The year was 1930. A steam locomotive train slowly arrives in Taichū Station. People dressed in kimono get out of the train and started to walk outside a Baroque style building. Signs in Japanese characters can be seen wherever they go. In what seems to be a city in the Land of the Rising Sun, but apparently, it is not! Not even in a parallel universe. Because this is not Japan, this was Taiwan.
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Travel Buddy Rob while waiting for the bus |
In an attempt to present the colorful colonial history of Taiwan, the luomujie blog takes you on a journey in time. To the decades when this island was still part of Japan. Together with Travel Buddy Rob, we searched the remaining structures of a great city patterned after Kyoto.
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Taichung Station |
Central District. This was little Kyoto. The center of development on the western coast of Taiwan a long time ago. At the heart of its commercial trade is Taichung Station, the main gateway to the Taihoku Prefecture in the north and to the rest of the world. After surviving many earthquakes, typhoons and the bombs of World War II, it still stands today. Despite looking archaic, the history written on its wall will always connect the city's glorious past to its future.
Stepping out of the train station, you will find at first that modern day little Kyoto which is Taichung City today looks frozen in the 60s or 70s. A post-war Taiwan that boomed during its industrialization, tall buildings rose on this place in Central Taiwan. They hid the alleys that were arranged like in a checkerboard with sections that appear to be some secret passageways.
If only these buildings could talk, they would tell of a famous person. Dr. Miyahara. He owns an ophthalmology clinic a few meters from Taichung Station. In 2012, the building was given a new life as an ice cream and sweets store. Inside the shop, a Harry Potter-like world awaits you. While on the outside, visitors can still see the remains of the clinic's neoclassical architecture. Built in 1927, it still features its red brick wall and arches typical of city buildings in Japanese Taiwan.
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The former Miyahara residence |
The famous doctor had a two-story house located at the intersection of Section 1 Shuangshi Road and Yucai Street. The house was built in 1929 and with the entire structure made up mainly of concrete, it perfectly fits the definition of a modern mansion at that time.
Home as it is, the Taichung City Government took over the ownership of the house after Japan seceded Taiwan after its lost in World War II. It is now known as the Taichung Mayor's residence and now functions as a museum. At the time our visit, an association of senior citizens were having an exhibit called Bulao. With DIY activities and interactive sessions, you will learn new things here especially if you can read Chinese.
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Taichung Broadcasting Bureau |
Not far away from the old Miyahara mansion is the Taichung Broadcasting Bureau. A two-story building with arched windows, it was constructed around 1935 in a Gothic and Roman architectural design. Using the latest radio technology during the 1930s, breaking news and the latest bulletin of the Taichū Prefecture government were broadcasted here. Residents of little Kyoto listen attentively to their radio sets as reports and entertainment shows are sent to the airwaves.
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Taichung Shiyakusho |
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Taichung Kenchō |
Taichung Shiyakusho and Taichung Kenchō. Sister buildings separated by Minquan Road. They were the seats of power in colonial Central Taiwan for many decades. As Taichū Prefecture was so big, it was just right to assign the administrative work in governing little Kyoto to the Shiyakusho or the municipal hall, while issues involving the whole administrative region was handled by the officers in the kenchō or the prefecture hall. The municipal hall was the first one to be built in 1911 and after two years, the prefecture hall was finally done in 1913.
The design of both buildings was heavily influenced by Western aesthetics resulting in structures similar to buildings that you can see in Europe. At night both historic monuments glow, bringing back the glory days of an empire that had challenged the West.
Located along Gongguan Road is the Taichung Budokan. The city's dojo. A big hall with an empty space inside. This is the place where jail wardens and policemen enhance their judo and kendo sills. To better preserve the historic and cultural value of the place, a public-private partnership had been set up providing a place for visitors to relax in a teahouse. Those fond of archery can improve their skills by enrolling themselves in formal classes taught in the traditional Japanese way.
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Taichung Park Pavilion |
A tour in little Kyoto won't be complete without a visit to Taichung Park Pavilion. Also called the Huxin Pavilion, it was built in 1908 for HIH Prince Kan’in Kotohito so that he would have a place to take a rest after watching the inaugural ceremony of a newly constructed railway. Surrounded by a lake, it is a stunning wooden building that employed Southeast Asian architecture. A unique design for the oldest Japanese building and icon of Taichung City, utmost love and care was shown to it in 2016 when a large-scale dredging was done marking a historic cleanup after a century of waiting.
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Taichung City Judo Hall |
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A ramen house in Taichung at night |
With all the places that Travel Buddy Rob and I have visited, Taichung City is a place trapped in time. Its Central District and the surrounding areas is a modern Taiwanese metropolis but still rich with its Japanese history. The colonial days of the past are deeply rooted to this city. In a world that is fast and always changing, it's nice to know that there are places in Central Taiwan where people can go to return in time. Back to little Kyoto. Back to ritoru Kyōto (リトル京都).
Sakura Series - Taiwan

2025 Forecast

Taipei 101 first flowers

Tianyuan Palace backyard

Taipei Flower Test Center

Pingjing St. Lane 42

Broadwood Park

Sunshine Sports Park kawazu sakura

Wuling Farm (武陵農場)

SYS kawazu sakura

Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village

CKS Memorial Hall

Shibafen Yoshino Sakura

Hope River

Dongfang Temple

Tianyuan Palace

Neicou Stream Trail

Orange Garden Cafe

Yangming Park Visitor Information Center

Yangming Park Service Center Bus Stop

Huashan Road

Qianshan Park

Zhongshan Hall Entrance

Tenglong Sakura Farm

Flower Test Center Shōwa Sakura

Neihu Creek Trail

Shulin Land Office

Xióng Kōng Cherry Blossom Forest

Lung Yen Sakura Forest

Yangming Park cherry stream

Yangming Park fountain

CKS Memorial Hall Tairyō sakura

Wugu District Tianyi Road

CKS Memorial Hall yaesakura

Loving Farm

Yong Long Farm

Zhongbaling Sakura Road

Sun Link Sea

Tai'an Police Station

Cherry Hill Slope

Hsinchu Park

Taipei 101

Kāng Gào Kēng Creek

New Garden City

Broadwood Park

Tianyuan Palace backyard

Pingjing St. Lane 42

Alishan Ranger Station

Alishan House

Alishan Police Station

Alishan Forest Railway

Alishan Station

Alishan Entrance

Alishan Gou Hotel

Alishan Magnolia Garden

Wulai tour

Wun Chang Elementary School

Bishanyan

Sanzhi Sansheng Trail
Sakura Series - Taiwan

Nei Cuo Stream

Orange Garden Cafe

Sansheng Trail

Tenglong Sakura Farm

Yangming Park Cherry Stream

Yangming Park Fountain

Flower Test Center

Broadwood Park

New Garden City

Yinghua Park

Pingjing St. Lane 42

Yangmingshan Visitor Center

Taipei 101

Tianyuan Palace backyard
Sakura Series - Japan

Kamonyama Park

Near the Nippon Maru Memorial Park

Shinko Park

Minato-mirai 21 area

Tokyo Tech Suzukakedai Campus

Onda River

Tenryuji

Byodoin

Kiyomizudera

Himuro shrine and Yakushi-ji Temple

Hōryū-ji Temple

Nara Park attractions

Tokyo Tech Ookayama Campus

Sumida River

Tsuruma Park

Gion
Maple Series

Taipei Aowanda

Shimen Dam

Alishan

Aowanda

Shanlinxi

Taoyuan Valley Garden

Fushoushan Farm
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Yehliu to Jiufen? Yehliu to Shifen? Cheaper than yellow taxis |
The "Taipei kong mahal" (My beloved Taipei)

Always in my heart

MRT birdman

Valentine's Day

Tulips Festival

2018 Taipei Lantern Festival

City of Azaleas

Linji Huguo Temple

Nanjichang Night Market

Gudetama Chef restaurant

Dalongdong Bao'an Temple

Shilin hollyhocks

Ningxia Night Market

Ximending graffiti

Discovery Center of Taipei

Chunghwa Postal Museum

Double-Decker Bus

Shilin Cold Balls

Jingimoo

GomanMango

mud volcanic ice

Fire and Ice Dumpling

Opium Fen-Yuan

Ichiran Ramen

Liu Shandong Beef Noodles

hydrangea flowers

National Palace Museum
Other attractions in Taipei

Taipei on a budget

Japanese buildings

Dāoxiāomiàn beef noodles

Presidential Office Building

Yongkang St. and Elephant Mountain

CKS and SYS Hall

City tour

Beitou ramen

MRT Monopoly Game

Winter city tour

Zhicheng Park

Shilin Plum Blossom

Art museums

Shopping in Taipei

Summer desserts

Qingtiangang

Qixingshan hiking

2015 Calla lily

2016 Calla lily

Beitou tour

Beitou-Zhuzihu tour

NTU

Confucius Temple

2015 Dadaocheng Festival

Puppet Museum

Fantasy Ice World

2016 Bread Show

Strawberry picking

2015 Rose Garden

Modern Toilet

Shilin Night Market

NASA Exhibit

Raohe Night Market

Longshan Temple

2013 Taipei Zoo

Maokong Gondola

Lupin flowers

Taipei 101 day visit

Taipei 101 night visit

Tiger Mountain

Din Tai Fung

Taipei Story House

2014 Flower Show

Chrysanthemum Show

Miramar Ferris wheel

Miniatures Museum

Archery

1600 Pandas

Wulaoguo hot pot

Upside Down House

2016 101 Fireworks
New Taipei

Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival

Elephant Rock SUP/kayaking

Meteor Garden school

Tamsui Pumpkin Tunnel

Shifen Waterfall

2017 Sand Sculpture

Dragon Caves

New Taipei tour

2016 Kite Festival

Pingxi Crags

Bitou Cape

2016 Sand Sculpture

2015 Christmasland

Juming - Jinshan

Houtong - Pingxi

Sandiaoling Waterfall

Jiufen foodtrip

Guanyinshan hike

Yehliu Ocean World

2014 Kite Festival

Pingxi Rail tour

Jinguashi tour

Vigor Kobo Pineapple

British Consulate

Yehliu Geopark

2014 Sand Sculpture

Paragliding

2014 Christmasland

2014 Pingxi Lantern

firefly watching

Yingge Ceramics Street

Jiufen tour
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