Jiufen Old Street

This is one of the most interesting places I have ever visited and I NEED to go back and stay a couple of nights to really enjoy the place, people and food.

Juifen Old Street is a small village in the mountains. It is famous and best known as the inspiration for one of Hayao Miyazaki's greatest films, Spirited Away.  However, Miyazaki has confirmed that he has never visited Jiufen before and Spirited Away was a product of his imagination. There are several scenes in the film that's quite similar to the village of Jiufen so I guess people are still fascinated with it. 

During the Qing Dynasty, only 9 families lived in Jiufen. Hence, Jiufen means 9 Portions.

In 1895, Taiwan became Japan's first colony. Japan wanted to make Taiwan a model colony so money and effort was put into Taiwan's infrastructure and culture change. Jiufen was popular at that time because gold was discovered and the Japanese worked the gold mines brilliantly. Today, there are still some houses from the Japanese era left in the village. 

Coffee

Tea eggs

Grilled sea snails

Chewy handmade taro balls and sweet potato balls. This is a symbolic Juifen local snack. Although this dessert can be found all over our country but it is always the nicest to taste the original.

'Gold' and 'Black Coal' chocolates

Red Yeast Meatball Dumpling
These traditional meatball dumplings are pinkish in color and chewy. It is filled with pork that's soaked in red yeast.

I loved it!

Taiwanese sausages

Peanut ice-cream roll, with cilantro. VERY yummy!

Snacks

White bittergourd 

Maltose peanut brittles  

Giant mushrooms

Jiufen Teahouse and Gallery

Back to the wet narrow lanes

The famous A-Mei Teahouse

Originally built by A Mei's grandfather, a blacksmith, in the early 20th century. It began as a shop of tools for gold mining. When Juifen turned from a mining town into a market, this shop transformed into a teahouse. 

Rain... rain.... rain.... 

I think this is an entrance to the gold mine museum?

Old theatre 

It was just a crazy wet day in Juifen!

Walking around the village but it was difficult to photograph houses in the rain.

Scenic view from Jiufen

Xiahai ChenghuangTemple

This temple pays tribute to the God of Justice, ChengHuan, protector of surrounding cities.