If you google , "places to visit in Taiwan, top must visit places to see in Taiwan" or you just asked your friends , Jiufen usually pops up on that list , there is a reason why it does . Jiufen is more than just a picturesque hillside town; it is a living museum of Taiwan's history , which include stories of japan and Taiwan's gold-mining era. History of Taiwan under different rules and the unique types of Taiwan traditional snacks that are available. One of my american friend invited a group of foreigners and some Taiwanese to take a trip to Jiufen. On our recent Saturday trip, we dove into its history, explored its beautiful old street , and capped it off with a sunset hike that offered one of the best views in northern Taiwan.
Jiufen Old Street
Walking through the bustling Jiufen Old Street Click to open side panel for more information , you might wonder how this mountain village got its unique name. "Jiufen" (九份) literally translates to "nine portions." Long before the gold rush of the 1890s, only nine families lived in this remote area. Because transport was so difficult, every time shipments of supplies arrived, they would always request "nine portions," one for each household. The name stuck, even as the village transformed into the "Gold Capital of Asia" during the Japanese colonial era. if you are interested in checking out the history of the town and look at real tools used during that era you can visit the museum there . click the link here. https://jioufen-goldore-museum.mystrikingly.com/
Train
From Songshan , Taipei ,Banqiao Station to Ruifang Station (then bus/taxi).
At Ruifang- Local Bus/Taxi: From Ruifang Station, take Bus 788, 827, or 1062
Bus 1062 from Zhongxiao Fuxing MRT
Instagram worthy views in Jiufen
In Taiwan, the term Old Street (pronounced Lǎo Jiē in Mandarin) refers to more than just a street that is "old." It is a specific cultural and architectural designation for a neighborhood that has preserved its historical look and feel, usually from the era before Taiwan's rapid modernization. Each old street looks and feels different so they all like stepping into different periods of Taiwan's history .As you come to learn Taiwan was rules by many different empires and countries and these aesthetics are preserved in different old streets , they show case how that era of Taiwan looked like. As a foreigner coming from another culture we might only see what is on the surface of a country like Taiwan . We recommend visiting each different old street and observing the differences between each and how they shape the country of Taiwan today.
Jiufen is a stunning mountain town that feels like a trip back in time. On our recent Saturday adventure, we explored everything from its cinematic history to its legendary sunset views.
You noticed the "Spirited Away" vibe in Jiufen, and that is directly tied to the town's Japanese history. Every since the famous movie spirit away came out , jiufen has been inexplicably linked to this film because of the aesthetic , just stolling through there on any day you would hear many Japanese tourist chatting and shops selling merchandise linked to spirited away. It has become a must see for many Japanese tourist so when they come to visit Taiwan they often want to travel there. While the movie creator Hayao Miyazaki said he didn't specifically re fence Jiufen , it didn't stop many from using it's likeness to promote the location. check out this side by side comparison of movie scenes and places in jiufen . https://www.tofugu.com/travel/jiufen-spirited-away/
The Mining Boom (1890s–1945): Jiufen was a sleepy village until gold was discovered. The Japanese government and mining companies built the infrastructure you see today—the stone stairs, the wooden houses, and the Shengping Theater.
Japanese Aesthetics: The reason Jiufen feels so different from other parts of Taipei is the Japanese-style architecture. The use of dark wood, sliding doors, and the vertical "staircase" layout of the town was heavily influenced by the Japanese managers who lived there during the gold rush.
The "Old" in Old Street: While the "nine families" (Jiufen) were originally Han Chinese settlers, the physical Old Street you walked through is essentially a time capsule of the 1930s, a time when Taiwan was a Japanese colony.
We made sure to visit the Shengping Theater, a landmark established in 1934. It was the very first cinema in northern Taiwan and served as a vital entertainment hub for thousands of gold miners during the peak of the mining boom. Walking past it feels like a glimpse into the 1930's social scene of Taiwan.
Walking through the narrow, crowded alleys lined with glowing red lanterns is an experience like no other. It is like a labyrinth of walls and twist and turns and it's worth visiting for the aesthetic beauty of the place. Bring a camera and take many beautiful camera shots as possible.
A-Mei Teahouse: This iconic building, with its intricate wooden architecture, is famously rumored to be the inspiration for the bathhouse in Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away.
The Vibe: Even though it gets busy on a Saturday, the atmosphere of the old street—as seen in our photos—is pure magic.
To escape the crowds and get a better perspective, we climbed the Mount Keelung Trail. To truly appreciate the view from the top we recommend climbing just around 4- 6 pm to get a great sunset view and another view of the lights at jiufen. The trail is a thigh binder as it is a almost 90 degree vertical inline so take you time and watch you steps.
Tidbit: Keelung mountain is one of the many recognize Xiaobaiyue mountains. History of (小百岳) In an effort to promote national mountaineering in 1992, the Sports Committee of the Executive Yuan identified 100 distinctive or representative “suburban mountains” within the mountainous areas in the suburbs of Taiwan’s major counties and cities. These came to represent entry-level hikes for the more advanced “Bai Yue” / 百岳 or 100 Mountains of Taiwan. As a result, they were aptly named the “Xiao Bai Yue” / 小百岳 meaning the small 100 mountains of Taiwan. As would be expected, Xiao Bai Yue are mostly located in suburbs and are also not high in elevation and the peaks are mostly easy to climb.
The Hike: It’s a 1.2km stone-step trail that is quite steep, but the 360-degree panorama at the summit is unparalleled.
The View: From the top, you can see the sparkling lights of Jiufen, the rugged Keelung coastline, and even the Taipei skyline in the distance.
The Sunset: Catching the sun dip below the clouds through the silver grass (pictured above) was the absolute highlight of our trip.
If you enjoyed Jiufen, here are three others that show different "layers" of Taiwan's history:
Dihua Street (Taipei): The oldest street in Taipei, famous for traditional medicine and "Baroque" facades.
Sanxia Old Street: Famous for its beautiful red-brick arches and "bull horn" bread.
Lukang Old Street: Located in central Taiwan, this one is much older and reflects pure Qing Dynasty Chinese style (very narrow "breast-touching" alleys!).
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