます。シンガポールの鳥居探求の旅。素晴らしい試み！！発見できなかったのは非常に残念ですが、シンガポールの捨てられた森に鳥居があるなんて誰も知らないことでしょう。Ghib Ojisan。貴重なビデオどうもありがとうございました。日本人としてなんとも懐かしく、鳥居を建てた人々の思いを想像すると涙がぽろっと出てきてしまいました。

[@dragonvoices]

This is actually pretty kewl!

[@samuelwong1596]

Wonder if the lost shrine only comes out on certain day, date or time.. 🤔.. I hope the petition for the preservation succeeds. We are loosing more and more of parks and nature. There were some part of nature in singapore that houses quite a number of birds, monkeys and fruit trees near science park and portdown road in the past but were developed in to the current state of a concrete jungle. Little Guilin is a very tranquil place, it sometimes feels like you are at a very different timeline..

[@sirtanchannel5848]

Is it actually a shrine? Or a shrine looking place

[@alfyryan6949]

@@sirtanchannel5848 it was just an aesthetic thing, I think

[@KhidAndFamily]

that fav spot of yours to relax, is spooky as heck at night.

[@miso7812]

Thanks for sharing SG has these forest (with ZELDA music) I feel like... it is ok to have days in our long life where we can't find destination❣️ At least Ghib Ojisan found save point 8:08

[@yltiredtothemax]

Thank you Ghib san for sharing.didnt know this place exist

[@dannysoh48]

Nice share Ghib! Hope u find the gates next time!

[@starwith90]

Wow didn't know there is a secret shrine as a singaporean.

[@peterchua.ch2106]

It's exciting to know that it's so close to where I live!

[@jackjackyphantom8854]

@@peterchua.ch2106 I think some small areas of forests should be preserves.

[@akrapovic600]

The Bukit Batok Hillside Park was built by the HDB in the 1990s. On a study trip to New Zealand, the chief architect of HDB found that there they had what was known as 'rugged parks'. She suggested that they try this concept at West Bukit Batok because it was hilly and could emulate those rugged parks at NZ. After it was handed over to the Town Council, the TC found the cost of maintenance a bit prohibitive but then at that time there were talks of a new stat board being formed to look after all nature parks in SG. Unfortunately, after NParks was formed, it didn't consider taking over Hillside Park and it was left abandoned and fell into disrepair. It was the wrong park at the wrong place at the wrong time. The early residents of Bukit Batok were not used to the concept of a rugged park and it had very poor visitor numbers. Some of the themes they created were to make it like a fairy tale forest, including pergolas, gazebos and a wishing well (remnants of these are still there), rainwater was channelled towards the man-made step stairs to create a waterfall whenever it rains heavily. This waterfall feature can still be seen as designed even today when it rains. By the way, the 'torii gates' are actually the old pergolas leading to the various gazebos located around the hill that were built to provide a panoramic view of the new town. The abandoned forest has been a great secret birding spot for photographers for a long time. kzbin.info/www/bejne/e2ScgmhqZdJ_aqs The above is quoted from a long time resident staying near. I was studying in Dunearn Sec Sch when this park was built, went up a few times then and it was abandon a few years after it was open.

[@ghanz84]

I am a nearby long time Bukit Batok resident (Studied in Dazhong Primary). Your comment is one of the best comments on this topic. ☺

[@sukakawenkawen]

Wow this is somewhat content that really cool , Arigato 👍 very rare place in Singapore

[@justwalk-travelasmrchannel1630]

should visit this awesome place! thanks for the share!

[@Ray-xj9pf]

Love the videos

[@amateurcraft]

Nice and certainly this kind of adventure is great.

[@Iceyology]

Wow! Ghib San, You are amazing! Playing Lost Wood with Ukelele in the jungle 😍

[@macandfire5477]

I love your Singapore videos! They’re always interesting! We’re moving in to Singapore in October! I can’t wait to go exploring but I am scared of the monkeys 😂

[@peterchua.ch2106]

Simply keep your F&B out of sight of the monkeys, haha.

[@frankchongszehong]

Breathtaking

[@normandris2383]

The walking is so good. I missed singapore really

[@AmbientWalking]

Great adventure in Singapore!

[@85ewan]

i live in this area. interesting when it first opened many years ago, you hear nothing on social media and its only popular now when its closed

[@jcl.3628]

Its actually the frist time I saw this, interesting!

[@krisfishlee3306]

Syonan Jinja was the most unforgettable to explore so far since my childhood time in the 80s of the 6 artillery bunker nearby , especially the granite fountain and the creepy cave of the infamous Tomoyuki Yamashita story

[@tboneexplores8905]

Hi Ghib! Thanks for featuring my video from 10:08 onwards haha. Hope you’ll get to find the gates another day soon! Awesome vlog & ukulele performance! Hope to meet you while exploring in my future hikes & cycling trips featured in my cycling channel (The Clementi Cyclist) hehehe 😊😊

[@shezoomin]

Maybe y'all can do a collab if Ghib decides to give it another go and you can be his guide haha

[@tboneexplores8905]

@@shezoomin haha that'd be pretty cool, altho i also got lost & didnt manage to find all the attractions the last time i was there heheh

[@kennyzeng21]

bring him there!!!

[@tboneexplores8905]

@@kennyzeng21 😂😂😂

[@amelia_yeo]

Perhaps you can look at videos of others who have went there before and roughly have a gauge of the route and revisit it again

[@Ray-xj9pf]

0:25 OMG he knows how to play the ukelele and that funny song!!🤣🤣

[@sharonchan8170]

Playing the Ukulele is much easier than playing the guitar

[@AlvoLong]

Hey Ghib, you should do a vlog on Pulau Ubin. I think you will have fun there!

[@NA-tc4cj]

Never thought it’s so hard to find Torii gates. Now I understand why there are not much information. ジブおじさんお疲れ様😆

[@kaeyuuka]

Being lost and still have the mood to play music 😆 it's a nice move to find something rare, but to risk getting lost and getting bitten by the fire ants - no way! Thanks for ur effort to show us hahaa.

[@chantalmonique2353]

Cause its Singapore, even if your lost u still can call police and ask for help

[@kaeyuuka]

@@chantalmonique2353 but if too ulu, may not have reception leh.. still a risk.

[@peterkhew7414]

Little Guilin is actually an old granite quarry coverted into a park in 1984. It was named because it bears a slight resemblance to a place in China.

[@Lunarietty]

I thought the iconic location was McDonald's for a sec LOL

[@Lixiannhere]

lol 40 seconds into the video and i already laughed at "welcome to bukit botak" sorry Ghib that's just too funny XD laughed even more when you took out your ukelele and started playing in the middle of the forest?? HAHA Ghib, you don't have to feel sorry for us that you didn't show us the gates! I don't know about the others but personally, as long as I get to watch your videos it's good enough, as cheesy as it sounds!

[@aleeyh69]

Yup - I stay near Gombak and it does have a very "neighbourhood" vibe 😅

[@cheesengliew7466]

Great for you to explore this forest before it is cleared to become a park.

[@jueng5499]

Thanks for the share. By the way, have you visited the Japanese Cemetery Park located in Hougang?

[@WorldAquariumSingapore]

Cheers nice tour there and are you a full time youtuber now?

[@snh706]

Hey Ojisen welcome to our hood.. Liani booked Gojek for a lady and apparently this lady asked we to subscribed to Ojisen.. we proudly told her YES we have subscribed... Cheers

[@dylanho8608]

Love that Zelda tune that came out of nowhere, haha. Should make it a regular feature. But I'm a Zelda fan so I'm biased. Maybe dress up as Link next time you go in the woods again. Haha.

[@borntorepent]

Wow .. cool .. thank you for sharing .. Arigato ..

[@wt599313]

Nice video even though you can't find the Tori Gate. It is actually quite near the well you were. Let's try again!

[@sulaimansimatupang]

What the music title during the Shrine footage?

[@momotaka2650]

鳥居⛩見つからなくて残念でしたけど、石の階段もあって雰囲気はありましたね。 デング熱になったら大変だから、蚊に気をつけないといけないけれど、こういう所ってベビもいるんじゃないかな？ 次のリベンジの時は重装備？？でお願いします。

[@nechig9580]

鳥居のことは聞いたことがあったけれど、行くの難しいんですね〜　森がなくなる前に行ってみたかったけれど… Btw Little Guilin looks very beautiful!

[@arthurpan573]

Hey Ghib, great effort here! Have you been to Bukit Timah? There are some interesting locations there like some caves that were used to hide treasures by the Japanese, and an ancient tomb. I am familiar with the area and can help if you're interested.

[@rashidabdullah8018]

Ghib I ever come across a Japanese shrine but it's located at the Bukit Batok Nature park if you go there early morning you can also see the huge sun rising.

[@noobass1996]

I live beside little guilin and had np idea this trail existed

[@bplim9911]

Thanks!

[@dhammapalatan360]

There were two Shinto shrines built by the Japanese army in Singapore, one inside MacRitchie Reservoir and the other one on Bukit Timah hill. Both shrines were deconsecrated and demolished by the Japanese army after they had surrendered. I personally recommend you to visit the Japanese cemetery at Serangoon area, and there is a small Buddhist shrine inside the cemetery. There were Japanese Buddhist missionaries residing in Singapore before second world war but none of the mission survived after the war.

[@shriveratkins]

i visited this park when i was young. didn't know it's in such a state of abandon now..

[@teobenedict1733]

There are mini torii gates at the Japanese garden in jurong. But the garden is under renovation now.

[@risami77]

ジブさんこんばんは。 ジブさんに触発されて今日鳥居探しに行って来ました！ 簡単なルートからですが30分ほどで発見できました😆 探検とても楽しかったです！！ありがとうございました✨ Thank you for updating interesting videos every time. Today my family tried to find Torii gate inspired by you😆 Fortunately we found it in half an hour. Please try again Ghib san👍

[@GhibOjisan]

見つかって良かったですね〜！

[@NnatsJHY]

Omg I literally stayed opp that forest for 25 years but didn’t know about this shrine 😂😂

[@Kaili90]

The tori gate is above the well. Hope you will go there again

[@The98project]

I don't think It's a shrine. It's just an abandoned park. Those 'torii' gates are probably just broken sheltered walkways. There used to be a Japanese shrine called Syonan Chureito, located not far from Bukit Batok hillside park. It's at Bukit Batok nature park, close to the bukit timah area. It's now converted into a war memorial. Another Japanese shrine can be found in MacRitche Reservoir by the name of Syonan Jinja, though it's inaccessible and in ruins.

[@nomiriko]

Ghib Ojisan version of Indiana Jones🤭 ~ I'm S'porean watching you & your little jalan jalan from Dresden Germany🇩🇪👍

[@georgeanddaddecker7563]

Ojisan, growing up in my old neighborhood of Clements Park, many of my older friends would take me on hikes in the woods in between houses and we found many Japanese military artifacts.Old corroded mortar launchers,bayonets,bullet casings,flags,unexploded grenades,and other military equipment.It was a thrill to treasure hunt.My old house was at 17 Sunset Drive and the woods were around Sunset Way and Clements Park Road.My house is still there. Could make an interesting video.Be careful please.

[@georgeanddaddecker7563]

Sorry it was Clemente- autospell changed it

[@user-qp2cw3po4h]

@@georgeanddaddecker7563 or is it Clementi?

[@georgeanddaddecker7563]

Yes Clementi, thank you.

[@user-qp2cw3po4h]

@@georgeanddaddecker7563 your welcome 🙂

[@peterchua.ch2106]

Hi Ghib, when did you start having a camera crew? And nice BGM too! 鳥居見つかるまで頑張ってください！たださ、次回ブーツ履いたほうがいいかも。

[@palmtree_]

I won't be surprised if Ghib meet uncle Jimmy on the Torii gates trail 😀

[@kaori8441]

あまり大きい森ではなさそうなのに、色々な方向から何時間も探しても誰も見つけられない鬼難易度なんですね💦 普段は神様が鳥居を隠しているのかも⁉️

[@peterchua.ch2106]

森は森で迷いがちなんですね

[@juzfeel9224]

Please save the entire forest there 😭😭😭😭 we need more of this kind of forest in Singapore

[@contactkelvinsim]

Bukit Batok + Bukit Gombak = Bukit Botak😀 and yes... we need to petition to conserve it or the nature park will really become Botak

[@benmah3227]

10:10 Those Shrine Gates are indeed a mystery, i also couldnt find it. Wonder how Tbone Explores managed to find it

[@Deqqer]

8:02 Hey, if you turn left at this curb, you will see a Y junction. Go straight up to the steeper slope follow the path and you will reach the torii gates

[@dianaahakim2001]

I read about this. Not this specific gate I think but there were tori gates that were built by the Japanese during the Japanese occupation of Singapore during the World War, and when the British came, they tore down the gates as they didn’t want the British to do anything to the tori gates

[@deskoh91]

Pity your adventures in the west do not always pan out the way you expected them to - You should attempt again before it closes for good! As some have pointed out, the torii gates are a detour from the well. They are easily within 100m-200m away from where you were, and do not take long to get to. There is another steep access to two more sets of huts just to the west of the “easy” entrance, one of which has dilapidated to the point that it looks like a set up from the Trickeye Museum haa

[@diva555sg]

You missed it! If you going down again the stone steps will bring you to the abandon well but if you see the marker on the left before the stone step on the left it will lead you to the Torii Gate.

[@angeluscorpius]

Was hoping you would bump into a lost Japanese Soldier from WWII. THAT would've made a fantastic video. :-) Of course he probably be over 100 years old.

[@lpericteo]

I know there is one Japanese Shrine in the MacRitchie Reservoir, been there when young.

[@JardinJumat]

Thanks

[@GhibOjisan]

Thanks Jardin for your support!

[@shariffaabdulrahman2516]

Please have a video tour for the Japanese Cemetery

[@GhibOjisan]

Here is the video! kzbin.info/www/bejne/r5LRm4SXjMlor5Y&vl=en

[@eileenlim]

you were so near to the gates... its near to the well !!

[@akmallespaul]

i stay just opposite the Hillside Park. An hour and a half and still couldnt find the Tori Gates!!

[@zohanrock]

don't feel sorry, not finding it adds more mystery to it.

[@kenjikenji4870]

You should do a video on Lazarus island

[@emrantino]

The Shinto Shrine is at MacRitchie if that is the one you’re looking for. The coordinates N 01° 20.900 E 103° 48.820.

[@ivanteo1973]

He is at bukit Batok, not MacRitchie i.

[@yippeelee209]

You missed the catfish…. Sometimes in numbers in the canal by the school .

[@hiroyukishinichi9873]

Next time Ghib-san!

[@luissee3260]

There use to be a map at the enterance, but not sure when it got removed when the park project failed. Back then, the enterance was barely visible overran by trees and bushes. This park has been abandoned for over 10years until recently maybe due to covid, people start exploring again. I went in once about 10years+ back and never want to go in again. The vegetation were thicker and it was much more eerie and also lots of ants and mosquitoes. i dont think those were meant to be torii gates but just resemblence, should be structure for for vine plants or just for deco.

[@razzifrahmat4647]

Hey Ghib,i went there back in 2008. Was nice and quiet area. I walked on that wooden path exactly like the photos you shown in the video. @Ghib

[@deltor5849]

Bro, i've been living in bukit batok for 20+ years now and i didn't even know those exists. In fact most of the stuff you show in your videos, i have no idea existed.

[@PocketSizeTours]

Can you please, tell me, what’s the name of the spray you are using for insects? I was planning to go and exploring SG nature but I don t know what to choose in order to keep insects away😄

[@yong_L65]

He is using tiger balm repellent only effective against urban mosquito not effective against jungle mosquito. Buy those containing DEET like OFF! insect repellent.

[@PocketSizeTours]

@@yong_L65 Thank you so much for the reply. Perfect, I will. :)