Hualien

Taroko National Park (太魯閣國家公園)

One of the best ways to know what people are looking for when they visit this site is to make use of analytics tools made available to developers that analyze what visitors are looking for when they arrive. Sometimes though, I don’t really have to bother spending time looking at these things as people are often a little more direct, and when I don’t have what they’re looking for, they get in touch. Needless to say, over the years, I’ve discovered that in both cases the most important area where this site is lacking is on the subject of Taiwan’s most iconic tourist destination, Taroko Gorge.  

So, when I receive emails asking: “Why can’t I find anything on here about Taroko Gorge?”, I can completely understand your frustration; I’ve been writing travel blogs about Taiwan for several years now, but have avoided the topic for far too long.

In my defense, there are actually a few reasons for this: 

  1. There are already some great travel guides dedicated to introducing Taroko.

  2. I tend to focus on some of Taiwan’s lesser-known tourist destinations.

However, the main reason why I’ve avoided the topic is that I’ve always been of the opinion that when I did publish something about Taroko that it would have to be an extensive travel guide that encompassed the most popular stops within the National Park, as well as those that are considered much less accessible. I’ve always considered Taroko Gorge to be a subject that required a considerable amount of dedication, and until I was ready, I wasn’t really comfortable with putting anything out there to compete with what is already available. I also wanted to compile a large collection of photos from my many visits to the area to ensure that I had all my bases covered and would be able to provide a travel guide that I wish I could have had when I first visited the area well over a decade ago.

Ultimately, I’ve started to change the way I approach this blog and have come to the conclusion that any guide that I write about Taroko would essentially be a ‘work-in-progress’ article requiring regular updates, and a web of links to individual articles about the popular destinations with the massive park.

Taroko is deservedly one of Taiwan’s most popular tourist destinations and even though there is far too much to cover in any one guide, or any one visit - I think it’s best to start with some basics and build from there.

I’m not going to make any bold claims that this will an ultimate travel guide, but I will continue to update this space with new information, new photos and new destinations as time goes by, and hopefully at some point it will become a useful tool for anyone wanting to get the most out of their visit to one of the most beautiful natureal tourist destinations in Taiwan, if not the world.   

Taroko National Park (太魯閣國家公園)

Whenever I write an article, I like to start out with a bit of an introduction of the history of whatever I’m writing about. When it comes to Taroko though, that is a little more difficult as the origin of the gorge dates back to the origin of this beautiful island itself.

Essentially both Taroko Gorge and the rest of the island made its first appearance nearly four million years ago when the Philippine and Eurasian tectonic plates forced this absolutely beautiful landmass out of the Pacific Ocean in spectacular fashion.

Over the span of that several million year history, Taroko Gorge has been in a constant state of geological change as shifts in the tectonic plates have gradually reshaped the land in addition to natural forces such as earthquakes, typhoons and natural erosion which have taken part in shaping the rock walls and the landscape within the gorge.

Located on the East Coast of Taiwan, Hualien (花蓮) is one of the most geologically active areas in the country due to its proximity to the volatile Ring of Fire. That being said, Hualien’s proximity to what geologists refer to as a ‘subduction zone’ comprised of the two tectonics plates mentioned above, means that it would be an understatement to say that the area is no stranger to earthquakes. This is why you’ll find that the earth seems to be pretty busy moving around whenever you’re in the area. Fortunately for us, this is simply a natural method for the earth to release energy and it shouldn’t deter anyone from visiting the area, as this has been something people have had to put up with for as long as Hualien has been settled by humans.

It’s also one of the reasons why Taroko Gorge, and many other areas along Taiwan’s East Coast are so damned beautiful. 

I suppose you could say that one of the most amazing things about those four million years of geological activity is that the changing faces of Taroko Gorge revealed a treasure of unimaginable proportions - The geological pressure that forced the island to emerge from the ocean has been a constant thing, with the land mass being pushed a few millimeters further out of the ocean as each year passes. So, in conjunction will all of this tectonic activity, millions of years of erosion revealed one of the largest deposits of marble in the world.

More specifically, you’ll find high concentrations of stone that are composed primarily of gneiss, green schist and metamorphic limestone, which is more commonly known as marble - in addition to granite and quartz, all of which works together to present a wide range of vivid natural colors, especially within the gorge. 

While all of the rocks are pretty important, the Grand Canyon wouldn’t be as ‘grand’ if it weren’t for the Colorado River, and Taroko likewise wouldn’t the same without its Tkijig River (塔次基里溪), better known today as the Liwu River (立霧溪). Originating at an elevation of over three thousand meters high in the mountains, the beautiful river flows down into Tianxiang (天祥) and then into the gorge before emptying into the Pacific Ocean.

Today, Taroko National Park is recognized as one of Taiwan’s nine official National Parks and spans an area of 920 km2, encompassing land in Hualien (花蓮縣), Nantou (南投縣) and Taichung (台中縣).

The park is home to a considerable amount of flora and fauna as well as twenty-seven mountains over three thousand meters high, or around twenty percent of Taiwan’s one hundred highest peaks.

Link: 100 Peaks of Taiwan | 台灣百岳 

Modern development in Taroko started during Taiwan’s Japanese Colonial Era (1895-1945) with the area becoming important for the extraction of natural resources. Once there was enough infrastructure in place, the Governor Generals’s Office established the Tsugitaka-Taroko National Park (次高タロコ國立公園) in 1937 (昭和12年), which was (interestingly) much larger than the park of today as it also included Tsugitakayama (次高山), known these days as Snow Mountain (雪山), Taiwan’s second highest peak. 

The Taroko National Park as we know it today was established almost half a century later in 1986, and it seems like ever since then the area has been in a perpetual state of construction as the infrastructure within the park has never been adequate enough to accommodate for the amount of tourists wanting to visit, especially during weekends and national holidays. Fortunately, it seems like those problems have finally been solved and the park has become much more accessible than ever before as the problem with traffic jams on the narrow mountainous roads has been addressed by the government. 

I could keep going into further detail about the origin of park, but I’m going to stop here and focus on something much more important - The name “Taroko” (太魯閣) is derived from the indigenous peoples who made the area their home thousands of years prior to the arrival of any other humans to Taiwan.

The Truku (太魯閣族), who are often also referred to as the “Taroko” people are one of the sixteen (currently) recognized groups of Indigenous peoples in the country, and it doesn’t matter what colonial power controlled Taiwan, the area has been a part of their ancestral home for thousands of years.

It’s important to remember that even though we’re able to enjoy the beauty of Taroko today. It’s theirs.

Link: Taiwanese Indigenous Peoples | 臺灣原住民族 (Wiki) 

That being said, the changing eras in Taiwan have seen changes within the gorge - for example, when the Japanese controlled Taiwan, you’d find Shinto Shrines - These days you’ll find Buddhist temples and churches. The further you travel up into the mountains beyond all the tourist destinations however, you’ll start to find where the real inhabitants of Taroko have made their homes for the past few thousand years.

With that in mind, many of the tourist destinations and hiking trails within Taroko National Park have been given Mandarin names, reflecting Taiwan’s current (colonial) status, but its important to note that the vast majority of what we are able to enjoy today was once the territorial hunting grounds for the Truku people, who graciously share their homeland with the people of Taiwan, and the rest of the world today.

Note: As I introduce each of the National Park’s various tourist destinations below, I’ll do my best to include the original name of each of these locations, even though the current Mandarin names are often just transliterations. 

It goes without saying that any visit to Taiwan should include a trip to the East Coast, so that you can experience the beauty of Taiwan. Even if you’re only in the country for a short period of time, a trip to Taroko should be on the top of your list of places to visit. I’ve personally been to the gorge well over a dozen times, and it never gets old. More importantly, even after visiting so many times, I’ve still only seen a fraction of what this massive National Park has to offer. 

Things to see and do within Taroko National Park

If you haven’t already, Taroko National Park is the kind of place that’ll make you fall in love with Taiwan, and the great thing about this massive park is that one visit will never suffice!

Sure, you could do the typical day-trip thing and check out all the most popular sights, but if you’re able to invest a bit more time, you could easily spend days in the park and never grow tired with all the hiking trails, hot springs, camp grounds, luxury hotels, and so on. 

For first time visitors, a trip to Taroko can be an overwhelming experience due to the sheer size of the park. This is why planning a trip can be overwhelming, especially international tourists who have a difficult time reading Mandarin. To solve this problem, Taroko National Park has been divided up into four different regions: Taroko Recreation Area, Bulowan Recreation Area, Tianxiang Recreation Area, and the Hehuan Mountain Recreation Area.

For most visitors, especially those who are day-tripping from Hualien, the majority of time spent within Taroko will be done between the Taroko Recreation Area and the Tianxiang Recreation Area. However, given that the highway can take you across the Central Mountain Range to the western side of Taiwan, Hehuan Mountain is also an option.

That being said, most people prefer to enjoy that portion of the park from the Nantou side on a different trip. 

Before I go into detail about some of Taroko National Park’s most popular attractions, I think it’s a good idea to provide a list of what you’ll find within each of the four designated areas of the park.

As this article is updated over time, I hope to provide photos and descriptions of each of these locations.

Until then, you’ll find each of them marked on the map that I’m including below. 

Taroko Recreation Area (太魯閣遊憩區) 

The Taroko Recreation Area of the National Park is the lowest portion of the park and essentially acts as the entrance, and your introduction to the rest of the park. This area stretches from the coast of Hualien where you’ll find the Qingshui Cliffs and the area where the Liwu River empties into the sea. Within this area you’ll find several hiking trails, temples, the headquarters of the National Park, quite a few restaurants and even more hotels.

  1. Qingshui Cliffs (清水斷崖)

  2. Taroko Visitor Center (太魯閣遊客中心)

  3. Changchun Shrine (長春祠)

  4. Changuang Temple (禪光寺)

  5. Shakadang Trail (砂卡礑步道)

Bulowan Recreation Area (布洛灣遊憩區)

Once the home of a Truku Village, the Bulowan Recreation Area is separated by an ‘upper terrace’ and ‘lower terrace’, and is where the vast majority of day-tripping tourists visiting the National Park will spend most of their time. The lower terrace area has traditionally been the most popular with tourists, but over the past few years the ‘upper’ area has started to compete for attention with its beautiful suspension bridge, and the celebration and promotion of indigenous culture and history. Within this area you’ll not only find Taroko’s most popular tourist stops, but some of the best hiking trails in the park.   

  1. Zhuiliu Cliffs (錐麓斷崖)

  2. Zhuiliu Old Road (錐麓古道)

  3. Bulowan Village (布洛灣臺地)

  4. Shanyue Suspension Bridge (山月吊橋)

  5. Swallow Grotto (燕子口)

  6. Jinheng Park (靳珩公園)

  7. The Tunnel of Nine Turns (九曲洞)

Tianxiang Recreation Area (天祥遊憩區)

For most tourists, the Tianxiang Recreation Area is the end of the line when it comes to a day-trip adventure through Taroko National Park. This is the area where traffic is easily able to turn around and head back down through the gorge, and also a pretty good spot to get out, stretch and check out some of the attractions within the small village. Tianxiang is home to one of Taiwan’s most expensive luxury hotels, a beautiful Buddhist monastery, several hiking trails, wild hot springs, etc. So even though some might consider this area a simple area to turn around and head back down the mountain, you’d be missing out on quite a bit if you didn’t explore for a while! 

  1. Xiangde Temple / Tianfeng Pagoda (祥德寺 / 天峯塔)

  2. Wen Tianxiang Park (天祥公園)

  3. Tianxiang Youth Activity Centre (天祥青年活動中心)

  4. Huoran Pavillion (豁然亭)

  5. Wenshan Park (文山公園)

  6. Baiyang Trail (白楊步道)

  7. Water Curtain Cave (白楊步道水濂洞)

Hehuan Mountain Recreation Area (合歡山遊憩區)

The Hehuan Mountain Recreation Area is the highest portion of the National Park, and is located in a different county than the rest of the park. As mentioned above, the vast majority of tourists who visit this area are arriving from the opposite side of Taiwan than the rest of the park, and are usually staying for a few days. This area of the park is known for its hiking trails and the ability to actually drive your car or scooter to some of the highest elevated roads in Taiwan. 

  1. Wuling (武陵)

  2. Hehuan Mountain (合歡山)

Now that we have this list out of the way, I’m going to start going into more detail about some of the most popular stops listed above, and then I’ll move onto some of the places that most of the day-trippers miss, due to a lack of time. 

Eternal Spring Shrine (長春祠)

The Eternal Spring Shrine is one of those iconic picturesque locations within Taroko Gorge, and is often either the first or last stop on most people’s trip through the gorge. The shrine, which can been seen from a distance from the highway is located on the side of a mountain across the Liwu River and features a two-kilometer hiking trail that brings you through the mountain to the temple and beyond. 

The shrine is dedicated to the 226 workers who perished during the construction of the Central Cross-Island Highway, and was originally constructed in 1958 - however the temple that you see today is actually the third iteration as landslides have destroyed the temple on two separate occasions. 

Even though there is a long hiking trail around the temple, the walk from the parking lot to the temple itself is actually only around three hundred meters, so don’t be afraid to visit. It’s actually pretty close and the walk to the shrine through a cave and a tunnel constructed within the mountain is pretty cool.

As most of you know, I’m a pretty big fan of Taiwan’s temples, but when it comes to this one, I think it looks best from a distance rather than up close. When you are viewing the temple from the parking lot or the road, it looks beautiful with the Changchun Waterfall (長春瀑布) flowing through the middle of the shrine.

When you get closer though, you its just not the same. I highly recommend taking lots of beautiful photos of the shrine from a distance - and I do think everyone should make the effort to walk through the cave. 

One thing that you’ll have to keep in mind about the hike however is that the trail is often closed due to falling rocks. I’ve been to the shrine probably half a dozen times over the years, and unfortunately have never had the luck of going when the trail to the bell tower above was open. If you’re lucky to visit when its open, I highly recommend completing the hike! 

Swallow Grotto Trail (燕子口)

The Swallow Grotto trail is one of Taroko Gorge’s most popular tourist stops, and is part of an absolutely beautiful narrow section of highway that allows tourists to walk along parts of the old road, with one-way traffic driving nearby. The trail derives its name from the swallows that are constantly flying around the grotto, nesting within conveniently located potholes (壺穴) within the side of the mountain on the opposite side of the Liwu River. 

The beginning of the trail is located near the entrance of the popular Zhuilu Old Road (錐麓古道) trail, and follows the highway up the mountain. The beautiful thing about the walking sections of the grotto is that you get to walk through the caves constructed for the original highway, with the steep mountain on both sides, and the Liwu River running through a narrow valley below, making for absolutely stunning photo opportunities. Even though the area is quite narrow within the grotto, you’ll feel quite small yourself as you are looking over the edge of the mountain at the beautiful marble rock-face in addition to the emerald green river below. Likewise, many of the caves that you walk through are dark and damp and are perfect places to cool off on hot days.

As you walk through the grotto, it’ll eventually open up to a wider valley area where visitors are able to park their car, and where you’ll also find Jinheng Park (靳珩公園). Within the park you might find some vendors selling food and drinks, but more importantly there is a public restroom for visitors.

On that note, if you’re driving a car, stopping and getting out near the grotto can sometimes be a little difficult, especially if you’re visiting on a busy weekend or during a national holiday. The park area might be your best option for stopping and getting out, but it also fills up pretty quickly and you’ll have to put your parallel parking skills to the test. 

Another thing you’ll want to keep in mind is that (although it’s not entirely necessary) you may also want to pick up one of the free safety helmets at the National Park Headquarters before visiting the grotto as there are frequent rockslides, especially within the dark cave areas.   

The Tunnel of Nine Turns (九曲洞)

Arguably one of the top tourist stops within Taroko Gorge, the Tunnel of Nine Turns has seen considerable investment and an impressive upgrade in the condition of this absolutely stunning pedestrian walking trail in recent years. A few years back when I first visited Taroko, the trail was showing signs of age and there was always the threat of falling rocks - but that didn’t stop people from visiting as it is one of the best areas to enjoy the beauty of Taroko Gorge.

These days, the newly upgraded trail has been made considerably safer, and I have to say the end result looks eerily similar to a Bond villain’s secret lair. Closed to the public for around six years, the trail is considered an engineering marvel given all the work that went into its restoration. With that in mind, walking this trail is something that every visitor to Taroko must do now that it is finally reopened to the public.

Even if you’ve only planned a half-day trip through the park and you only end up visiting one or two locations, you can rest assured that if one of them is this walking trail, you’ll be absolutely amazed at the beauty of the gorge as it offers some pretty amazing vantage points and you’ll leave content with your visit!

The walking trail only takes only about half an hour to compete (not including the amount of time you’ll be taking photos) and leads you through a narrow part of the gorge where the Liwu River winds through the valley around several corners, with steep marble walls on both sides. Not only are the vantage points to enjoy the gorge beautiful, but the tunnel itself, which weaves through beautiful well-lit caves.

If you’re lucky enough to visit when the park isn’t busy, you’ll not only enjoy the beauty of the gorge, but also natural silence as all you’ll hear as you walk through the caves are the sounds of the river flowing through the gorge below, and birds flying around. 

What you’ll want to keep in mind about the Tunnel of Nine Turns, whether you’re driving a car, or a scooter is that there is only one entrance and exit to the newly restored trail. This means that when you walk the trail, you’ll also have to leave the same way you came. Arguably though, this is a pretty good thing as it gives you two different perspectives of the trail. 

Just a healthy reminder, if you are visiting on the weekend or during a National Holiday, finding parking for a car near the tunnel can be a little difficult, and it will test your parallel parking skills in the process. 

Water Curtain Cave (白楊步道水濂洞)

One of the more popular places to visit in Taroko as of late is the Baiyang Water Curtain Cave, a picturesque tunnel where you’ll be showered with natural spring water. The Water Curtain Cave is located within the Baiyang Hiking Trail (白楊步道), just past Tianxiang and is roughly a three-hour round-trip hike that allows you check out a large two-tiered waterfall in addition to the Instagram-famous cave.

While the cave itself is beautiful, there is quite a lot to see along the hiking trail, but its important to remember that you’ll need to bring along a flashlight, raincoat and waterproof footwear as its the kind of trail where you’re going to get wet! 

Xiangde Temple / Tianfeng Pagoda (祥德寺 / 天峯塔)

One of the most vivid memories of my first few months in Taiwan are from my first trip to Taroko Gorge, and more specifically walking around Xiangde Temple. It was the trip that likely cemented my love affair with this country.

The Buddhist temple is located high atop a mountainous crag just as you cross the Pudu Bridge (普渡橋) into Tianxiang (天祥) and while I was walking around the temple grounds on a beautifully sunny day, a cloud of mist suddenly rolled in and enveloped the entire mountaintop where we were exploring.

It felt a bit like a scene straight out of a movie and made our visit to the temple much more special.

In the years since, the temple has changed quite a bit with restoration and renovation projects undertaken to ensure that the half century-old temple remains intact.

During my most recent visit to the temple, they were busy constructing a new more accessible pathway to the temple, repairing their giant Buddha statue, as well as the pagoda. 

To reach the temple, you first have to walk across a beautiful pedestrian bridge that crosses the Liwu River from the highway. Once you’re on the other side, you have to walk up a very steep set of stairs until you reach the next level, where you’ll find vegetarian restaurants, and a small store where you’re able to purchase drinks while chatting with the monks and nuns who live at the temple. From there, you’ll have to make your way up another set of stairs to reach the temple and the pagoda, which is thankfully situated on a flat section of land.

I will caution you that the stairs to the temple are quite steep, but don’t let that deter you - you’d be missing out if you skipped the temple because of some stairs.

Xiangde Temple was constructed in 1968, and is known for having one of the highest-elevated statues of Ksitigarbha (地藏), a popular Buddhist figure in East Asia. The temple has a beautiful exterior, while the interior is a simple space with meditation cushions on the floor. Nearby you’ll find the Tianfeng Pagoda, which in the past was open for guests to climb to the top, but these days is most often closed for safety reasons.

One thing you’ll want to keep in mind though is that unlike most temples in Taiwan, this one is actually a functioning monastery with a group of Buddhist monks and nuns living in the dorms next to the temple. So, even though the temple is a popular tourist attraction, it’s important to remember to keep your voice down and follow any of the rules they have posted at the front entrance. 

Tianxiang Recreation Area (天祥)

Tianxiang Village is pretty much the final stop for most people traveling through Taroko.

The village is essentially one of the best areas along the highway to stop, have a snack, use the bathroom, and then turn your vehicle around and head back down through the gorge. That being said, Tianxiang isn’t just a place where you should stop before heading back down as there are quite a few things to see within the historic village.  

Within the village you’ll find a tourist visitor centre, luxury hotel, hostels, restaurants and bus stops. You’ll also find hiking trails, gardens, two historic churches and the ruins of a former Shinto Shrine, among others.

Originally named Tapido (塔比多) in the local Truku language, the village was (somewhat absurdly) renamed “Tianxiang” in honor of a Song Dynasty (宋朝) hero named Wen Tianxiang (文天祥) who helped in the battle against Kublai Khan (元世祖).

What relation did a guy who died in China more than a thousand years ago have to do with this area?

Very little. It’s just another leftover from Taiwan’s legacy of colonialism. 

The Shinto Shrine that once existed within the village (another remnant of a past colonial era) was demolished and converted into the Wen Tianxiang Park (文天祥公園), a memorial space that retains much of its original layout. 

Some of the things you’ll find within Tianxiang:

  1. Tianxiang Plum Garden (天祥梅園)

  2. Tianxiang Catholic Church (天祥天主堂)

  3. Wen Tianxiang Park (文天祥公園) - Formerly Sakuma Shinto Shrine (佐久間神社)

  4. Baiyang Hiking Trail (白楊步道)

  5. Huoranting Hiking Trail (豁然亭步道)

  6. Lushui Wenshan Trail / Hot Spring (綠水文山步道/溫泉)

  7. Tianxiang Youth Activity Centre (天祥青年活動中心)

  8. Silks Place Taroko Hotel (太魯閣晶英酒店)

Bulowan Village / Terrace (布洛灣山月吊橋)

Bulowan Village, located high above the cross-island highway is one of the more recent additions to the list of attractions within the National Park. The area was once home to a former settlement of Truku Indigenous people, and today is a large open space that celebrates Indigenous culture with educational resources to help tourists to learn more about the history of the area. 

While up on the Bulowan Terrace, you’ll find the Bulowan Service Center (布洛灣遊憩區), the Bulowan Visitor Center (布洛灣管理站), the Shanyue Suspension Bridge (山月吊橋) and the Taroko Village Hotel (太魯閣山月村). 

Arguably this area is relatively new, and not so well advertised - If it weren’t for the beautiful suspension bridge that crosses the Liwu River just above of Swallow Grotto, I think most people wouldn’t even really notice that it exists. You would be missing out though if you didn’t take the opportunity to head up to the terrace, check out the suspension bridge and take the opportunity to learn more about the culture and history of the Truku people.  

If you’d like to cross the Shanyue Suspension Bridge, you’ll have to keep in mind that there is an online application process to go through before you’re able to visit. Visiting the bridge is free, but there is a quota for each of the four daily sessions that allow tourists to cross.

Link: Booking Guidelines for Shanyue Suspension Bridge (Taroko National Park)

Qingshui Cliffs (清水斷崖)

While not located within the ‘Taroko Gorge’ area, the iconic Qingshui Cliffs are still part of Taroko National Park, and if you’re visiting the gorge, you might as well visit the cliffs as well, right? 

There are a couple of areas where tourists can stop to enjoy the stunning natural beauty of the Qingshui Cliffs, each of which offer tourists with unique views at varying elevations. 

If you’re interested in learning more about the areas where you can enjoy the cliffs, I recommend checking my article that is entirely dedicated to visiting them.

Link: Qingshui Cliffs (清水斷崖)

Hiking Trails within Taroko National Park

Arguably, one of the most rewarding experiences any visitor can have while touring Taroko National Park is hiking one of the more than a dozen hiking trails available to tourists. Within the park we are blessed with trails that range from being short and sweet to those that require an investment of several days.

But how is one to figure out which are family friendly and which are better suited to experienced hikers? 

Well, one of the areas that has been covered quite well with regard to Taroko National Park on the internet are its hiking trails. So, when planning a trip to the area, its important to do some research beforehand so you can decide which hiking experience will be best for you. Likewise, one of the things that you’ll want to keep in mind is that the environment at Taroko can sometimes be a little unstable due to earthquakes, typhoons and erosion, so if you’re planning a hike, you might be sorely disappointed when you arrive and find out that the trail is closed for repairs. 

Fortunately, the Taroko National Park website is an excellent resource that provides frequently updated information (in both Chinese and English) about the trails and should be able to prevent you from the disappointment of finding a ‘Trail Closed’ sign when you arrive at the park. 

Link: Taroko National Park Trails (太魯閣國家公園步道列表) - English | 中文

Sadly, one of the areas where the English-language information is lacking is with regard to the parks six official trail ‘difficulty levels’, which are actually very important for anyone wanting to visit.

Below, I’ll explain each of the levels, what you’ll need for the hikes, and list each of the trails within that particular difficulty level so that you’ll better understand what you’ll need to visit. 

I’ll also provide links to the official Taroko National Park English and Chinese language pages about each of the trails where you can find out real-time info about their condition and whether or not they’re currently open and if trail requires hikers apply for a permit before entering, I’ll add a star next to them. 

If the trail does require a permit before hiking, you can easily visit the Taroko National Park Headquarters, Tianxiang police station, or apply on the Taroko National Park Website.

Link: Trails, Campgrounds and Bed Availability (Taiwan’s National Parks) 

Note: There are some discrepancies within the official literature with regard to the level of difficulty of some of the trails between the English-language and Chinese-language lists. I’ve gone ahead and used the Chinese-language list as it is very likely the most accurate and should ensure that you don’t come across any unexpected issues. 

  • Level 0 (第0級)

Description: The easiest of the trails within the park, mostly flat and well maintained. open for all ages and also wheelchair and baby carriage accessible. 

Requirements: Water, rain gear, cellphone

  1. Taroko Terrace Trail (太魯閣臺地步道) - English | 中文

  • Level 1 (第1級)

Description: Well-maintained trails with adequate signage available for hikers. These trails generally aren’t very steep, and can be completed within several hours. Open for hikers of all levels of experience. 

Requirements: Water, rain gear, cellphone

  1. Xiaozhuilu Trail (小錐麓步道) - English | 中文

  2. Huide Trail (匯德步道) - English | 中文

  3. Chongde Trail (崇德步道) - English | 中文

  4. Shakadang Trail (砂卡礑步道) - English | 中文

  5. Baiyang Trail (白楊步道) - English | 中文

  6. Bulowan Scenic Trail (布洛灣景觀步道) - English | 中文

  7. Lushui Trail (綠水步道) - English | 中文

  • Level 2 (第2級)

Description: The trail is well-maintained but there are several slopes and potential risks for hikers. These trails can generally be completed within a day, and are open for hikers of all experience, but those in good shape are preferred.  

Requirements: Water, rain gear, cell phone, quick-dry clothing, hiking bag

  1. Changchun Shrine Trail (長春祠步道) - English | 中文

  2. Huoran Pavilion Trail (豁然亭步道) - English | 中文

  3. Dekalun Trail (得卡倫步道) - English | 中文

  • Level 3 (第3級)

Description: The trails are maintained, but are in remote mountainous areas and feature steep slopes and frequent weather changes. The time it takes to complete these trails varies, but generally anywhere between one to three days is to be expected. Hikers should be experienced and travel in groups. 

Requirements: Water, rain gear, cell phone, quick-dry clothing, hiking bag, camping gear

  1. Dali-Datong Trail (大禮大同步道) - English | 中文

  2. Zhuilu Old Trail (錐麓古道) - English | 中文 🌟

  3. Lushui-Wenshan Trail (綠水文山步道) - English | 中文

  4. Yangtou Mountain (羊頭山步道) - English | 中文 🌟

  5. Hehuan Mountain Main Peak (合歡山主峰步道) - English | 中文

  6. Hehuan Mountain North Peak (合歡山北峰步道) - English | 中文

  7. Hehuan Mountain East Peak (合歡山東峰) - English | 中文

  8. Shimen Mountain Trail (石門山步道) - English | 中文

  9. Xiao-Qilai Trail (小奇萊步道) - English | 中文

  • Level 4 (第4級)

Description: The trails are located in remote mountainous areas with a mixture of maintained paths, rugged terrain and steep slopes. These trails take anywhere between three to five days and hikers should be relatively experienced, travel in groups and be capable of performing first aid.   

Requirements: Water, rain gear, cell phone, quick-dry clothing, hiking bag, camping gear

  1. Hehuan Mountain West Peak (合歡山西峰) - English | 中文

  2. Bilu Mountain (畢祿山步道) - English | 中文 🌟

  3. Pingfeng Mountain (屏風山步道) - English | 中文

  4. Qingshui Mountain (清水山步道) - English | 中文 🌟

  5. Nanhu Mountain (南湖大山) - English | 中文 🌟

  • Level 5 (第5級)

Description: The trails are located in remote mountainous areas with limited cellphone reception, the paths are rugged and there are steep slopes that are considered quite dangerous. The climate in the area tends to change frequently, so hikers should be well-prepared. These hikes generally take about three to five days and require hikers to camp and be capable of carrying heavier bags as well as traveling in groups in addition to applying for permits. 

Requirements: Water, rain gear, cell phone, quick-dry clothing, hiking bag, camping gear

  1. Qilai Mountain (奇萊連峰) - English | 中文 🌟

  2. Qilai East Ridge (奇萊東稜) - English | 中文 🌟

  3. The North Section Trail (北二段全段) - English | 中文 🌟

Before I move on, I think its important to mention that in years past you could visit Taroko and easily find a camping spot along the river, go swimming, river tracing, or enjoy one of the wild hot springs.

You might have heard from friends that Taroko is a pretty cool place for all of these things, and yes it’s true - its great for these things. Unfortunately in recent years the government has cracked down pretty hard on these activities, so if you’re found swimming in the river, or enjoying one of the hot springs, its likely that you might be fined.

One would hope that the government might see the error in its ways with regard to banning these outdoor activities, but until then it’s probably best not to violate the rules. If none of that worries you, please be careful.

Getting There

Marked on the map above are almost all of the points of interest within Taroko National Park. 

The question however is, how do you actually get there? And when you’re there, how do you get around

There are a number of methods for which you can tour the park, and even though I have my own preferred methods, others might disagree. Its a very subjective argument! 

Taroko is easily accessible with a train station nearby, so if you’re planning a visit you have the option of making use of buses, cars, scooters, or bicycles. If you were brave, you could even walk through the gorge, but that wouldn’t exactly be the most efficient use of your time.

Suffice to say, Taroko National Park is (for the most part) located in Northern Hualien County (花蓮縣), and day trips to the area most often use Hualien City as a starting point given that it is much more convenient to start a tour of the park early in the morning after waking up in an accommodation nearby.

With several flights and even more trains out of Taipei daily, Hualien is quite accessible from the capital - that being said, even though it takes a bit longer, you’d certainly be missing out if you didn’t take the railway option as the views on the train along the east coast railway are absolutely stunning. 

Flights to Hualien

Taipei Songshan Airport - Hualien Airport (台北松山機場 - 花蓮航空站)

Flights out of Taipei’s Songshan Airport are serviced by UNI-Air (立榮航空

  1. Taipei 7:10 - Hualien 8:00 (Monday to Saturday)

  2. Taipei 19:20 - Hualien 20:10 (Daily)

  3. Taipei 12:00 - Hualien 12:50 (Sundays)

Return flights

  1. Hualien 8:35 - Taipei 9:25 (Monday to Saturday)

  2. Hualien 20:40 - Taipei 21:40 (Daily)

  3. Hualien 13:20 - Taipei 14:10 (Sundays)

There are also flights out of the airports in Taichung and Kaohsiung, but they are infrequent (twice a week) and are much more expensive, so I recommend just taking a train instead.

The prices for flights tends to fluctuate, but they’re actually not that expensive, so if you are willing to pay a bit more, you can generally take flights there and back for less than $3000NT.

I’m not particularly sure the time you spend checking in for the flight and the security screening process is actually worth taking the forty minute flight when you consider that the train only takes three hours.

Trains to Hualien

Taking the train to Hualien right now is an experience that I think every person who travels to Taiwan should experience at least once. As I mentioned above, the train ride along Taiwan’s east coast is absolutely stunning. That being said, in recent years the time it takes to get there from Taipei has been drastically reduced thanks to improvements in the railway infrastructure.

Options for the train range from the slower local trains (區間車) and the Tze-Chiang (自強號) and Chu-Kuang (莒光號) limited-express trains to the newest additions, the Puyuma (普悠瑪號) and Taroko (太魯閣號) Express trains, both of which have reduced the travel time by at least an hour. 

And fortunately for travelers, all of these trains conveniently stop at both Hualien Railway Station (花蓮車站) as well as Xincheng Railway Station (新城火車站), which is the station closest to Taroko National Park. 

Link: Taiwan Railway (臺灣鐵路) - English | 中文

Car

If you’re traveling in a group, driving a car through the park is a pretty good option. 

Years ago, I would have never recommend driving into the gorge, but the traffic situation within the busiest sections has improved considerably, thanks to the construction of several new tunnels that separate traffic on the narrowest sections of highway. This make driving a car slightly more tolerable, but if you’re visiting during a holiday, it’s likely that you’ll still get stuck in a traffic jam. 

That being said, one of the reasons why I don’t actually recommend driving a car into the park is due to the fact that you’ll end up missing a lot due to the inability to stop whenever you feel like it.

There are so many areas along the highway where you’ll want to stop to take photos, but when you’re in a car you’d end up causing a major traffic jam if you did - and you might even end up on TV as the asshole of the day.

Likewise, finding parking spots within the gorge, especially at the most popular stops can be difficult, and will put your parallel parking skills to the test.

If you don’t have your own vehicle, cars can be easily rented once you’ve arrived in Hualien near both of the train stations mentioned above.

You’ll need to have a local license or a valid international drivers license however to rent one.  

Scooter

Personally, I’d argue that the best way to enjoy Taroko Gorge is to first make your way to Hualien, and then renting a scooter. I’d argue that riding a scooter through Taroko offers tourists quite a few benefits that includes being able to stop pretty much whenever you want, but also giving you a better sense of the immense size of the gorge while riding through it.  

Unfortunately for foreign tourists, the various scooter rental shops in Hualien have become strict with their rental policies, so if you don’t have a local drivers license or an International Drivers License, you might not have much luck finding a scooter to rent. 

It was explained to me by the rental place that I frequent near Hualien Train Station that foreigners often “have no idea how to ride a scooter” and when they’re rented out, they come back half destroyed, or end up being involved in a traffic accident. This has led quite a few of the rental places to not want to take the risk. There are of course work-arounds for this, but you may want to have a back up plan just in case you can’t get a scooter. 

I recommend checking the two links below for a more detailed explanation of the scooter rental situation in Hualien. 

Links: Scooter Rental in Taiwan (Foreigners in Taiwan) | Exploring Hualien with a Scooter (The Spice to My Travel) 

While this would be my personal preferred method of transportation while in Hualien, I have a Taiwanese scooter license, so it is considerably easier for me to rent scooters. I’m not going to recommend any specific places to rent one, but you will find several near Hualien Station and Xincheng Station that offer a variety of scooters for travelers. The prices might be slightly more expensive during weekends and national holidays, but generally speaking you can rent a scooter for around 450-600NT per day, which isn’t different from most other areas of Taiwan.

Cycling

For cyclists, Taroko has become an extremely popular destination in recent years and the local government has made cycling through the National Park even more convenient by allowing travelers to take their bicycles on (certain) trains. Likewise, you’ll find several professional bike rental shops in Hualien City as well as in Xincheng that allow for short-term rentals.

If you are planning to cycle through Taroko, I highly recommend renting your bike near Xincheng Station rather than cycling directly out of Hualien considering that it takes more than an hour from the city to the park compared to the fifteen minutes it takes from the latter.

The prices of rentals varies, but you’ll find that most bikes go for around $250NT per day, which isn’t that bad. 

Like scooters, cycling allows travelers to stop pretty much anywhere they like along the road through Taroko Gorge, but I imagine the twenty or so kilometer journey up the mountain isn’t the easiest if you’re not in good shape, or an experienced cyclist. Likewise, the highway becomes quite narrow in a few sections, so cyclists should be wary of traffic, especially on weekends or national holidays as there will be a number of tour buses sharing the road. 

Bus

For those travelers who don’t have access to their own means of transportation, taking a bus through the gorge might be one of your only options. That being said, taking the bus tends to be slow, inconvenient, and requires considerably planning to ensure that you get the most out of your trip through the park. 

If the bus is your only option, you’re going to have to plan a schedule and keep track of all of the times to ensure that you don’t find yourself waiting around for too long. This means that when you stop at a place like Swallow Grotto, you’ll have to keep track of your time to ensure that you don’t miss the bus on the other side.

It’s also important to note that the buses that travel through the gorge start at Hualien Train Station and only go as far as Tianxiang, where they’ll turn around and head back down the mountain.

So, if you’re planning on hiking one of the trails beyond there, you’ll have to walk to the trailheads. 

  1. Taiwan Trip (台灣好行) - Taroko Route (太魯閣線) Day Pass: $250NT

  2. Taroko Bus (太魯閣客運) - #302

  3. Hualien Bus (花蓮客運) - #1126, #1133, #1141

All of these buses will also stop at Xincheng Train Station (新城火車站), so if you want to save some time you might want to hop on one of the buses from there.

You should also become familiar with the iBus info System website, which is available in both English and Chinese, and will help you schedule your routes and know where the bus is in real time. There are likewise some apps that you can download for your phone to help you with the bus schedules, but most of them are only available in Chinese. 

For more detailed information about the buses and how and where you can purchase tickets, I recommend checking out the link below from the official Taroko website. 

Link: Bus Timetable (Taroko National Park) 

Accommodations in Hualien

Last, but not least - You’ve planned a trip to Hualien to check out Taroko and some of the other cool things to see in the area. But now you have to ask yourself, where will you stay? Should you stay in Hualien City to be close to all the action? Or should you stay close to Taroko so you can spend as much time as possible in the National Park? 

When it comes to planning where to stay during your trip to Hualien, it can become a bit of a headache for travelers as there are a number of options, but some of them fill up quite quickly, and the closer you get to Taroko, the more expensive they become. 

Likewise, the closer you stay to the train station in Hualien, the more expensive your accommodation will be. That being said, no matter where you stay in the area you’ll be able to find a wide range of accommodations from inexpensive hostels to premium five-star hotels.

With this in mind, what you’ll want to take into consideration when deciding where you’ll stay is how you plan on getting around Hualien and what your budget is. To put it simply, if you have access to your own means of transportation, be it car or scooter, you can easily find a place at your preferred price range.

If however you plan on making use of public transportation, your choices will become a bit more limited.

Personally, I’ve always elected to stay in an accommodation close to Hualien Station as I always rent a scooter when I’m in the area. What I tend to look for in a place to stay however is likely a bit different than others, so I recommend taking some time to research places to stay. 

While planning your trip, I recommend checking out AirBnB, booking.com, Agoda, Trip Advisor where you’ll be able to find some of the best places to stay in the area. 

References


Hualien Railway Bureau (花蓮鐵道文化園)

With the recent re-opening of the Taihoku Railway Bureau in Taipei, there has been a renewed focus around the country with regard to the history of the railway, especially when it comes to anything remaining from the Japanese Colonial Era.

After a long period of restoration, (likely requiring an obscene amount of money) both the headquarters of the former Japanese-era railway and the Taipei Railway Workshop reopened in 2020, attracting quite a bit of attention from the local media, nerds like myself, and tourists alike. That being said, even though Taipei is home to these two important historic sites, it most certainly wasn’t the first area in Taiwan to restore and reopen historic railway-related buildings to the public.

During the colonial era, the Japanese Colonial Government strategically set up Railway Bureaus and Workshops around the island in order to better maintain the operation of the continually expanding railway network that sought to eventually encircle the island. So, even though the headquarters was technically located in the capital, there were also large branch offices and workshops located in Kaohsiung to the south and Hualien on the east coast. 

Today, the Kaohsiung Railway Bureau has been (高雄鐵道部) reopened as the “Hamasen Railway Cultural Park” (哈瑪星鐵道文化園區) while the Hualien Railway Bureau (花蓮鐵道部) is currently home to the “Hualien Railway Culture Park” (花蓮鐵道文化園區), both of which having reopened well before the park in Taipei! 

So uh…. Take that Taipei! 

Given that I’ve already introduced the Railway Bureau headquarters as well as the Taipei Workshop, I’m going to continue expanding on the subject with this article by introducing the former Hualien Railway Bureau and the Culture Park that exists there today. 

Before I start, I think it is important to keep in mind that both the Hualien and the Kaohsiung Railway Culture Parks are much smaller in comparison to the one in Taipei. They were also reopened a lot earlier and likely didn’t receive a proportionate amount of funding as the one in the capital. 

I’m not telling you this to lead you to think that they’re not as impressive. They’re still pretty cool.

I just think it’s important to remember that the scale and the exhibitions you’ll find at each of these parks is going to differ slightly. Likewise what you can see and do at each of them is going to be different, especially in the case of this park as it is often used by local vendors as an art space and a place for film festivals, etc. 

Without further adieu, I’ll start by introducing the history of the Hualien Railway Bureau, then move on to its architectural design and then introducing about the culture park that exists there today. 

Hualien Railway Bureau (花蓮鐵道部)

When the Japanese took control of Taiwan in 1895, a rudimentary railway in the Northern portion of the island had already been constructed between Keelung and Taipei. To slow the pace of the Japanese army’s advance into the capital however that railway was sabotaged in several sections, forcing the army to make quick repairs in order to ensure that they could effectively take administrative control of the capital.

The sabotage scheme ultimately had little effect on the army’s advance with military engineers completing emergency reparations on the rail line and having it back in service within two months of their arrival. The “Temporary Taiwan Railway Team” (臨時臺灣鐵道隊) of engineers were initially stationed in Keelung, and by 1896, proposals were drawn up to improve and re-route the existing railroad between the port and the capital, while also making plans for a railway that would encircle the entire island. 

By 1897 (明治30年), engineers from the Railway Team had criss-crossed Taiwan and came up with proposals for five routes that would stretch across the island, and were even considering an ambitious vertical route that would cross the Central Mountain Range. Unfortunately for the Railway Team, their exploration of the mountainous areas put them in direct confrontation with the Indigenous peoples near Taroko, resulting in the deaths of fourteen of their engineers, and the decision that a railway through the mountains wasn’t feasible. 

In 1899 (明治32年), the ‘Temporary Railway Team’ was officially reestablished as the “Ministry of Railways of the Governor Generals Office of Taiwan” (臺灣總督府鐵道部), charged with managing the construction of a railway network around the island in addition to the operation and maintenance of public and private railways.  

Note: The Private Railways mentioned above were those used by the various monopoly industries such as the camphor, sugarcane, coal, etc. Which were using branch railways off of the main lines to extract natural resources, and get them to port as efficiently as possible. 

While the construction of the railroad along Taiwan’s much more developed western coast progressed rather smoothly, the Eastern branch line (臺東線) was a more difficult undertaking, and ended up taking considerably longer to complete. With railway construction simultaneously taking place in different stages around the island, the eastern branch line was completed several decades after the west coast lines.

For the purpose of this particular article, it’s important to note that construction on the northern segment of the line, from Karenko (花蓮港) to Poshiko (璞石閣), known today as Hualien (花蓮) and Yuli (玉里), started in 1909 (明治42年), and was completed in 1917 (大正7年). 

Japanese-era map of the main railways in Taiwan.

The Eastern Branch ultimately wouldn’t be completed until 1926 (昭和元年) when 171.8 kilometers of rail was officially opened to the public between Hualien and Taitung, both of which were the terminal stations for the rail line. 

Even though the Western Coast of Taiwan was connected by railway from Taipei all the way to Pingtung with more than a dozen branch lines between the mountains and the ports on the coast, service on the East Coast was considerably less convenient, with the line from Taipei terminating in Su’ao (蘇澳), Yilan’s southern most village.

It’s important to note that while there were plans to connect the Eastern Branch railway in the north between Yilan and Hualien and in the South between Taitung and Pingtung (屏東), as it is today, those plans were never actually realized.

Maybe that was a good thing though, at the time a trip between Taitung and Hualien took between 7-8 hours for passengers, and 11 hours for freight.

Japanese-era photo of the Hualien Railway Bureau (日治時期花蓮鐵道部出張所)

To coordinate operations on the Taitung Line, it was necessary to construct a Hualien Branch of the Railway Bureau (鐵道部花蓮出張所). Established in 1909, the Railway Bureau took up a prominent portion of the downtown core of Hualien, extending well-beyond what has been preserved today to encompass several city blocks. Featuring a Branch Office (出張所 / しゅっちょうじょ), Engineering Works (公務 / こうむ), Military Police Outpost (警務處 / けいむ), Inspection Garage (檢車庫), Water Stop (蒸汽火車加水塔), machine factory (機廠), official residence (處長官邸), staff dormitories (員工宿舍區), railway hospital (鐵道醫院), etc. 

From 1909 until the 1970s, the Railway Workshop area was one of the most commercially active in downtown Hualien, and was constantly bustling with activity as it became one of the focal points for development and local administration.

This was in part due to the fact that a year after the Railway Workshop started operations, the Karenko Railway Station (花蓮港停車場  / かれんこう) was constructed next door and started limited railway service along the eastern line. 

Note: The Hualien Railway Station has since moved to another part of town, but was originally located at the intersection of what has become Zhongshan Road (中山路) and Chongqing Road (重慶路) today. The station was constructed in 1910 (明治43年) and remained in service until 1981 (民國70年), it was torn down a decade later in 1992 (民國81年).  

Japanese-era Hualien Station (日治時期花蓮港車站)

Even though the Hualien Railway Bureau dates back to 1909, the buildings that that we can visit today aren’t what you have seen when it was officially opened. What has been preserved as part of the railway culture park today date back to a 1932 (昭和7年) rebuild and expansion of the railway bureau which was a reflection of the completion of the eastern branch of the railway a few years earlier. 

After 28 years of painstaking construction, the 173 kilometer Taitung Line Railway was completed and the start of operations coincided with the celebrations of the first year of the Showa Era (昭和元年). The official opening ceremonies for the completed railway were held on March 25th, 1926 and ushered in a new era of prosperity for Hualien, and the rest of the eastern coast of Taiwan as the flow of materials became much more efficient.

Similarly, given that the Hualien Railway Station was located next to the Railway Bureau, the area surrounding the railway became instrumental for economic development.

When the Second World War came to a conclusion and the Japanese surrendered to the allies, control of Taiwan was (ambiguously) given to the Republic of China (中華民國) and after Taiwan’s so-called “retrocession”, the Hualien Railway Bureau was occupied by the new regime, and renamed the Hualien Management Office of the Taiwan Railway Administration (台灣鐵路管理局花蓮辦事處). The buildings and equipment onsite remained in use until the early 1980s when the administration and maintenance of the railway of the eastern branch migrated across town in conjunction with the new station.

Japanese-era Hualien Station (日治時期花蓮港車站)

The current Hualien Railway Station, located north-west of the original station was recently expanded and underwent a several year period of reconstruction. Like its much earlier predecessor, the beautiful new station has become one of the focal points of the city, and as was the case in the past, the administration of the railway takes place within the upper offices of the railway station while the maintenance of the trains is taken care of at the massive 34,000m² Hualien Machine Factory (花蓮機廠) nearby. 

Even though the original railway that ran through the port area of Hualien has been abandoned, parts of the track have been preserved and you can still see some of it along the the Old Railway Walkway (舊鐵路行人徒步區), which has been transformed into a hip part of town and a tourist attraction in its own right. 

With the Japanese-era Hualien Railway Station having already been sadly torn down a few short years after the migration of the railway and its administration took place, experts, scholars and local citizens started to advocate for the preservation of the historic Railway Bureau, and the various buildings that still existed on the site.

In 2002 (民國91年), the Hualien County Cultural Affairs Bureau (花蓮縣文化局) officially registered the Railway Bureau and the various buildings on-site as protected historic buildings (花蓮縣歷史建築), and plans were made to restore the buildings and reopen them to the public as a culture park. 

In 2011, restoration work on the first section of the former Railway Bureau was completed with the Branch Office (出張所) becoming the main attraction, while the dormitories and Machine Works across the street remained a work in progress. As of writing, this section has yet to be completely re-opened to the public. Likewise, the former Water Stop and Directors Residence are still undergoing restoration, meaning that I’ll have to return in the near future to check them out. 

When I do visit again, this space will be updated, although I plan on dedicating an entire article to the Directors Dormitory, as it looks to be one of the prettiest of the high-ranking dorms that remains in Taiwan today. 

Sadly, even though the Railway Hospital (舊鐵路醫院) has been protected as a historic property, restoration work on the building had yet to start before being partially destroyed by fire in early 2021. The damage to the historic buildings was considerable, and reparations will be funded by the Taiwan Railway Administration, but currently planning for the project is just getting underway, so we probably can’t expect that it will be part of the larger Railway Bureau Park any time in the near future. 

Link: 花蓮舊鐵路醫院遭祝融 部分歷史建物受損 (UDN) 

As mentioned earlier, the Hualien Railway Bureau certainly isn’t as large and thus far hasn’t been adapted into a well-organized culture park as its contemporary in Taipei. It has nevertheless become an important cultural and tourist attraction in Hualien, and over the next few years as the restoration process progresses, it will continue to grow, making it one of the focal points of cultural preservation in downtown Hualien City.  

Hualien Railway Culture Park (花蓮鐵道文化園)

The Hualien Railway Culture Park currently consists of two sections that are open to the public, and feature historic exhibitions in addition to offering event spaces and allowing for private vendors to set up weekend markets and food stalls. There is a little something for everyone who visits the historic culture park, making it a popular tourist attraction for every type of tourist. 

Below, I’ll briefly introduce both sections of the park, known simply as “Section 1” (一館區) and “Section 2” (二館區), explaining a little about each of the buildings within, their architectural design and what they’re currently used for within the contemporary culture park. 

Section 1 (一館區) - Branch Office (出張所)

Section One of the Hualien Railway Culture Park is home to none other than the Railway Bureau itself. Essentially the most historically significant and architecturally distinct part of the park, this is where the everyday business affairs of the railway would have been carried out. 

Home to the Branch Office (出張所), the building is a hodgepodge of architectural styles constructed with a fusion of Japanese and western elements, while also mimicking the traditional Chinese style four-sided courtyard (四合院) layout. 

The front gates to the Branch Office open up into a tree-covered front courtyard with a drive way that would have allowed cars to come in and circle around on their way out. Directly to the left of the gate you’ll find a small Japanese-style guard building, which has amazingly served the same role from the day it was built until now. 

On the opposite side, a bit closer to the front entrance of the Branch Office you’ll find a cement air-raid shelter that has been dug into the ground near one of the trees. The shelter is a relic of the Japanese-era, but was preserved in its original form - just in case.

The front courtyard is currently made available on weekends and holidays to local vendors who are permitted to set up tables to sell arts and crafts in addition to a variety of food trucks that offer snacks and drinks for sale to visitors. If you’re feeling hungry and feel like the food selection isn’t all that great, never fear, the Dongdamen Night Market (東大門夜市) is a two minute walk and there’s always something good to eat there! 

Looking up into the interior of the tower with its stained-glass windows

The front entrance to the Branch Office is absolutely beautiful and is a long rectangular-shaped building with a double-layer roof. The center of the building opens up with a passageway covered by a gothic-style tower (哥德式高塔) that has stained-glass windows on all four sides, allowing for beautiful natural light in the corridor below. The tower is coincidentally one of the features of the building that makes the Branch Office so architecturally distinct and differentiates it from pretty much every other Japanese-era building remaining in Taiwan today. 

Once you pass through the corridor you will find yourself in another beautiful courtyard surrounded on all four sides by the rest of the Branch Office. The courtyard has a little pond in the middle with some pine trees offering some shade. 

Even though I just said that the layout of the Branch Office mimics that of a Chinese-style four-sided courtyard building, it does differ slightly and even though there are buildings on all four sides, they’re not physically connected in the way that a similar Chinese-style building would be.

The main courtyard of the Railway Bureau

The main area of the Branch Office is rectangular in shape and was home to offices on both the eastern and western wings. Once you pass through the corridor however, you’ll notice that there is a covered walkway on both sides that leads to the other buildings. The walkway that surrounds the building is what helps to make it look like the buildings are all physically connected, even though they aren’t. 

Directly to the left of the corridor you’ll find another similarly long rectangular building that forms an “L” shape with the main building. These two buildings work together to make up the vast majority of the permanent exhibition space that provides historic information about the Railway Bureau. 

Covered corridors between buildings

Architecturally, both of the buildings are relatively similar in that they were constructed in the traditional Japanese ‘irimoya’ (入母屋) style, meaning that the base of the building is smaller than the roof, which extends beyond the base. The design of the roof on both of these buildings however is relatively simple compared to other buildings in this architectural style as they’re not of the typical hip-and-gable variety you’d see elsewhere. So even though the main building features the gothic tower that extends above the main part of the roof, the rest is quite simple.

The covered passageway that reaches around the building does make the roof appear as if its double-layered, but the purpose here was to prevent employees getting wet on rainy days and diverting the rain water onto the courtyard rather than the walkway, as well as allowing the various pillars that wrap around the building to evenly distribute the weight of the roof. 

Exhibition Space

Both buildings have been constructed using wood and feature beautiful sliding glass windows on both the front and back sides, allowing for an ample amount of natural light into the building. This is important because the ceiling in the interior of the buildings is (currently) open, so you’re able to check out the intricate network of trusses that were put in place to help keep the heavy roof in place. 

The building known today simply as Exhibition Area 1 (展覽區1) is the front facing building with the gothic tower was once home to the Directors Office (處長室), Administration Office (總務室), Works Department (工務課) and Maintenance Department (機務課). Separated into two different exhibition spaces, this building is essentially the main attraction if you’re interested in learning about the history of the Railway Bureau and the East Coast Railway. 

Likewise, Exhibition Area 2 (展覽區2) is located in the wing directly to the left of the main building and was originally home to the Accounting Office (會計室), Traffic Safety Committee (行車保安委員會) and a Training Room (運務課). Today the building is home to a large model train version of Hualien City from the days when the Railway Station was located next door to the Railway Bureau. There are some other exhibition pieces in the building as well, but I feel like this is somewhat of a wasted space as they could probably do a lot more with such a large open area than having a model railway that doesn’t even run most of the time. 

Model railway of Hualian

As I mentioned earlier with regard to how this Railway Bureau differs from the one in Taipei, wasted and unused space is an issue that the authorities have to deal with. Not only is the Exhibition Space in the former Accounting Building an underutilized space, the small electrical production building to the rear is likewise completely empty, while another one of the former offices at the rear of the courtyard are used simply for the park administration and public washrooms. 

The most architecturally distinct building within the Railway Bureau is the former Meeting Room and Banquet Hall (聚會場所), a century old Japanese style building that was renamed “Zhongshan Hall” (中山堂) after the colonial era ended. Currently home to the Railway Movie Theater (鐵道電影院), the building was never actually planned to be utilized as an exhibition space, but instead a space where the Hualien City Government can hold film festivals. So when you visit, if there isn’t any events planned, you may find that the building is locked up and not accessible to tourists. 

Constructed using local Hinoki Cypress (檜木) from Morisaka (林田山) and the Chinan Forest Area (池南林區) in the mountains of Hualien, the local government spent $11,000,000NT ($370,000USD) restoring the building, while retaining as much of the original cypress as possible. 

Note: Morisaka (林田山) is known today as the “Lintian Mountain Forestry Culture Park” (林田山林業文化園區) while the “Chinan National Forest Recreation Area” (池南國家森林遊樂區) was located along the Haron Forestry Railroad (哈崙 (ハロン) 森林鐵道), two of Hualien’s three Japanese era timber railways. 

The meeting hall after dark

In almost every article I’ve read about the building, it seems like they all parrot the same talking point, namely that ‘Zhongshan Hall’ is a century year old building. I thought it was a bit strange given that the rest of the Railway Bureau is around ninety years old (as of 2021), so I spent some time looking to see if the building was part of the original itieration of the Railway Bureau, but no one offered up any information as to why the building was being dated the way it was. After a while, I more or less just came to the conclusion that they were probably rounding up. The building appears like it was constructed at the same time as the rest of the buildings on site so we still have another decade to go before its reaches its centennial.  

That being said, the Railway Bureau’s banquet hall is definitely the most elaborate in terms of its architectural design in comparison to the other buildings. Yes, it was constructed using hinoki cypress, one of the most expensive types of wood in Taiwan, but it also features the most elaborate roof. Even though the building doesn’t feature a traditional Japanese hip-and-gable roof, it has beautiful black Japanese roof tiles (黑瓦), which have recently been restored. It also features a lower second layer that extends entirely around the building and is held in place by a network of pillars. Similar to the covered walkways on the front buildings, this one has received a bit more attention in its design. 

Covered walkway next to the meeting hall

The last thing I’ll mention about the design of this building is its windows, there are large sliding glass windows on all four sides as well as rectangular-shaped windows above the first layer of the roof that allow natural light into the building. The lower sliding windows are of course quite common within Japanese architecture, but one thing you’ll want to pay attention to are the round dormer (oxeye) windows (老虎窗) on the front and back, which were pretty much only added for design purposes, but were popular for the more elaborate buildings of that era. 

Oh, and the ox-tail windows are part of the reason why I’d argue that the building isn’t a century-old as they are an architectural feature that started appearing on buildings after the 1920s.

Section 2 (二館區) - Engineering Works

The recently opened “Section 2” of the Railway Culture Park is much smaller than the main section, but if you ask me is a little more interesting. Unfortunately though, while the restoration of all of the buildings in this sections seems to have been recently completed, some of them remain empty and severely under-utilized. 

This will probably only be a short-term issue as they’ll certainly not allow their investment in the restoration of these buildings to go to waste. So, as I mentioned above, I’ll certainly have to be visit again to make sure that I have more photos of these buildings, especially of the interior!

This section of the Railway Bureau was considerably more functional than the other one, which mostly served an administrative purpose. Section 2 was home to the Engineering Works (工務段), and a police outpost (警務段), in addition to preserving part of the original railway that was used for the maintenance of trains. 

Even though the buildings in Section 2 are yet to be opened to the public on a full-time basis, I have to say that I actually enjoyed my visit to this part of the Railway Park more than the other section. The reason for this is because the buildings are more traditional in their architectural design, and because the area is covered with beautiful trees, which have been growing there since the buildings were constructed almost a century ago! 

A hundred-year old banyan tree in section two

Likewise, a couple of the buildings in this section have been opened up to private businesses, one of which currently has a Kimono rental place and another a really nice coffeeshop that has a couple of Shiba Inu’s who hang out in the area.

You’ll also find historic LDT103 steam locomotives on the rail tracks that you’re able to take photos with! 

The various buildings on site are as follows: 

  1. Engineering Works (工務段)

  2. Police Outpost (警務段 / 武道館)

  3. Detention Building (拘役所)

  4. Iron Works (打鐵工房)

  5. Warehouse (附屬倉庫)

  6. Air raid shelter (防空洞)

The first thing I’ll say about the section is that without its giant banyan tree (榕樹), I don’t think I would have enjoyed visiting as much as I did. The century-old tree provides both character and ambiance to the park, and the buildings that surround it should be grateful that they are able to bask in its glory.

The largest building in the park is the former Engineering Works (公務段 / こうむだん), which is now home to a popular coffee shop. The building was constructed in traditional Japanese architecture with Taiwanese wood and black roof files. The construction of the roof on this one is simple, but the sliding glass windows are quite beautiful. If you have the chance, make sure to go into the coffee shop to check out the interior of the building and enjoy a coffee. 

Link: The role of Public-Private Partnerships in Conserving Historic Buildings in Taiwan

Across from the Engineering Works, you’ll find a small Air Raid Shelter dug into the ground near the banyan tree, which you can check out. This one isn’t as large as the air raid shelter in the other section of the park, but it is probably big enough to fit a dozen or so people. 

The interior of the air raid shelter

Behind the banyan tree, you’ll find the former Iron Works (打鐵工坊), which retains some of the original equipment that was used for constructing and repairing rail lines. There’s not too much to see while inside the building, but it was a pretty important part of the Railway Bureau for quite some time. 

Interestingly, when we approached the Police Outpost (警務段), I commented that the exterior looked a bit like what you’d expect from one of Taiwan’s smaller Martial Arts Halls (武德殿) to which I received the comment, “But it isn’t, its an old police station!” Well, I am to boast that I had the last laugh on that one because research on the subject says that prior to 1946, the building was used for practicing Judo (柔道) and Kendo (劍道). It was only after the Japanese left Taiwan that it was converted to a police outpost. 

The exterior of the martial arts hall / police outpost

With that being said, near the former Martial Arts Hall / Police Outpost you’ll find a more recent addition, a cement structure that was used to hold prisoners on a short-term basis. The small jail (拘役所) is open to the public and its a popular place for people to take photos.

Unfortunately during my visit, both the jail and the former police outpost were closed and as I peered in through the windows, it looked as if the police outpost was emptied for some reason. 

The final building on the site is at the rear of the park and in the past was simply used as a storage warehouse. That being said, it looks like all of the other buildings on the site as it was constructed with wood, sliding glass windows and Japanese architecture. Even though it is quite small, today it is occupied by a private company that rents kimono, yukata, and specifically tailored outfits that were popular during the colonial era.

Buildings in section two

This part of the park is also home to an old section of the railway where you’ll find one of the old steam engines and freight cars on display. The steam engine was especially brought by the Taiwan Railway Administration to Hualien to put on display here as this type of steam engine was the one that was used to bring prosperity to the east coast. 

Getting There

 

Address: #71 Zhongshan Road, Hualien City

(花蓮縣花蓮市中山路71號)

GPS: 23.9721202 121.6130952

Located within the downtown core of Hualien, the Railway Bureau is a short walk from the city’s popular Dongdamen Night Market (東大門夜市) and is easily accessible through public transportation. 

That being said, the Railway Bureau is actually not all that close to the current Hualien Railway Station, which is probably a 20-30 minute commute if you’re walking. 

Car / Scooter

If you’re in Hualien and have access to a car or scooter, getting to the Railway Bureau isn’t all that difficult and there is an ample amount of parking in the area along the street or within the paid public parking lots near the night market. 

Simply input the address or the GPS coordinates provided above into your preferred geolocation assistant and you’ll be there in no time! 

Bus 

Given that the Railway Bureau is conveniently located within close proximity to the tourist night market, you’ll find a number of public transportation options for getting there from various areas around Hualien. So, even if you’re not located next to Hualien Station, you should be able to find a bus that fits your specific needs. 

Dongdamen Night Market Bus Stop (東大門夜市站)

  • Taroko Bus (太魯閣客運): #301, 307, 308

  • Hualien Bus (花蓮客運): #1123, 1126, 1128, 1129, 1131, 1132, 1133, 1136, 1139, 1141, 105

Xuanyuan Rd. Bus Stop (軒轅路站) 

While in Hualien, if you’re interested in similar Japanese era destinations, I highly recommend checking out the Hualien Martyrs Shrine (former Shinto Shrine), the Hualien Cultural and Creative Industries Park (花蓮文化創意產業園區), the Yoshino Shrine (慶修院), the Pine Garden (松園別館), the Hualien Sugar Factory Dorms (花蓮觀光糖廠), etc. 

There is certainly a lot to see and do while in Hualien and you should never feel like Taroko Gorge and the Qingshui Cliffs are the only destinations to visit! The city is home to quite a few historic tourist destinations where you’ll also be able to enjoy yourself! 

Hours: Tuesday - Sunday 09:00 - 17:00 (Closed on Mondays)

Unfortunately during my visit, quite a few of the buildings in both the First and Second Section in addition to the former Director’s Dormitory were not open to the public. In some cases it seems like they were in the process of changing exhibitions while others just weren’t open at all. So, as I mentioned a few times already, I’ll have to visit again to get more photos. When I do, I’ll update this space, but I’ll probably dedicate an entire article to the directors dormitory. 

Nevertheless, the Hualien County Government has spent a considerable amount of money restoring the former Railway Bureau and even though some of its space is under-utilized, they have come up with some pretty good ideas for attracting locals and tourists alike with weekend markets, film festivals and coffee shops in the historic buildings. 

Given the Railway Bureau’s close proximity to the popular Dongdamen Night Market, you can be sure that there will always be a steady supply of visitors coming to check it out! Even if this one isn’t as big on the historic displays of information, it is still a place where you can learn quite a bit about the important history of the railway in Taiwan, with a special focus on the east coast! 

References

  1. Hualien Railway Culture Park | 花蓮鐵道文化園區 (Wiki)

  2. 臺灣鐵道史 (Wiki)

  3. 花蓮鐵道文化園區 (花蓮綠活小旅行)

  4. 歷史沿革 (花蓮鐵道文化園區官方部落格)

  5. 花蓮舊鐵道商圈歷史與脈絡 (ArcGIS Online)

  6. 舊花蓮驛前碩果僅存的鐵道部出張所歷史建築 (獨立評論 @ 天下)

  7. 花蓮鐵道文化園區 (駱致軒)

  8. 修復半年 花蓮鐵道文化園區一館重新開放 (客家電視)

  9. 穿越百年鐵道時光!4處不可錯過的鐵道文化園區 (Newtalk新聞)

  10. 花蓮百年台鐵中山堂 擬打造鐵道電影院 (CNA)

  11. Hualien 太平洋臨港歷史廊道文化導覽 (花蓮縣全球資訊服務網)

  12. 和風老屋旅行散策 (江明麗) ISBN: 978-9862487594


Ji-an Yoshino Shrine (吉安慶修院)

Over the past few years I’ve blogged in great detail about various locations leftover from Taiwan’s Japanese Colonial Era introducing buildings, shrines, martial arts halls, etc.

Every time I write one of these articles, I offer a bit of an introduction to the colonial era by explaining to readers that the colonial period lasted from 1895 - 1945, and how for better or worse it was one of the most important eras in Taiwan’s modern history as the Japanese kickstarted the development of Taiwan into the beautiful country that we love today. 

When I talk about these things, I’m often accused of glossing over the terrible things that took place during the half century that the Japanese controlled the islands. And yeah, the Japanese were just like any other colonial power and committed atrocities. The development that took place likewise wasn’t entirely altruistic as it benefitted them and the construction of their fledgling empire, which had its eyes set on massive expansion around South East Asia.

Taiwan was just a stepping stone for fuelling those ambitions.

One facet of the colonial period that I’ve barely touched however is what happened when the war ended and the Japanese surrendered.

I always briefly mention that control of Taiwan and the Penghu Islands were ‘ambiguously’ awarded to the Republic of China, but that doesn’t really tell the full story of the administrative transition that took place, in addition to an exodus of people who left Taiwan with the outgoing colonial regime.

In 2015, a powerful documentary was released in theatres here in Taiwan that did an excellent job telling the forgotten story of what happened when the Japanese left, from the perspective of those who had lived in Taiwan for generations.

The documentary, titled: Wansei Back Home (灣生回家), chronicled the history of some of those (still living) Japanese citizens, who were born in Taiwan, and who had only ever known Taiwan as a home before they were forced to move back to Japan. It told about how they were met with hostility and discrimination when they arrived back in post-war Japan as the country was in the process of rebuilding.

It also delved into how these “Wansei” (灣生), or Japanese citizens who were “Born in Taiwan,” had a difficult time adapting to their new lives while missing the only home that they ever knew.

When the war ended and the Japanese were forced to leave Taiwan, they ended up bringing with them around half a million people.

When the Japanese era started in 1895, an active campaign started in Japan to encourage citizens (with specific skills) to emigrate to the new colony to assist in its development. 

Many of those who came in those early years brought with them everything they owned and a one-way ticket. Then, for several generations they lived, worked and raised families here in Taiwan, forming a deep connection with this land.

One of the first villages set up for these new immigrants to Taiwan was in Hualian’s Ji-an Village (吉安鄉), which then was known as “Yoshino Village”, and just so happens to be the setting in the movie for the return of those “Wansei” citizens, who returned to see their long-lost home.

In this article, I’m going to start off by introducing Yoshino Village and its historical significance before moving on to the main topic of the Yoshino Shrine, which is known today as Qingxiu Temple (慶修院).

Then I’ll conclude with some photos from the site of the former Yoshino Shinto Shrine (吉野神社), located in the heart of the village. 

The Buddhist temple has become a popular tourist attraction in recent years, since its restoration and although there may be a few English-language articles floating around the internet about it, I think it’s more beneficial to the reader to do a bit of a deep-dive into the history of this special village to get a better understanding of its significance.  

Yoshino Village (吉野村)

Street in Yoshino

Street in Yoshino

Originally settled by the Amis Indigenous people, the area we know today as Ji-an (吉安), was once referred to as Cikasuan (知卡宣) or “flowing timber” by the indigenous people who lived there. 

Located within the Huadong Valley (花東地區), Ji-an has a humid subtropical climate and is one of the areas of Hualien best known for its agricultural output, with crops that include rice, sugarcane, corn and tangerines, among others. 

Even though Ji-an has been the home of the Amis people (阿美族) for thousands of years, starting around the 17th century, it has also been an important area where various groups of Hakka (客家) and Hoklo (閩南) migrants have settled. Then, much later a larger group of refugees from the Chinese Civil War came to the area to make a new life in Ji-an. 

Today, these four different groups make up the vast majority of the over eighty-three thousand people who live in Ji-an. Before the arrival of those refugees however, Ji-an was a much different community than it is today, and as I mentioned above, holds a special place in Taiwan’s history. 

The Japanese Empire took control of Taiwan in 1895 and after a period of instability and heavy-handedness, life in Taiwan (for better or worse) eventually settled to become that of the model colony the Japanese were looking for. For the first few years, the only Japanese citizens who came to Taiwan would have been predominately military, civil servants, engineers and business people who sought to capitalize on the treasures that the island had to offer the empire. 

Yoshino tobacco farm

Yoshino tobacco farm

When the situation stabilized, the government made the decision to start a campaign to encourage immigration to the colony, which viewed further immigration to Taiwan by ‘ordinary’ (most often lower-class citizens), especially those who were labourers or farmers was a great way to improve production.

While also testing a ‘settler colonialism’ scheme by mixing Japanese citizens with the local population. 

The East Coast was chosen as the optimal location to start an immigration campaign for these ‘planned communities’ (移民村), due to the fact that it was sparsely populated and thanks to the so-called ‘availability’ of land.

To sweeten the deal, the government would provide each family with transportation, a home and a plot of land to farm on in addition to a number of subsidies.  

The so-called availability of land is a contentious issue as it forced the local Amis people off of their traditional lands and further into the mountains, resulting in a uprising known as the Cikasuan Incident (七腳川事件).

Immigration to the area started modestly in early 1910 (明治43年), with nine families recruited from Tokushima Prefecture (德島縣) on Japan’s Shikoku Island (四國), with another 52 following by the end of the same year. 

Taking into consideration how so many of the immigrants to the area hailed from Yoshinogawa City (吉野川市) in Tokushima, the village was officially renamed Yoshino Village (吉野村) in 1911 (明治44年) to better reflect the heritage of the new residents.

Rice fields in Yoshino

Rice fields in Yoshino

As mentioned above, the Yoshino area was already home to Hoklo, Hakka and Indigenous peoples, so when Yoshino Village became an official village, it was structured into three divisions, namely Miyamae (宮前), Shimizu (清水) and Kusawake (草分), with three tribal areas for the Amis people. Within these three divisions, the Japanese community and the local community were for the most part segregated, but surprisingly a sense of community partnership and shared success brought them all closer than anyone would have ever thought. 

Within a decade of the immigrant community project starting, Yoshino had become a model of success and the hard work of the immigrants and the locals alike transformed the village from a small settlement of sharecropping farms that endured endemic diseases and transformed the ‘wilderness’ into a model of economic success.

Quickly becoming an important centre for food production and economic activity, thanks to its success in the cultivation of rice, sugarcane, tobacco, vegetable and fruit production, the colonial government sought to use the ‘Yoshino model’ in official government propaganda that sought to create similar communities all over Taiwan.

But in order to do so, a considerable amount of public funds had to be invested in the village to ensure that it was equipped with hospitals, schools, civil buildings, shrines and public works projects. 

The “model immigrant community” project, which lasted from 1909 until around 1918 turned out to become a successful venture, but no where was it as successful as it was on the East Coast with Yoshino acting as the model for nearby villages like Toyota (豐田), Hayashida (林田), Yoshita (賀田), Kano (鹿野) and Ikegami (池上), among others. 

Link: Huadong Valley Ride 2018: Hualien City to Fenglin (Spectal Codex)

As the village continued to grow, administration become a major issue, so in 1937 (昭和12年), Yoshino Village was absorbed as a township within the much larger Karenko Prefecture (花蓮縣, which was better able to assert governmental control over its economic development.

If you read the introduction to this article, you’re probably aware of what I’m about to tell you. 

When the Second World War came to an end, the people living in Yoshino and all of the Japanese immigrant communities that dotted the eastern coast of Taiwan were forcibly repatriated back to Japan as the colonial government was making its exit. 

Yoshino Primary School

Yoshino Primary School

The tragedy of this story is that for the several generations of “Wansei” who were born here, and whom had never stepped foot in their ancestral homeland, they were leaving the only home they ever knew for one that was hostile to their existence.

Nevertheless, even though these villages were completely depopulated and abandoned by the Japanese, a housing crisis caused by the arrival of almost two million Chinese refugees a few short years later helped to revive these communities.

When the Chinese Nationalists took over, “Yoshino Village” ceased to exist, but Ji-an (吉安鄉) replaced it, and the farms and industry that were cultivated by the immigrants and local people over the thirty-eight years of its existence were brought back to life and continue to this day.

The few remaining Wansei continue to have fond memories of their homes here in Taiwan. 

And fortunately they have since been able to return to see their homeland as well as the friends they made while here.

Yoshino Shrine (吉野慶修院)

Ok, so it took a while to get here, but finally, the main subject of this article, the Yoshino Shingon Buddhist Temple (真言宗吉野布教所), better known today as Qingxiu Temple (慶修院). 

Often described as “Taiwan’s most well-preserved Buddhist Temple” (臺灣現存最完整的日式寺院), the recently restored shrine has become an extremely popular tourist attraction over the past few years.

I’d expect that Beitou’s Puji Temple (普濟寺) and Taipei’s Huguo Rinzai Temple (臨濟護國禪寺), and a few others around the country might beg to differ, with those bold claims above. 

Constructed as an overseas branch of Koyasan’s Kongobuji Temple (高野山金剛峰寺), the head branch of Japan’s Shingon Buddhism sect (真言宗), the “Yoshino Centre for the Dissemination of Shingon Buddhism” (真言宗吉野布教所) was established in 1917 (大正6年) to work hand-in-hand with the nearby Yoshino Shinto Shrine in serving the religious needs of the community. 

When the temple was first constructed however, it was forced to serve several different functions due to the lack of resources in the village at that time. Not only was it a Buddhist temple, it was also used as a medical facility, a funeral home and a school.

So not only was it helping the immigrants seek inner peace, it was also performing very practical functions as well.  

Fortunately, when the colonial era ended, the Chinese Nationalists uncharacteristically showed mercy and didn’t tear it down like they did the neighboring Shinto Shrine.

In 1948 (民國37年) the Main Hall of the shrine was converted into one that better suited the needs of Chinese Buddhists, with statues of Shakyamuni Buddha (釋迦牟尼佛) and Guanyin (觀音菩薩).

Although we’re fortunate that the temple wasn’t torn down, it did fall into a state of disrepair for quite some time and repairs were made in 1964 and again later in 1972, but were ultimately inadequate for dealing with the structural issues that required attention.

In 1997 (民國86年), the temple was recognized as a county-level historic property (縣定三級古蹟), which gave it a protected status and ensured that money would be allocated for its restoration.

Restoration started shortly after and after a long period of closure, the shrine re-opened to the public in 2003 with the entire grounds meticulously restored to how it would have appeared during the Japanese era. 

Today the Yoshino Shrine is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Hualien and for those Wansei who come back to visit Taiwan, it is surely a sight for sore eyes.

Below, I’ll go into more detail about each of the important parts of the shrine: 

Main Gate (山門)

The Main Gate of the shrine, literally the “Mountain Gate” (山門) is a traditional style gate that meets with the “tamagaki”, or the sacred wall that encircles the perimeter of the complex.

The gate is so beautiful that you’ll probably have to line up to get photos in front of it. 

The gate is arguably one of the most authentic Japanese-style gates in Taiwan and its design is characterized by its simplicity. Above the gate you’ll find a Japanese style eaved roof with a plaque in the middle that reads “Qingxiu Temple” (慶修院).

Hung below that you’ll find a “shimenawa” (標縄), otherwise known as a “sacred rope” decorated with braided paper streamers named “shide” (紙垂). 

Depending on the time of the year that you’ll visit you’ll likely also find two large paper lanterns with the name of the shrine on them. You might also find a purple banner (門幕) hanging in the middle which displays two important icons that identify the temple. 

Main Hall (正殿佛堂)

From top to bottom, the century-old Main Hall of the Yoshino Shrine is quite unique in Taiwan with regard to its architectural design.

The single room building is constructed almost entirely of wood and features a beautiful double-layered roof, held up thanks to the genius of Japanese architectural design.

From the outside, the building is elevated off the ground with a ‘hisashi’ (廂) veranda that reaches around the sides of the building in the shape of a “U”,  and likewise has beautiful windows on the same three sides, allowing for beautiful natural light to enter the building.

The interior of the building is measured by Japanese standards and is three ‘ken’ (間) wide and four ‘ken’ in length (面寬3間、進深4間), which translates to a space of around 39.96 square meters.

As you’d expect with a Buddhist temple like this, the interior is decorated quite simply with tatami mats on the floor and shrines against the back wall. While inside, there really isn’t that much to see, but thats the point of a temple like this, as it is supposed to be a simple space where you’re able to relax and free your mind.

Having a bunch of things to focus on doesn’t really help with that.

The roof of the building is probably one of the most unique aspects of its architectural design as it features the typical Japanese style ‘hip-and-gable’ roof that you’ll find on other Japanese style buildings, but in this case we have a double-layered, four-sided roof. 

In temples constructed in this specific hip-and-gable style known as irimoya-zukuri (入母屋造), the ‘gabled’ part of the roof (the upper layer) covers the ‘moya’ (母屋), or the interior of the building, while the ‘hipped’ part (the lower portion), covers the veranda and protrudes further beyond on each of the four sides.  

While the ‘hisashi’ veranda appears functional, its main purpose is actually to help reinforce the roof with an extra row of pillars, distributing its weight more evenly and also preventing the roof from caving in during an earthquake or a typhoon.  

In most cases, these Japanese-era temples in Taiwan put a lot of emphasis on the design on the front facade of the building, but the sides and the rear rarely ever receive the same amount of attention, which is what makes this one special.

Even though the roof only appears to be double-layered, its all part of the three dimensional design that Japanese architecture has mastered. 

Originally, the main deity in enshrined within the Main Hall was “Acala”, however when the Chinese Nationalists took control of Taiwan, it was replaced with figures more representative of Chinese Buddhism. Now that the shrine has been restored, we can see a shrine set up to the founder of Shingon Buddhism, Kobo Daishi (弘法大師) or Kukai (空海).

Links: Kobo Daishi (Wikipedia) | Kukai Kobo Daishi (Japan Visitor)

You might be wondering why the original shrine to Acala wasn’t put back in place when the shrine was restored. That’s actually an easy answer - Acala is a popular Buddhist figure in Japan, and other parts of Asia, but here in Taiwan is lesser known. 

(I’ll talk about Acala a bit more later)

Kobo Daishi however is someone that most people are aware of, so placing the founder of the sect in the main shrine seems like a pretty good compromise. 

One of the interesting things about this temple are the curtain/banners (御神幕) hanging at the front door. In Taiwan, when you arrive at a shrine, you can typically tell who is inside by the plaque that is placed above the door and the name of the temple.

Japanese places of worship however are quite different and knowing who you’ll find inside can be a little difficult for the uninitiated.

In this case we have two different emblems on the door, which have a very important meaning with regard to this temple, but is something that is generally missed by almost everyone who visits. 

In Japan, these banners are generally always white, unless it is a special occasion when they’re changed to purple. A white curtain here in Taiwan though is something that would scare people away (funeral-related) and would be bad for business. So let’s just say that everyday is a special occasion here in Taiwan and we use purple year-round!

On the left you’ll find the “Kirimon” while on the right you’ll find the “Hidari Gomon”, but what do they mean and why are they there? 

The Koyasan Shingon sect of Buddhism uses the Hidari Gomon (三つ巴) on banners that identify its temples. The Japanese for the symbol translates literally as “Three Commas”, and the design is likened to the mythic three-legged crow Yatagarasu  (八咫烏).

In this case, the “tomoe” (鞆絵/巴) is similar in design to the Chinese “Taijitu” (太極圖), and is used as a visual representation of the Buddhist concept of the “cycle of life.” 

Note: The Hidari Gomon just so happens to also be the same emblem used to symbolize Okinawa (沖繩) and is featured predominately at shrines like the Futenma Shrine (普天滿宮) and Naminoue Shinto Shrine (波上宮), and you would have seen it at Shuri Castle (首里城) before it tragically burnt to the ground. 

The Kirimon (桐紋) is a symbol that the Shingon sect uses to identify Kobo Daishi, the founder of the sect and one of their most prolific figures. Like the emblem above, it also features predominately in Japan as a variation is used to represent the Governmental Seal of Japan (日本內閣總理大臣), known as the “Go-shichi no kiri” or the 5-7 Paulownia (五七桐), while the one used here is the “Go-san no kiri” or the 5-3 Paulownia (五三桐). The only difference between them the variation on the number of petals featured on each of the emblems. 

Acala

To the right of the Main Hall you’ll find a one meter tall stone statue of Acala (不動明王), who is the deity who was previously enshrined at the temple prior to the Chinese Nationalists arrival in Taiwan.

Acala, who is also known as “Fudo Myoo” or the “Immovable Lord” is a wrathful deity who often appears demon-like in his iconography, but is known as the ‘Protector of the Dharma’ and is one of the most important figures in Shingon Buddhism, apart from the founder.

Link: Acala (Wikipedia)

Don’t let the fact that Acala appears somewhat frightening fool you, his purpose is to use his power to help spread wisdom and compassion and only appears that way in order to better combat evil forces!  

Before I move on, I think it’s important to take a minute to talk about the restoration process of the Main Hall, which today is slightly different than it appeared several decades ago, as well as when it was originally constructed.

In the years after the colonial era, the main hall was expanded upon to include rooms to the side, which ultimately changed the shape of the building, and required an alteration to the roof. 

When the building was restored, these additions were removed and the building was (for the most part) restored to its original design. However the back side of the building has been reinforced with modern construction materials in order to secure it from the constant threat of earthquakes that occur so frequently on the East Coast.

The changes to the building aren’t all that noticeable, but have been done in a way that ensures that we’ll be able to enjoy this one for many years to come. 

The Hyakudoishi Stone (百度石)

The one meter tall ‘Hyakudoishi Stone’ stands directly in front of the Main Hall and is part of a Japanese tradition that acts as a location marker for the temple. 

According to tradition, if you’ve visited the temple and prayed for something, you should walk back and forth from the Main Hall and the stone a hundred times in order to show your devotion.

Likewise, if that wish comes true, you should return and complete the same task a thousand times to show your appreciation. 

The Mantra of Light Stone (光明真言百萬遍石碑)

The Mantra of Light Stone is an important part of this shrine and is something that you will generally find at almost every Shingon Buddhist Temple.

The stone is a tool used in Buddhist practice that requires practitioners to chant: “Namu Daishi Henjo Kongo” (南無大師遍照金剛) at least 108 times if they want a wish to come true.

For hardcore practitioners of Shingon, the mantra needs to be chanted at least a million times in their lifetime. 

This specific stone however is thought to have special healing powers and according to local legend, chronic illnesses could be cured by carrying out the ritual mentioned above.

This could very well have originated due to the fact that the shrine was once home to a medical clinic that served the medical needs of the local community.

Nevertheless, the stone has been an important part of the shrine for more than a century, so its continued existence is quite important.  

You’ll probably have noticed from both of these stones that a lot of exercise is required! 

Eighty-Eight Stone Buddha Statues (88尊石佛) 

Located against the southern and western walls of the temple, you’ll find a beautiful display of eighty-eight Buddha statues, which has been wonderfully restored. The number ‘eight’ is a special one in Buddhism and in this case the number “88” in this case represents the various types of Anxiety (煩惱) and Willpower (願力), that are a part of of Kobo Daishi’s teachings.

As mentioned above, this temple is a branch of the Koysan temple back in Japan, but when the immigrants first started arriving in Taiwan, many of them got sick and life was hard.

In order to improve these conditions, some went back to Japan and completed the iconic Shikoku Pilgrimage (四國遍路), which takes more than a month and requires visiting the 88 temples associated with Kobo Daishi on Shikoku Island.

Upon completion of the 1200 kilometer pilgrimage, they brought back with them these 88 statues, each of which from a specific temple, to help the people of Yoshino have a better life. 

Each of the statues features a number, a prayer and the name of the temple where it hails from.

Apart from the Main Hall itself, this is probably the most popular part of the temple and you’ll often find people paying close attention to each of the Buddha’s and the name of the temple they hail from.

You’ll also find quite a few people writing wishes on traditional wooden plaques named ema (絵馬), which are hung nearby and are received by the eighty-eight Buddhas.

Yoshino Shinto Shrine (吉野神社)

When immigrants from Japan started to arrive in Yoshino Village around 1910 (明治43年), most of the basics had already been set up for them, but one of the things that was missing was a Shinto Shrine to take care of their religious needs. 

At that time, not even the Hualien Shinto Shrine (花蓮港神社) had been constructed, so in order to help out, the Governors General Office in the capital purchased a plot of land from the local Makutaay Tribe (瑪谷達璦部落) to construct one. 

Even though Yoshino Village had already been established, the government had to purchase a separate plot of land from the local indigenous people due to the fact that according to Shinto Tradition, larger shrines are generally constructed outside of residential areas in order to maintain the sanctity of the sacred space housed within. 

Link: Architecture and Sacred Spaces in Shinto (UC Berkeley) 

Construction on the Yoshino Shinto Shrine started in January of 1912 (明治45年) and was surprisingly (and extremely efficiently) completed a few months later on May 30th as a branch shrine of the Taiwan Shinto Shrine (台灣神宮 / たいわんじんぐう) in Taipei. 

Note: The Taiwan Shinto Shrine was constructed on the side of Jiantan Mountain where the Yuanshan Grand Hotel (圓山大飯店) is currently located. 

The interesting thing about the Yoshino Shrine is that even though it was never meant to be a Prefectural Level-sized shrine, it was still a large one by the standards of that time and was considered to be one of the ‘three most important shrines on the east coast’ (東台灣三大神社) along with the Hualien Prefectural Shrine and the Taitung Prefectural Shrine (台東神社).

Although information about the overall design of the shrine is limited, from the historic photos it would seem that the shrine consisted of the following: 

  1. A large gate or “torii” (鳥居)

  2. A walking path or “sando” (參道)

  3. Stone Lanterns or “toro” (石燈籠)

  4. An Administration Office or “shamusho” (社務所)

  5. A Purification Fountain or “chozuya” (手水舍)

  6. Stone Guardians or “komainu” (狛犬)

  7. A Hall of Worship or “haiden” (拜殿)

  8. A Main Hall or “honden” (本殿)

Considering the fact that the shrine was a branch of the Taiwan Shinto Shrine, and as was the case with most of Taiwan’s other shrines, the kami enshrined within were all familiar figures which included the Three Deities of Cultivation and Prince Kitashirakawa Yoshihisa.

Unfortunately it’s unclear as to when the Yoshino Shrine was torn down, but when the colonial era ended, the land was used for the construction of military villages, so it is safe to assume that the shrine disappeared in the late 1940s as Hualien was an important location for the Air Force.  

The Military Villages (眷村) constructed on the land where the shrine was located were only ever meant to be temporary lodgings for members of the armed forces, however when it became clear that the ROC wasn’t going to be able to “Retake the Mainland” as they hoped, families eventually started to disperse in order to live a more comfortable life. 

The Military Villages where the shrine was located have since been torn down and part of the land is currently used as a Hakka Cultural Park (吉安好客藝術村).

Even though the park is an arts centre for the local Hakka people, the buildings constructed on site pay homage to the former shrine and attempts have been made to showcase the original landscape design of the former shrine. 

Today all that remains of the original shrine are some memorial stones, ruined lanterns and a reconstruction of the purification fountain.

Still, the area is quite beautiful and the Hakka culture centre is well worth a visit. Likewise, the downtown area of Jian is nice for a walk as you’ll find quite a few houses and buildings left over from the colonial era.

Getting There 

 

Ji-an village is conveniently located just outside of the Hualien city, but with that being said, Hualien is quite large and there is a considerably distance between the city and Ji-an.

Likewise the two shrines aren’t all that close, so getting there could either be quite simple, or a bit tedious depending on your means of transportation.

If you’ve got a car or a scooter, there shouldn’t be much of an issue, especially if you’re travelling from Hualien city, which is a rather straight-forward route.

Simply input one of the addresses (or GPS coordinates) provided below into your GPS or Google Maps and you won’t have any problem. 

Ji-An Qingxiu Temple 

Address: #345-1, Zhongxing Road, Ji’an Township, Hualien County (花蓮縣吉安鄉中興路345-1號) 

GPS: 121.56474, 23.97370

Hours: Tuesday - Sunday, 8:30am - 5:00pm 

Admission: Adult: 30NT, Children/Senior: 15NT, Group: 20NT

Yoshino Shinto Shrine

Address: #477 Zhongshan Road, Sec 3, Ji’an Township, Hualien County (花蓮縣吉安鄉中山路三段477號)

GPS: 121.567120, 23.979840

Hours: Tuesday - Sunday, 9:00am - 4:00pm

Admission: Free of Charge. 

If on the other hand you’re relying on public transportation, getting there becomes a little more tedious, but shouldn’t really pose much of a problem for most travellers.

  • Train

You can take a Local Train (區間車) headed south from Hualien Station and once you’ve arrived at Ji-an Station (吉安車站), from there you can either grab a taxi or simply walk to the shrine, which is about two kilometres away. The route to the shrine isn’t that confusing, so if you walk, you probably won’t get lost. 

  • Bus

From Hualien Train Station you have to option of taking two different buses. Hualien Bus (花蓮客運) #1131 or Taiwan Tourist Shuttle (台灣好行) #303. 

  1. Hualien Bus (花蓮客運) #1131 - From Hualien Station -> Ji’an Township Office (吉安鄉公所)

  2. Taiwan Tourist Shuttle (台灣好行) #303 - From Hualien Station directly to the shrine.

While the second option might seem to be the most convenient, I’d caution that the bus doesn’t come all that often, so if you’re hoping to get on this one, I recommend making sure when the bus leaves from Hualien and heads back, so that you don’t end up missing it. 

The other bus may require a short walk from the Ji-an Township Office, but it is a considerably shorter walk than the walk from the train station, which should save some time as it comes much more frequently and is more reliable.  

To tell the truth, when I started writing this article, I figured I could write a simple introduction to the Yoshino Buddhist Temple and then quickly move on to write about some of the other places I visited during my several-week long trip to the East Coast.

Unfortunately the rabbit hole I fell down while researching this one was so deep that I ended up churning out this long-winded deep dive into the interesting history of Yoshino Village.

For that I apologize. 

Nevertheless, this is a topic that isn’t covered very well in the English language, so I hope that if you’ve read this far, that you’ve been able to learn about this important piece of Taiwanese history, and that it has sparked an interest to keep learning about it like I do.