新竹

Battleship Rock (秀巒軍艦岩)

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Over the years I’ve published quite a few articles about the mountains and hiking trails that encircle Taipei City - Starting with popular hikes like Elephant Mountain (象山) and the rest of the so-called Four Beasts (四獸山), I’ve also covered trails such as Fuzhou Mountain (福州山), Qixing Mountain (七星山), Jiantan Mountain (劍潭山), Jinmian Mountain (金面山) and Guanyin Mountain (觀音山). I’ve even published a guide that provides a comprehensive list of the best mountains and vistas in the city where you can take awesome photos of the city in my Taipei Cityscapes Guide.

With so many articles dedicated to the mountains that surround the capital of this great nation, some readers have asked why I’ve yet to publish anything about the popular ‘Battleship Rock’ (軍艦岩) hike in the city’s Beitou District (北投區) - Well, I’m here today to finally answer that question.

However, you may find yourself a little disappointed.

The ‘Battleship Rock’ I’m going to introduce today isn’t the popular hike in Taipei, but another tourist destination that shares the same name deep in the mountains of Hsinchu. Suffice to say, you won’t be getting instructions on how to hike the popular Taipei mountain this time round, but hey, you get to learn about and (possibly) enjoy photos of an entirely different ‘Battleship’ that rarely gets much attention.

The Battleship Rock I’m introducing this time is a lesser known, yet beautiful tourist stop high up the mountains of Hsinchu County’s Jianshih Village (尖石鄉). Instead of a beautiful cityscape, this location features a couple of beautiful suspension bridges, the confluence of two large rivers, wild hot springs, maple trees and a much larger ‘battleship' than the one in Taipei. However, while all of that might sound great, the biggest difference between this ‘Battleship’ and the one in Taipei is accessibility.

The hike in Taipei is one that is easily reachable via the city’s excellent public transportation network while this one is likely out of reach for most tourists. Nevertheless, even though Hsinchu’s Battleship Rock is more difficult to reach, if you are lucky enough to visit, likely on your way to Qalang Smangus (司馬庫斯部落), Cinsbu (鎮西堡) or the Syaroko Historic Trail (霞喀羅古道), you’re in for a treat.

As a travel-related article, I won’t be overloading you with information this time - I’m just going to spend some time introducing some of the cool things that you’ll see if you ever have a chance to visit the area. And hopefully the photos I share today might entice you to want to take some time to visit the area for a weekend, especially if Smangus is your final destination!

For those of you who landed here hoping to read about Taipei’s Battleship Rock, I hope I didn’t mislead you. I’ll eventually publish something about that hike - It’s on my list of places to write about, I just haven’t gotten to it yet, and these days I prefer to write about destinations that are off of the typical tourist’s radar.

Btunux Tukang (秀巒軍艦岩)

To introduce Hsinchu’s Battleship Rock, most writers would probably start with some scientific information about the geologic process that took place to form this beautiful rock. However, I feel like it’s a better idea to start out with an explanation of its name and the people who have lived in its midst for hundreds (if not thousands) of years.

Translated literally from Chinese as ‘Battleship Rock’ (軍艦岩 / jūn jiàn yán), it is known as ‘Btunux Tukang’ in the Tayal Indigenous language (泰雅語). Located a short distance from the rock, you’ll find the ‘Hbun-Tunan’ (控溪部落) tribe of Taiwan’s Tayal Indigenous People (泰雅族), whose ancestors settled along the river around four hundred years ago.

In the Chinese language, the tribe’s name is literally translated into English as the ‘River Control Tribe’ (控溪部落), a name which was given to them by the Japanese, and is something that might lead one to believe that they somehow nefariously controlled access to the mountains and river. However, in the Tayal language, ‘Hbun-Tunan’ instead refers to the geographic location where the two rivers intersected, and the traditional marketplace of goods that the tribe became known for.

Making their home in the river valley close to where Battleship Rock is located was geographically significant as the tribe played an important role within greater Tayal society for quite some time as the tribe was strategically located along the historic hunting trails used by the Indigenous people to traverse the mountains.

Crossing the river in front of Battleship Rock.

Acting as somewhat of a middle-man between the various tribes on either side of the river, the Hbun-Tunan, who are more commonly known these days as the Xiuluan Tribe (秀巒部落), created a marketplace that allowed the various tribes in the mountains to transport fruit, vegetables, meat and other commodities for trade.

That being said, the river valley was not only a strategic place to live, it was also filled with abundance as the river and the mountains provided the tribe with more than enough sustenance to get by on, and today that marketplace continues to thrive as Xiuluan Village (秀巒村) is the largest producer of peaches and pears in Taiwan.

Living in the midst of the giant rock, at some point, the Hbun-Tunan started referring to it as ‘Btunux Tukang’, which is likely pretty difficult for most native English speakers to even try pronouncing. Nevertheless, as the story goes, it was likely a name that was influenced by missionaries living in the area, because to the indigenous people, it was simply just a big rock. Thus, in Tayal, ‘Btunux’ is the equivalent of ‘rock’ (石頭) and ‘Tukang’ would have been a relatively new word to them that translated as ‘warship’ (軍艦).

Sadly, I spent quite a while trying to figure out the meaning of the name, consulting several Tayal scholars, who also thought it was funny.

The point where the confluence of rivers takes place.

Situated at the confluence where the Baishi / Sakyaking River (白石溪 / 薩克亞金溪) and Taigang / Takejin River (泰崗溪 / 塔克金溪) meet to form the Yufeng / Maliguang River (玉峰溪 / 馬里光溪), Battleship rock is said to resemble the bow of a giant warship. However, when it comes to (almost all of) Taiwan’s popular rock formation tourist destinations, my imagination tends not to be as wild as others. In this case though, I suppose you could argue that the sharp triangular shape of the rock cutting into the river actually does create the effect of a boat speeding its way through the water.

Admittedly, I’m not as knowledgeable about Taiwan’s river systems as others, but I was surprised to learn that two rivers that can see joining together here, eventually join with the greater Dahan / Takoham River (大漢溪 / 大嵙崁溪), which flows into Taoyuan, and is part of the river system controlled by the Shimen Reservoir (石門水庫).

Writing previously about the Youling Waterfalls (幽靈瀑布), Xiao Wulai Waterfall / Rahu-Ulay (小烏來瀑布) and other points of interest along the river, I was actually unaware that they were all part of the same tributary.

Note: For each of the location names above, I’ve included the name more commonly used on maps today as well as their original Tayal names for a bit of clarity.

Layers on the battleship.

Looking at Battleship Rock from a distance, you’re likely to notice the various layers in the rock, telling the story of its long history. Dating back to the collision of tectonic plates that allowed the land mass we known as Taiwan to emerge from the Pacific Ocean, the stripes in the rock are primarily comprised of silt, shale and white sandstone, each of which consists of a different shade.

Unfortunately, there is very little written about the area, and very few resources about provide any concrete estimation of how tall the rock is, but I’d estimate its anywhere between twenty to thirty meters tall.

Fortunately, for anyone visiting today, the local government constructed a sixty meter long Battleship Rock Suspension Bridge (軍艦岩吊橋) in 2015 (民國104年), just over where the two rivers meet up.

The suspension bridge not only allows visitors to get a view of the rock from vantage points above the river, but also provides with the opportunity to cross to the other side to make your way down to the river bank where there are even closer views.

Likewise, just above the Baishi River, you’ll find the Kongxi Suspension Bridge (控溪吊橋), which was originally constructed during the Japanese-era, and then later rebuilt in 1985 (民國74年). In this case, the bridge allow visitors to enjoy the maple trees that grow on this side of the mountain during the late fall and winter months in addition to allowing visitors to make their way to the Taigang Wild Hotsprings (泰崗野溪溫泉) where you can dip your feet in the water.

Maples on the mountain across the river.

That being said, it’s important to remind readers that (as I mentioned earlier) the Hbun-Tunan tribe sat at the crossroads of the so-called ‘ancient’ network of Tayal trails that allowed the various tribes to connect with each other - so when the Japanese arrived in Taiwan in 1895, these routes were thought to pose a risk to their control. The early years of the colonial era saw a heavy handed approach to suppressing any opposition to Japanese rule, and given the tribe’s strategic geographic location, the military converted the ancient trails into police patrol roads which were equipped with artillery batteries and police stations in remote mountain areas.

While attempting to control the movements of the Indigenous people, a number of violent massacres took place leaving a legacy of violence that pushed the indigenous people further into the mountains and completely changed their traditional way of life.

Today, if you cross the Kongxi Suspension Bridge and continue hiking several kilometers up the mountain, you can find the ruins of some of those historic outposts, which were spread throughout the mountains, especially along the Syakoro Historic Trail (霞喀羅古道), where some of them have recently been restored.

Note: During the same visit to the area, I hiked part of the Syakaro Historic Trail, but it was more of a volunteer experience that didn’t allow me to hike the entire trail, so I missed out on the parts of the hike that I was most interested in. Eventually I’ll hike the entire length of the trail and write a blog about it, but until then I recommend you check out Anusha Lee’s article about the trail

Syakaro Historic Trail: A Hike with History, Suspension Bridges and Fall Foliage (Taiwan Hikes)

Crossing over onto maple mountain.

Somewhat ironically, despite the area being referred to as Battleship Rock, the maple trees growing on the mountain on the other side of the Kongxi Suspension Bridge have become the star attraction in recent years. During the months when the trees are changing colors, you’ll find the parking lot full of shuttle vans bringing tourists up and down the mountains.

While the Battleship Rock area isn’t the best spot for maple viewing in Jianshih Village, it’s probably the easiest for most people to get to, making it a popular spot for weekend day-trippers. Coming from Canada, it’s difficult to impress me when it comes to maple trees, but after years of not seeing the leaves change colors back at home in the autumn, it was nice to see Taiwan’s mountains changing colors, especially in this area with the combination of the rivers and the mountains.

With that in mind, the best time to visit the area is in the autumn between October and January, but you’ll want to remember that the maples change colors at different times than they do in North America, so you should consider going a bit later in the year to see them, or simply check the recent photos from the area on Instagram to see if its a good time to visit or not.

Visiting the Battleship Rock area probably won’t require a whole lot of time, but if you plan on hiking the trail to see some of the ruins, or soaking your feet in the wild hot spring, you might want to schedule a bit more time to enjoy yourself. Either way, the parking lot next to the bridge is 100NT per visit for a car, and 30NT for scooters. Everything else is free, unless of course you decide to buy some delicious indigenous snacks from the vendors across the street.

Getting There

 

Address: Xiuluan Village, Jianshih Village, Hsinchu (新竹縣尖石鄉秀巒村)

GPS: 24.633680, 121.279510

As mentioned earlier, the biggest difference between Taipei’s Battleship Rock and Hsinchu’s Battleship Rock is accessibility. The hike in Taipei is pretty easy to get to, but this one is considerably more difficult.

Part of the problem, at least for most international tourists, is that there is no method of public transportation that will take you anywhere near the area. So, if you’re interested in visiting, your only option is to go by car or scooter, or arrange for a shuttle bus to get you there.

That being said, if you’re driving a car or a scooter, I recommend inputting the address or coordinates provided above into a GPS system to map out your route. Depending on where you’re coming from, you’ll want to get off of Highway #3 at the Zhulin Interchange (竹林交流道) and make your way towards Neiwan (內灣) on the #120 County Highway. Passing Neiwan, you’ll continue on towards Jianshih on the #60 rural road pretty much until you arrive.

As one of the stops along the road towards Smangus or the Syaroko Historic Trail, if you’ve planned a trip to either location, Battleship Rock is one of the must-stops along the road. Not only will you get a break from sitting in the shuttle bus, but you’ll also enjoy the opportunity to get a sneak peek of some of the amazing natural beauty that you’re going to experience on your trip. On the other hand, if you’re just enjoying a day-trip through the area, it makes an excellent place to stop, hike a bit and then turn back on your way home. Whatever your itinerary, a visit to Hsinchu’s Battleship Rock is a rewarding experience

References

  1. 秀巒軍艦岩步道 (健行筆記)

  2. 漫步新竹尖石「秀巒軍艦岩」、「軍艦岩吊橋」壯闊美景 (Jamie慢森活)

  3. 新竹景點 尖石鄉/秀巒軍艦岩/軍艦岩吊橋/大自然之旅一日遊/陡峭岩壁超壯觀! | 綠歐樂生活 (綠歐樂生活)

  4. 新竹尖石二日遊 玉峰村部落住一晚，沿途遼闊山巒陵線，凝聽老鷹溪步道溪流 (微笑台灣)

  5. 秀巒 Hbun-Tunan (霞喀羅國家步道)

  6. 控溪部落 Hbun-tunan (Taiwan Indigenous People’s Portal)

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Abandoned Tea Factory

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When foreign streaming services started arriving in Taiwan, a battle started over access to local content, which could be added to their extensive libraries of movies and television shows. With Netflix and Disney+ being the most popular choices for most consumers in Taiwan, both companies sought to add as much Taiwan-made content as they could, while also investing in producing new content as well.

Suffice to say, this resulted in a considerable amount of freshly-made content, which was afforded the financial backing and support of these massive media companies, and more importantly, higher quality production values, which has been a recipe for success. Television shows like Light the Night (華燈初上), Seqalu (斯卡羅) and Detention (返校) are just a few examples of the recent success that the addition of streaming services have helped bring to Taiwan, allowing the country to tell its own stories on an international level.

Link: 別再說韓劇比較好看！10大必看神作開啟台劇新高度，道盡職場辛酸血淚 (風博媒)

One of the other recent additions was the series Gold Leaf (茶金), lauded as the first-ever television show that was filmed entirely in Hoiluk (海陸腔), the most commonly spoken dialect of the Hakka language spoken in Taiwan. A co-production from the Taiwanese government’s Hakka Affairs Council (客家委員會) and the Public Television Service Foundation (公共電視), the twelve-part series focused on the family of entrepreneur Chiang A-hsin (姜阿新), who hailed from the predominately Hakka village of Beipu (北浦鎮) in Hsinchu.

Link: Hakka period drama ‘Gold Leaf’ to air in November (Hakka Affairs Council)

Telling the story of the family’s struggle to stay in business as the Japanese left Taiwan and the Chinese Nationalists took over, the series (is said to have) done an excellent job helping people learn about the booming tea trade during the 1950s, and it’s popularity got domestic tourists to visit places like Beipu Old Street (北浦老街) and the Daxi Tea Factory (大溪老茶產) to experience that history firsthand.

I have to admit though, I haven’t actually watched it..

The family of tea tycoons depicted in the television show, however, is very closely connected to the subject of today’s article, which will tell the story of an abandoned tea factory in the hills of Hsinchu. Having visited the abandoned factory on a few occasions prior to the television show coming out, I had never really made the connection between the two until I started doing a bit of research into the old building.

My personal interest in the tea factory came after my first of many visits to the recently restored Daxi Tea Factory. As I was looking for information about other Japanese-era tea factories around the country, once I found it, I visited a couple of times to get photos.

This however is where I have to add my usual disclaimer regarding my articles on Urban Exploration - In this article, I’ll provide historic information about the tea factory - I’ll even provide it’s name - What I won’t do though is provide readers with any of the other particulars, so if you find yourself so interested that you’d like to check it out on your for yourself, it shouldn’t take very long to figure out where it is.

Before I get into any details about the abandoned tea factory, it’s probably a good idea to start out by introducing talk about the man (and the family), of tea tycoons who owned it - and several others throughout the mountains of Hsinchu - and for whom the television show mentioned above is dedicated.

Chiang A-hsin (姜阿新)

The life of Chiang A-hsin was a long and eventful one, and given that there has been quite a bit recorded about the rise and fall of his family’s tea empire over the years, I’ll try to keep this a brief introduction.

Born in 1901 (明治34年), in what is now Baoshan Village (寶山鄉) in Hsinchu, Chiang A-hsin was adopted as a child by Chiang Qing-han (姜清漢), who was heir to the Beipu Chiang family, and who was described as ‘barren’ or unable to have children of his own.

Little seems to be written on the subject in English, but in Taiwan, it was common (for a variety of reasons) for well-off families to adopt children from families who would otherwise have trouble raising the child on their own. In this case, it was because the Chiang family required a male heir to carry on the family name, but in other cases it could be that the family required a daughter to marry to one of their sons, or for purposes of indentured servitude, etc.

Nevertheless, Chiang A-hsin was adopted and groomed to become the heir of the wealthy Beipu family, who struck it rich during the Qing Dynasty with their Jinguangfu Land Reclamation Company (金廣福墾號). Starting his education at the Beipu Public School (北浦公校), he then moved on to the prestigious Taihoku Kokugo Gakko (臺灣總督府國語學校 / たいわんそうとくふこくごがっこう) at the age of fourteen.

Shortly after his graduation from the college, he traveled to the Japanese mainland, and spent a year reading law at Meiji University (京明治大學) in Tokyo. However, do to pressing family matters back at home, he didn’t end up finishing his degree and instead returned to Taiwan to help out.

Over the next several years, Chiang attempted to invest in or start his own business on several occasions, but each attempt was met with opposition from his father. Chiang then took a job as the assistant to Tanaka Tori (田中利), the head of Hopposhō Village (北埔庄 / ほっぽしょう), known today as Beipu Village. He’d only end up spending two years in the position however as the opposition of his father turned into approval when A-hsin became the head of the family, and proved to his father that he was capable of investing the families wealth responsibly.

Even though his position as assistant to the head of the village might have been short-lived, Chiang used his time in office to familiarize himself with the growing tea manufacturing industry in the village, which was praised for the high-end product that it was producing. Using what he learned and the important networking opportunities that he had, Chiang threw his own hand into the industry by organizing the Beipu Tea Collective (北埔茶葉組合), which grew exponentially over the next few years - starting with the Beipu Tea Farm (北埔茶場) in 1934 (昭和9年), Emei Tea Factory (峨眉茶廠) in 1935 (昭和10年) and then the Hengshan Tea Factory (橫山茶廠), Wufeng Tea Factory (五峰茶廠), and finally the Daping Tea Factory in 1936 (昭和11年).

To give you of an idea of the high-quality nature of the tea that was being produced by Chaing’s Beipu Tea Collective, the tea being produced in the mountains of Hsinchu at the time was sold at a price ten times to typical market price for Oolong Tea at the time. Given the high quality of the tea and the reputation that came with it, Chiang formed partnerships with the Mitsui Agriculture and Forestry Association (三井農林會社), which brought the benefit of having the most modern tea-producing technology available at the time.

However, during the Second World War, the Governor General’s Office in Taipei moved quickly to control certain areas of the economy, especially those with regard to the supply of commodities. The production of tea was an important one for both domestic and international consumption, so the government took control in order to better siphon off the profits, which could be distributed for the war effort.

By 1941 (昭和16年), the “Beipu Tea Collective” was restructured into the Chikuto Tea Company (竹東製茶株式會社). Yet, thanks to his experience in the industry, and his notoriety, Chiang was able to continue as president, maintaining his position and influence within the industry.

After the war, the Chikuto tea Company was dissolved and the ownership of the tea factories was returned to their original owners. By that time, the reputation of Beipu’s tea was pretty solid, specializing in what is known in Hakka as “phong-fûng chhà” (椪風茶) or Oriental Beauty Tea (東方美人茶). In the Hakka language, the name of the tea was essentially “Braggers Tea”, which was used because the producers were ‘so proud of their product that they bragged to everyone’ about how much money they were making from selling it.

Link: Dongfang meiren 東方美人茶 (Wiki)

Shortly after the Chinese Nationalists took control of Taiwan, Chiang renamed the company Yung Kuang Tea Company (永光股份有限公司) and started exporting tea under the Three Star (三星) and Ho-ppo Tea (北埔茶) brands. The success of the global export industry apparently surpassed even that of India’s Darjeeling Tea for a short time, putting Taiwanese tea on the world stage and attracting guests from all over the world to visit Taiwan. With all the foreign tea trading companies visiting Beipu, Chiang decided to build his famous mansion in Beipu where his family lived and received guests.

However, things changed in the 1950s when other tea producing areas around the world, affected by the war resumed production. With its competitive advantage lost, Taiwan’s tea production started to suffer and the relationship between Chiang and his foreign partners suffered.

At wits end, Chiang eventually retired and the company was taken over by his daughter, who attempted to make changes to save the business. Ultimately, the international market, Taiwan’s political situation and the amount of loans proved too difficult to overcome and they were forced to file for bankruptcy in 1965 (民國54年). I don’t want to give you too many spoilers, so if you have the time to watch ‘Gold Leaf’ on Netflix, you’ll be able to see the struggles the family had to go through.

Chiang later moved to Taipei with his family and lived there until his death in 1982. Today, his historic mansion has been restored, and is open in Beipu for tours.

Daping Tea Factory (大平製茶厰)

The Daping Tea Factory (大平製茶厰) opened in June of 1934 (昭和9年) under the official name “Dapingwo Tea Cooperative Factory” (太平窩茶葉組合製茶工場), and was one of the first tea factories in the area that was able to make use of modern technology in the production process.

While the tea factory was officially part of Chiang A-hsin’s ‘Beipu Tea Collective’ mentioned above, throughout its history, it has been managed by a number of different groups of local tea farmers, more specifically after the war, the Hsinpu Liu family (劉氏), one the prominent clans of Hakka residents of the area.

Link: Hsinpu Ancestral Shrines (新埔宗祠)

The history of the factory is one that is reminiscent of many of Taiwan’s agricultural industries in that they had to find a way to deal with the transition of political control from the Japanese to the Chinese Nationalists. For the locals, the ability to successfully stay afloat in business during either era was a delicate (and dangerous) balancing act that required a considerable amount of political knowhow. The Beipu Tea Collective under the leadership of Chiang A-hsin, though, was one of the fortunate pieces of Taiwan’s agricultural industry that was able to successfully navigate the transition.

However, as I’ve already pointed out, Taiwan experienced somewhat of a ‘golden era’ of tea production after the war with the support of the Chinese Nationalist regime. When that golden era came to an end, not even endless government subsidies were even able to keep successful businessmen like Chiang A-hsin afloat, and many of the tea factories across the island started to shut down.

Tea baskets that have seen better days.

Despite the decline in the fortune of the Chiang family, the Daping Tea Factory was able to outlive many of the other tea plantations across the country, and with the cooperation of the government, the owners cultivated several varieties of tea. Transitioning away from Oriental Beauty (東方美人 / 青心大冇) to other types of of tea leaves, they produced popular varieties such as Black Tea (紅茶), Baozhong (包種茶) and Dong-ding (凍頂茶), which continue to be the most common varieties of tea that are cultivated in Taiwan today.

Interestingly, in the post-war period, the cultivation of tea in Taiwan expanded upon some of the experimentation that took place during the Japanese-era, and the result was a number of hybrid species that combined indigenous teas with those more common in India, and other major tea producing countries around the world. The cultivation of these new ‘Taiwan teas’ was streamlined throughout the 1950s and 1960s, and the teas being produced received official classifications based on the experimental process that was used to create them.

Instead of having a bunch of confusing names, the government promoted teas with a number - for example “Taiwan #1” (台茶1號) through “Taiwan #13” (台茶13號), a classification system that remains in place today - and was a beneficial exercise in marketing Taiwanese produced teas to the international market.

In the 1950s, there were over three-hundred tea factories spread throughout Taiwan, a third of them located in Hsinchu. Working together with the other fifteen factories in Hsinpu Village (新埔鎮), the tea produced in the area maintained a high reputation for quite some time, and the success of the export market helped to stabilize a tea industry that was showing signs of decline.

Nevertheless, the decline, which was brought on by international market trends dealt a decisive blow to Taiwan’s tea industry, and even though earnest attempts were made to revive the struggling industry, by 1988 (民國77年), only nine of the original fifteen factories in Hsinpu remained in operation. Less than a decade later, only two of them remained.

By 2013 (民國102年), almost all of the tea factories in the area had been abandoned, with the few remaining converted into tea wholesale businesses.

Unfortunately, information regarding the closure of Daping Tea Factory’s business operations is difficult to find, so I can’t give you an actual date as to when it went out of business, but it’s safe to say that it fell victim to the number of closures that took place between the late 1980s and 1990s.

It’s also difficult to say when the place was abandoned, but given that there was a residence and/or a dormitory within the building, it might have been occupied for a period of time after going out of business.

Recently, the arched wooden roof of one of the buildings collapsed, and out of concern for the local community, the owners of the properly planned to have the building torn down, but the Hsinchu County Bureau of Cultural Affairs (新竹縣政府文化局) stepped in and sought to have the building ‘protected’ for future use, although it is currently unclear as to what that will entail.

One would hope, given the popularity of the television series, as well as the Daxi Tea Factory as a tourist destination, that it’s likely that it might receive some attention sooner rather than later. But that’s up in the air at this point.

Link: 百年大平製茶廠 竹縣爭納古蹟 (自由時報)

Now, let me take a few minutes to detail the architectural design of the building, which even though is in pretty rough shape at the moment, remains quite interesting.

Visiting the factory today, its rather obvious that the original tea factory, constructed during the Japanese-era, was expanded upon several times over the post-war era to meet the needs of a modernizing industry. When we view the factory today, it is essentially split into three different sections - each of which varies with regard to its architectural design and construction methods.

It probably goes without saying that, as far as I’m concerned, the section that remains from the Japanese-era is the most interesting - but taking into consideration that it was constructed primarily constructed of wood in the 1930s, it’s also the part of the factory that is currently in the worst condition.

The original section of the tea factory was actually quite similar to what you can still see at the Daxi Tea Factory in Taoyuan in that it was a two-story brick building, which featured load-bearing walls. In both cases, the top floor was used as a drying area, while the first floor was where the tea was processed.

The roof that covered the drying area was a typical hip-and-gable roof (歇山頂) which was covered with red roof tiles (閩式紅瓦), a type of clay tile which are ubiquitous with traditional Hokkien (閩南) and Hakka (客家) buildings in Taiwan. While the decorative elements of the roof are subdued compared to most other historic buildings in Taiwan, the roof’s fusion of Japanese-style architectural design with that of Hakka elements is an interesting one, but not entirely unique, as you’ll see in the link below.

Link: Zhongli Elementary Teachers Dorms (壢小故事森林)

Starting with the shape of the roof, ‘hip-and-gable’ in this case is better referred to as irimoya-zukuri (入母屋造 / いりもやづくり) as it is one of the most common forms of traditional Japanese architectural design, and is used on anything from Buddhist temples and Shinto Shrines to buildings like this one. Roofs in this style tend to vary in the level of decorative elements added, and in this case the decorations are quite subdued.

Nevertheless, this style of architectural design tends to be quite practical given that the ‘hipped’ section provided excellent stability to the base of the building, while the ‘gable’ section ensures the stability of the roof. All of this was accomplished through a genius network of trusses (屋架) located within the ceiling that assists in distributing the weight and support the four-sided sloped hip roof (四坡頂).

If you explore the tea factory today, you can see the original wood used to help stabilize the roof in the section left standing and contrast it with the section that has already caved-in. In the latter, the trusses remain in pretty good shape despite having caved in and being open to the elements for a number of years, which likely points to the fact that they weren’t the cause of the cave in.

As mentioned above, the roof tiles feature as part of the roof’s decorative design, but the fusion of Japanese-style architecture with Taiwanese red roof tiles here tends to play a more functional role than a decorative one. Along the arched section of the roof, you’ll find what appear to be lines of cylindrical roof tiles separated by flat sections of tile that make it seem like ocean waves. The functional nature of the roof tiles placed in this way assist in controlling the flow of rain water.

With the building constructed during the Showa-era, construction techniques in Taiwan had become considerably more refined, so even though the weight of the roof was stabilized by the trusses within the building, the load-bearing brick walls allowed for a number of windows to be placed on all sides of the building to assist in the process of drying the tea leaves. Surrounding the remaining second-floor section of the second floor on three sides, the windows allow for a considerable amount of natural light and in the summer sun, the room tends to shine, making it the most interesting section of the building, photographically.

Diagram of the three sections of the tea factory based on when they were constructed.

Located to the rear of the original section of the building you’ll find a post-war addition to the original tea factory. This section, similar to the building in front is a two-story structure, but it also includes a basement where you can still find a considerable amount of the original machinery that was used in the process of tea production. Having all of this historic machinery just sitting there open to the elements is actually quite sad as it is just wasting away in its current condition. The basement of the building tends to be quite damp and muddy, so it’s hard to say that much of anything inside would be of any use other than for display purposes.

Finally, the most recent addition to the tea factory is simply a three-story reinforced concrete building that is typical of post-war design. The building features very little in terms of decorative elements and was never painted.

Essentially it looks like almost every Taiwanese house that was constructed over the past forty or fifty years. Within the interior of the building however you’ll find what was probably the factory’s administrative section as well as an area reserved as the dormitory for the factory’s employees, who were likely migrant laborers.

What is probably the best part of this section of the factory is that you can easily access the roof to get a better view of the caved-in section of the original tea factory, but if you do explore the building, you’ll want to be careful walking around as it could be somewhat dangerous as well.   

As mentioned earlier, this article is currently classified as one of my ‘urban exploration’ articles, which means that I won’t be sharing much about the location of the building, or how to gain entry to the building.

I do hope that at some point that I’ll be able to offer readers an update if and when the building is restored and re-opened to the public as a tourist attraction - So here’s to hoping that the popularity of “Gold Leaf” will rub off on local officials in Hsinchu looking to cash in on the renewed interest in Taiwan’s golden age of tea, something which this (and many other) tea factories played a role in.

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Bao'an Station (保安車站)
Bao'an Station (保安車站)
Chiayi Shinto Shrine (嘉義神社)
Chiayi Shinto Shrine (嘉義神社)
Taichung Train Station (臺中驛)
Taichung Train Station (臺中驛)

Shinchiku Police Commissioner's Residence (新竹州警務部部長官舍)

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Hsinchu has always been one of my favorite places in Taiwan to hang out whenever I’ve got some free time, but in recent months, it has become an even more exciting destination as the city’s Cultural Affairs Department has been working in overdrive - bringing a number of its historic buildings back to life.

Despite Hsinchu is one of the country’s most historic cities, it is also on the cutting edge of science and technology with its massive Science Park, attracting some of Taiwan’s brightest minds, as well as considerable foreign investment. Fortunately, with the amount of development and investment taking place with the city, the local government has recognized that its cultural heritage is equally as important to its future as the microchip.

These days, any trip to the city is an action-packed adventure as each time I go, I’ll check out a number of newly opened historic buildings, and while it may sound like a complaint, I’m probably going to need a dozen more trips over the next few months just to keep up. Fortunately, Hsinchu is also a foodie’s paradise, so I never leave town with an empty stomach.

As far as I’m concerned, all of the work that the city has invested in its history has been simply amazing, and as Hsinchu continues to transform into a hip technology hub, locals and tourists alike are blessed with a number of attractions to visit, where they can celebrate the city’s cultural heritage and its long history.

It’s rare that I sing the praises of the efforts of any of Taiwan’s local governments, but for those of us interested in the preservation of Taiwan’s history, Hsinchu has become a model for how to successfully accomplish these projects while also ensuring that they are managed and marketed in a sustainable way.

Given that I have such a long list of destinations to visit in the city, I had to switch things up a bit when I was notified that the ‘Shinchiku Prefectural Police Commissioner’s Official Residence’ had completed its restoration project, and was in the process of a soft-opening to the public. The building, which is considered one of the ‘highest-ranking’ of the official Japanese-era residences remaining in the city is a special one, but for the purpose of what I do, it had to be moved to the top of my list so that I could get the shots I wanted.

The reason for this is due to the fact that the building will serve a dual-role as a historic tourist attraction in addition to becoming a fine dining restaurant, operated by one of Taiwan’s Michelin recognized chefs.

Essentially, I wanted to take advantage of the soft-opening period to visit and get photos of the building before the restaurant officially opened and the interior space was filled up. Visiting the same day that the soft-opening period officially started, I was fortunate to have the place to myself, and was able to walk around and get all the photos I wanted without being disturbed, which was a pretty great experience.

Suffice to say, today I’ll be introducing one of Hsinchu’s newest tourist attractions, and what I assume will in the near future also become a pretty popular place to enjoy high quality locally-inspired fine dining. Located within the downtown core of the city, the former residence of Shinchiku Prefecture’s Police Commissioner has been beautifully restored, and unlike many of the other Japanese-era residences around the country, this one is arguably one of the most grandest in its architectural design, and the level of comfort awarded to whomever had the luck of living in it.

Given that it is currently still going through it’s soft-opening as I’m writing this, there are very few available resources that go into much detail about its history and architectural design, so I had to visit the National Archives and had to dig deep on this one in order to provide you with as much info as I can.

As always, I highly recommend a visit, and when the restaurant opens, if you’re able to make a reservation, a dinner service there promises to be a pretty cool experience, especially if you’re interested in high-level Taiwanese cuisine.

Shinchiku Prefectural Police Commissioner’s Official Residence (新竹州警務部部長官舍)

Dating back to 1922 (大正11年), the Shinchiku Prefectural Police Commissioner’s Official Residence was constructed in an area of the developing city where a large community of ‘official dorms’ (旭町官舍區) were constructed for the convenience of the civil servants of the era. The community, which was conveniently a short walk from the Hsinchu Railway Station was home to a range of political figures such as the governor of the prefecture, the police commissioner, the city’s mayor, school principals, teachers, etc.

That being said, it was a neighborhood that was largely populated by Japanese nationals, segregating them from most of the native population.

Known officially as Asahichō (旭町 / あさひちょう), the name of the neighborhood was a common one among many of Taiwan’s larger cities during the colonial era where you’d also find one in Taipei, Keelung, Taichung, Tainan and Pingtung. Located just outside of the city’s East Gate (迎曦門), the neighborhood was adjacent to the Hsinchu Moat (護城河), which itself dates back to the Qing rule, and has a pretty interesting history.

These days the moat serves as a popular spot for locals and tourists to enjoy the beauty of the historic city.

The moat essentially acted as a divider between the Asahi neighborhood and the prefectural government, city council and courthouse on one side and the Hsinchu Branch of the Teikoku Sugar Refinery (帝國製糖株式會社新竹糖廠) on the other - the neighborhood would have been a pretty convenient one for its residents as the commute to work was a short one.

Note: The former Sugar Refinery was located on a large plot of land that is currently home to Hsinchu’s largest mall, Big City (遠東巨城購物中心) and the SOGO Department Store.

Before I start to introduce the building, it’s important to first detail a couple of important events that took place prior to its construction, which were essential in determining it’s ‘size’ and ‘architectural design’.

The first major factor came in 1920 (大正9年), when governance of Shinchiku Prefecture (新竹州 / しんちくしゅう) and Taiwan’s other prefectures were restructured by the Governor General’s office. Most notably with regard to this building was that the hierarchy of law enforcement was organized into an advanced structural system that differentiated the jurisdiction and responsibilities of the Prefectural-Level (州設警務部), County-Level (郡設警察課) and City-Level (市設警察署與分署) branches.

For clarity sake, the ‘Shinchiku Prefecture’ of that era consisted of much of what we know today as much of Taoyuan (桃園), Hsinchu (桃園) and Miaoli (苗栗), and the Prefectural Level branch of the police oversaw branches and precincts within Hsinchu City (新竹警察署), Hsinchu County (新竹郡警察課), Chikutō / Zhudong (竹東郡警察課), Tōen / Taoyuan (桃園郡警察課), Chūreki / Zhongli (中壢郡警察課), Daikei / Daxi (大溪郡警察課), Miaoli (苗栗郡警察課), Chikunan / Zhunan (竹南郡警察課) and Taigo / Dahu (大湖郡警察課).

The second major factor that I’d like to highlight was an official policy change that took place the same year as the residence was constructed. In 1922 (大正11年), the Governor General’s Office enacted a law (台灣總督府官舍建築標準) regarding official building standards in Taiwan. These new standards specified a clear set of regulations regarding the size of buildings provided for civil servants of various ranks, which were divided between Senior Officials (高等官 / こうとうかん) and Junior Officials (判任官 / はんにんかん). The new policy was meant to improve the living standards in the housing provided for civil servants in addition to encouraging staff to work hard and move up the ladder in order to receive more comfortable housing.

Under the new housing system, the Police Commissioner’s Official Residence was classified as a Level Two Senior Official (高等官官舍第二種) house, meaning that it was afforded at least 165㎡ (50坪) in size accompanied by a plot of land that was at least 1003㎡ (303.5坪). This made the residence one of the most spacious and comfortable places to live in the neighborhood, second only to the nearby Governor’s Mansion. If you take a look at the maps above where I’ve marked the plot of land where the residence is located, you’ll clearly see the size of the space in comparison to the other dorms in the neighborhood.

Over the years, a number of additions were added to the residence making it larger than how it originally appeared in 1922, with a current total space of 201㎡ (61坪).

Interestingly, even though the residence was provided to a high-level official within the hierarchy of the colonial-era’s civil servants, something I mentioned earlier is important to keep in mind - It was common for these high-level officials to be promoted (or demoted) based on their job performance, so between 1922 and 1945, the building housed well over a dozen families.

I’m listing the various Police Commissioners below, however even though I did my best to romanize their names, it’s possibly that I made a mistake or two, so if you find an error, feel free to let me know!

Shinchiku Prefectural Police Commissioners (新竹州警務部部長) - 1920 - 1941

  1. Tabata Kozburo 田端幸三郎 (1922 - 1923)

  2. Ota Goichi 太田吾一 (1923-1925)

  3. Tsunoda Hiroshi 角田廣次 (1925 - 1926)

  4. Kusano Yoshikazu 草野義一 (1926 - 1927)

  5. Takahashi Hideto 高橋秀人 (1927 - 1928)

  6. Osatake Ken 尾佐竹堅 (1928 - 1930)

  7. Ishikawa Sadatoshi 石川定俊 (1930 - 1931)

  8. Suzuki Hideo 鈴木秀夫 (1931 - 1932)

  9. Keiya Takao 慶谷隆夫 (1932 - 1934)

  10. Takahara Hayato 高原逸人 (1934 - 1937)

  11. Raku Mitsuru 樂滿金次 (1937 - 1939)

  12. Nei Ko 根井洸 (1939 - 1940)

  13. Shirani Hoichi 白仁寶一 (1940 - 1941)

Shinchiku Prefecture Police Chief (新竹州警察部部長) - 1941 - 1945

  1. Shirani Hoichi 白仁寶一 (1941 - 1942)

  2. Shibayama Minenoburu 柴山峯登 (1942 - 1943)

  3. Ihara Toshiyuku 井原敏之 (1943 - 1945)

When Taiwan’s Colonial Era ended with the surrender of the Japanese Empire at the conclusion of the Second World War, the residence continued to be occupied by Hsinchu Police Chiefs (警察局長) for a number of years, but the household registration records for the first few years after the Chinese Nationalist takeover aren’t recorded (or published) very well, which likely means that it was possibly also occupied by refugees who stayed there until the government was able to provide alternative housing for them.

From what little information is available, in the period between 1945 and 1993, there were at least three different police chiefs housed within the residence. The first was Lee Shu-yu (李樹鈺), second Huang Ding-can (黃丁燦) and third Lin Mao-sheng (林茂生), all three of whom were the Police Commissioner for Hsinchu County (新竹縣警察局局長).

Officially registered as a Hsinchu City Historic Site (市定古蹟) in 2016 (民國105年) and a on March 18th, 2022 (民國111年), restoration on the building was officially completed with the government investing NT$33,800,000 (US$1,500,000).

Architectural Design

There are a few issues that need to be kept in mind before I start describing the building as it appears today - First, and most importantly, the original blueprints have been lost. Given that blueprints are often one of the best tools for those involved in the restoration of these buildings (to remain faithful to the original design), it’s unfortunate that were unavailable. Further complicating the restoration process, the interior space of the residence was considerably altered over the post-war period by its various occupants, who changed the space to better fit their individual needs.

The restoration of the building ultimately required a significant amount of research and comparison with similarly designed senior-level residences from the Taisho era. Suffice to say, the restoration team took a conservative approach to their work, when we look at current blueprints, what would have been the main living space during the Japanese-era had been altered to a point that they could only leave it as it was.

Despite these issues, the basics of the building’s architectural design are pretty clear, it is a spacious 201㎡ (61坪) Japanese-style timber-framed (軸組式) building constructed in the irimoya-zukuri (入母屋造) style.

What this means is that the building was constructed on an elevated base, known as the ‘moya’ (母屋), which is smaller than the four-sided sloped hip roof (四坡頂) above. To support the weight of the larger roof, the building features an ingeniously designed network of timber trusses and pillars within the interior, further stabilized by a network of cement pillars on the base that elevates the building above the ground.

The roof design is known as a ‘yosemune-zukuri’ (寄棟造 / よせむねづくり), which as mentioned above is noted by its four-sided sloping faces and was originally covered with decorative Kyoto-style black roof tiles (黑瓦). As time passed however, the original roof tiles were replaced due to damage caused by age (and a century of typhoons). Prior to restoration the building was covered in red plasticky tiles, but they have been removed and replaced again with Japanese-style stone tiles, which are nice, but are just a little too new-looking to be all that impressive.

Even though the architectural design of the residence can be considered a fusion of traditional Japanese and western architectural design (和洋並置), it keeps with tradition with the interior space divided into three separate spaces, a living space (起居空間), a service space (服務空間) and a passage space (通行空間). 

To explain each of these spaces, the “living space” is considerably different than what we’re accustomed to in western countries as what we might refer to as a “living room” is actually a brilliant multi-functional space where the family spends time together having meals, drinking tea and sleeping. Additionally, these spaces often include tea rooms, dining rooms, guest rooms and so on, depending on the size of the house.

The “service space” on the other hand includes a number of functional spaces including the kitchen (台所 / だいどころ), bathroom (風呂 / ふろ), washroom (便所 / べんじょ), etc. 

Finally, the “passage space” generally refers to the various entrances and the corridors within the house.

Within traditional Japanese-style residences like this, the fusion of all three of these spaces skillfully separates the ‘public’ parts of the home from the ‘private’ through the usage of walls, sliding doors and corridors that reach around the building. When it comes to the separation between the space used for guests and the space used for the family, the Police Commissioner’s residence is quite special in its architectural design, especially when you compare it to the nearby Former Residence of Hsin Chih-Ping (辛志平校長故居), which was the residence provided for the Principal of Shinchiku High School (新竹州立新竹中學校), and a senior-level residence itself.

The Principal’s residence, which is relatively smaller (159.87㎡ vs. 201㎡), features a room for entertaining guests directly to the right of the main entrance of the home, but is a short distance from the private living space. With the additional space provided in the Police Commissioner’s residence, there are some key design differences regarding interior space, especially with regard to the space for entertaining guests.

The building features several entrances, but guests would have been greeted at an alternate entrance to the left of the main doors where there is a special ‘tea-room’ connected to a long and beautiful corridor, which also connects to a spacious western-style dining room. This type of ‘detached’ space is somewhat rare among Taiwan’s remaining Japanese-era residences today, and this one is made even more special by the fact that it also features a bathroom that guests could use while visiting, something that was also quite uncommon for buildings that date back over a century.

Looking at the top-down blueprints of the house below, the guest space on the left makes the shape of the building appear different from many of its contemporaries, but its all about functionality, and providing space for a senior-level official who would have been required to entertain guests from time to time.

Using the floor plan above, I’ll briefly introduce each of the various spaces within the residence to  better explain their function based on the space they belong. I’ve included numbers on the image so that it’ll be easier to understand. Before I start though, it’s important to note once again that there is debate as to the original usage for some of the spaces within the house given that the interior space was altered significantly over the post-war period. I’ll note which of these spaces are questionable, but given my research and experience with these buildings, in some cases it is easy to assume what might have been there.

Passage Space (通行空間)

1. The front entrance, or the foyer to the residence is known as a ‘genkan’ (玄關 / げんかん), and features compartments for shoes, umbrellas, etc. The foyer is almost always the only ‘ground level’ section of the house as the rest is elevated on pedestals. There are two of these foyer’s in this house including a grand entrance used by the family and a smaller one to the left that led directly to the guest space.

2. One of my personal favorite spaces within these historic Japanese-era buildings are the beautiful ‘engawa’ (緣側/えんがわ) sliding door verandas. An essential aspect of traditional Japanese architectural design, most of the historic residences in Taiwan will feature at least one engawa that faces the back yard or garden, but in this residence there are actually three of them - one in the living space, one near the dining space, and another in the connected guest space. The sliding glass panels in the living space are the longest and most impressive of the three as it provides an excellent view of the garden space as well as providing for a significant amount of natural air to enter the building through the sliding doors and windows.

3. Within the building you’ll find a number of corridors that connect each of the spaces to each other. I haven’t listed each of them on the photo above, but the ‘rou’ (廊 / ろう) are essential in these buildings as they play an integral part in separating each of the spaces.

Living Space (起居空間)

4. When you walk up the stairs from the foyer, it was likely that you’d find a ‘waiting room’ or a ‘machiaishitsu’ (待合室 / まちあいしつ), however this is one area of the house where the space has been altered quite a bit, making it questionable as to whether it was a reception room or not. Today it is used for the administration of the building and the restaurant that will operate within.

5. To the right of (what was possibly) the reception room/waiting room, it is likewise thought that there was either a tea room (茶之間 / ちゃのま), a less formal dining space, or a reading room (書齋 / しょさい), which could have also served as a work space. As is the case with the space above, it’s unclear, but the guest space would have served both purposes as well.

Given how close it is to the kitchen, I’d argue that it was likely a dining space.

6. Within the private family area section, you’ll find the most spacious area of the home, which is typically separated into two sections. The living space, known as the ‘zashiki’ (座敷 / ざしき). As I mentioned above, this is where the typical ‘living room’ that westerners are familiar with differs as this space is essentially a mixture of a space where the family could spend time together. Within this space you’d find an alcove referred to as tokonoma (床の間/とこのま) and a chigaidana (違棚 / ちがいだな), which are both spaces reserved for decorative elements of the living space.

7. The second part of the spacious living space is reserved for the family’s sleeping space, known as the ‘ima’ (居間 / いま), which like the space above is essentially just an open space. Within this space you’d find alcoves known as ‘oshiire’ (押入 / おしいれ), which are used for storing bedding during the day.

8. As mentioned earlier, with the exception of the family’s private living space, the ‘ousetsushitsu’ or guest space (應接室 / おうせつしつ) features quite prominently in this residence as it is connected directly to the private area and the alternate entrance to the house. In terms of architectural design, it is one of the most impressive of these specific spaces that I’ve seen in any of the historic Japanese-era houses that remain in Taiwan today. The square room features four walls that consist almost entirely of windows, allowing for a significant amount of natural light and with three doors, and access to a bathroom specifically for guests, it was likely an excellent spot for entertaining friends and colleagues.

9. The last section of the living space is the space that was made available for the housekeeping staff that would have been afforded to the family. The Maid’s Room (女中室 / じょちゅうしつ) is currently one of the spaces where there is some debate as the space was likely knocked down at some point in order to enlarge the kitchen space.

10. Given the irregular shape of the residence, one of the biggest questions with regard to the original usage of certain spaces is when it comes to the space on the western side of the house where you’ll find an engawa sliding veranda, a lavatory, and a tokonoma space, like the one mentioned above in the living room. While it is debatable whether or not this space could have served as a spare bedroom, I’d venture to guess that it was likely a reading room (書齋 / しょさい), which served as an elegant home office space for the commissioner. As a space that was separate from the private area of the house, colleagues could have come and gone quite easily and the space could have also been used for less formal meetings that didn’t require the large space in the guest room. Today the space is a beautiful room with tatami floors where you can sit and learn about the history of the area, offering a beautiful view of the exterior of the building.

Service Space (服務空間)

On the eastern side of the residence you’ll find the three rooms which are considered part of the ‘service space, namely the (11) lavatory (便所 / べんじょ), the (12) kitchen (台所 / だいどころ) and the (12) bathroom (風呂 / ふろ). However, given the changes to the building over the years and the recent restoration of the building, there isn’t much to say about these spaces. The former kitchen for example is currently an open space that is used to display historic information and anything that would have identified it as a kitchen has been removed. Similarly, the former shower room is currently closed off to the public and the space used for the lavatory has been completely removed as the space currently opens to a newly constructed exit to a newly constructed building on the exterior where the restaurant’s kitchen is located.

No. 132 Food Theater Restaurant (132糧倉)

With restoration of the century-old residence completed in early 2022, the historic residence was officially re-opened by the Mayor of Hsinchu on May 24th with plans to have it become another one of the city’s historic tourist destinations as well as a food lovers paradise.

Link: 百年古蹟新竹州警務部部長官舍修復完工 24日起開放 (UDN 聯合)

With operational control of the building split between the Hsinchu Bureau of Cultural Affairs (新竹文化局) and the No.132 Food Theater Restaurant (132糧倉). The historic building will feature rotating exhibits that highlights local history while also becoming home to the newest restaurant from Chef Josh Wang (王正岳), one of the famed chefs from Taipei’s Michelin-starred restaurant RAW, and the owner of the Bib Gourmand-awarded restaurant “No. 1 Food Theater” (一號糧倉).

Link: Behind The Bib: No.1 Food Theater Cuisine In Taipei (Michelin Guide)

As this article is being published prior to the restaurant’s grand-opening, I can only speak to the set menu that was placed on some of the tables in the building during my visit. Chef Wang is known for his fine-dining skills, but his ‘No. 1 Food Theater’ in Taipei offers a very affordable Taiwanese fusion experience mixing local ingredients and recipes with popular western dishes. With this new restaurant, Chef Wang’s menu is inspired by the traditional cuisine of Hsinchu and will featured locally produced farm to table ingredients.

In partnership with the local government, the building will be operated with a mixture of public and private sector cooperation that has become a formula in recent years for ensuring that buildings like this can continue to be restored across the country.

If you’re interested in the topic, I recommend you check out my article where I outline the government’s efforts to preserve historic buildings while taking advantage of private sector partnerships to ensure sustainability.

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

Interestingly, this is Chef Wang’s second restaurant located within a historic Japanese-era building as the ‘No 1 Food Theater’ mentioned above is located within a historic warehouse in Taipei’s Songshan District (松山區) that was restored a few years back. Receiving a Bib Gourmand award, the restaurant offers diners an affordable dining experience with meals under NT$1000. This new restaurant in Hsinchu however will focus on providing more of a fine dining experience with the set menu priced at $NT1980 per diner.

Link: 新竹州警務部部長官舍/132糧倉 (Facebook)

Restaurant’s hours: Tuesday - Sunday from 6:00pm - 9:00pm

Tourist visitation hours: Tuesday - Sunday from 10:00am - 6:00pm.

Getting There

 

Address: #132 Zhongyang Road, Hsinchu City (新竹市中央路132號)

GPS: 24.806960, 120.971200

Located in the downtown core of Hsinchu City, the former Police Commissioner’s residence is within walking distance from the Hsinchu Train Station, so if you’re in the area for a day-trip and you’re walking around, the residence is yet another of the city’s historic attractions that you’ll be able to enjoy. Essentially less than a block away (in any direction) from Hsinchu’s East gate (竹塹城迎曦門), the Hsinchu Principal’s Residence (辛志平校長故居), the City God Temple (新竹城隍廟), Dongmen Market (東門市場) and the Big City Shopping Mall (遠東巨成購物中心), visitors have a number of options within walking distance from the train station.

And that list doesn’t include any of the restaurants and coffee shops that you’ll encounter along the way.

If you’re in Hsinchu and you’re driving a car or scooter, you should be able to find parking near the Hsinchu Moat Park (護城河親水公園), where there is street-side parking available for scooters and a paid parking garage for cars. Each of the destinations mentioned above is a short walk from there. However, if you discover that the parking lot is full, never fear, there are a number of options within the area. I recommend inputting the address provided above into your GPS or Google Maps and you’ll find a number of spaces nearby.

While I can’t recommend enough that you walk around the city, some of you are might be more comfortable making use of public transportation. Fortunately there is a bus stop a short walk away from the residence, so you’re in luck. You’ll be able to hop on the following buses to get to the residence, which is located next to the Qinren Village Bus Stop (親仁里站):

  1. Hsinchu Bus #2 (新竹客運) - Hsinchu Train Station - Chiao Tung University

  2. Hsinchu Bus #31 (新竹客運) - Hsinchu Train Station - Science Park

  3. Hsinchu Bus #5602 (新竹客運) - Hsinchu - Sanfeng

  4. Hsinchu Bus #5603 (新竹客運) - Hsinchu - Xincheng

  5. Hsinchu Bus Blue Line (新竹客運藍線) - Hsinchu Fisher Association - Hsinchu Junior High

  6. Miaoli Bus Green Line (苗栗客運綠線) - Chingkuo Road - Xiangshan)

If you take the bus from the train station to the residence, I still recommend that from there you visit some of the other enjoyable destinations in the area. The city is very walkable and along the way to your next destination, you’re likely to find something else that interests you.

As mentioned above, I’m publishing this article quite early after the restoration of the residence was completed during the period when the restaurant that will occupy the space was still making preparations for its grand opening. Given that operational control of the historic building has been awarded to a Michelin-rated chef, I’m not particularly sure how long the building will remain open for tourists, but it seems like time will be split pretty evenly with it being available for visits during the day and closing in time to prepare for dinner service. If you have a chance to enjoy a meal at the restaurant, be sure to let me know how it went!

I’ve added it to my list of places to eat in the city!

References

  1. Shinchiku Prefecture | 新竹州 (Wiki)

  2. 新竹縣政府警察局 (Wiki)

  3. 新竹州警務部部長官舍 (新竹文化局)

  4. 新竹州警務部部長官舍 (國家文化資產網)

  5. 市定古蹟「新竹州警察局高等官舍」及歷史建築「南大路警察宿舍」研究暨修復再利用計畫 (新竹市政府)

  6. 「新竹州警務部部長官舍」開放！百年日式古蹟重生，米其林必比登推薦「一號糧倉」進駐 (Shopping Design)

  7. 「新竹州警務部部長官舍」開放！132糧倉結合在地食材的美食饗宴 (La Vie)

  8. 複合式古蹟「新竹州警務部部長官舍」今開放 (UDN)

  9. 百歲古蹟重生 新竹州警務部部長官舍重新開館 (台灣生活網)

  10. 「新竹州警務部部長官舍」開幕 來百年官邸吃必比登美食 (中時新聞網)

  11. 台灣日式建築：官舍 —— 台灣樣．建築百科 (財團法人空間母語文化藝術基金會)

  12. 新竹市定古蹟警長高等官舍 獲3200萬元修復活化 (自由時報)

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