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.
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| The former Miyahara eye clinic [Google Map] |
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.
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| Taichung Budokan |
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| Inside the budokan |
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| teahouse |
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| teahouse/restaurant facade |
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| Travel Buddy Rob while getting his precious stamps |
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| Skills mentor's area |
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| Archery training area |
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| Taichung Budokan compuond |
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).
THINGS TO DO IN TAICHUNG - CENTRAL TAIWAN
Sakura Series - Taiwan
2024 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 Sansei Trail
Sakura Series - Taiwan
Nei Cuo Stream
Orange Garden Cafe
Sansei 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
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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