Gems of Jiufen | Day Trip to Charming Old Street

A day trip to Jiufen Old Street from Taipei will charm you with its traditional hillside architecture, narrow streets and quaint hillside steps lined with colorful lanterns, shops with a variety of tempting Taiwanese foods, tranquil teahouses, brilliant temples, and magnificent coastal views. If you can stay for a day or two instead, it’s even better, as you can add in the ambiance of seeing the blazing colors of its lit lanterns and temples. You can also add in additional excursions, like learning about its gold mining history, as Jiufen was once the most prosperous gold mine in Taiwan, and some picturesque day hikes.

Jiufen

As noted above, Jiufen was once a very prosperous gold mining town. It was the most prosperous in Taiwan and one of the most prosperous in all of Asia, attracting miners from all over. After the mines closed in the late 20th century, Jiufen fell into disrepair. But due to its charm and magnificent coastal views, it was renovated to attract tourists. In the early 21st century, the box office hot movie Spirited Away, which features similar charming architecture and lanterns, brought Jiufen even more attention. Today, it’s a top attraction in Taiwan.

Jiufen Old Street

Jiufen Old Street is a collection of narrow, cobblestone streets on a sloping hillside with historical architecture and loads of atmosphere with striking views of the coast. How narrow? Narrow enough that they are difficult to navigate during peak afternoon hours.

The old street starts to the right of the 7-Eleven by the Jiufen Old Street bus stop and heads uphill through a maze of streets to viewpoints along the coast. The streets are lined with shops selling noodle dishes, which include the scrumptious xialongbao soup dumplings, taro balls, like the famous Grandma Lai’s Sweet Taro Balls, fish balls, pork and rice dishes, sweets, and traditional tea houses.

Jiufen Old Street opens at 10 AM. It’s best to get there early as the crowds arrive soon after it opens. Note that you can walk Jiufen Old Street before 10 AM, but the food stalls and souvenir shops will not be open. It’s still nice to see the streets when they are quiet. It quiets down again in the evening, and has more ambiance when the lanterns are lit at dusk. Jiufen Old Street stays open until 8 or 9, depending on the time of year and individual shop stalls.

Try A Traditional Teahouse

Taiwan has many tea plantations in its central and mountainous regions, and a thriving tea culture. It’s known for its Oolong Tea, Black Tea, and Green Tea. The tea service offered at the teahouses is very ceremonial with very precise requirements , boiling the tea multiple at the optional water temperature and time for peak flavor.

A-Mei Teahouse

A-Mei Teahouse is one of the most famous teahouses in Jiufen, and with its prime hillside spot, it offers one of the best views of the coast while enjoying it. It also has the most beautiful architecture, and is known for its resemblance to the scenery in the movie Spirited Away making it very popular. When the lights come on at night, it becomes magical.

Beause this teahouse is popular, it’s best to visit either early or late. If you arrive mid afternoon, there can be a long line. I arrived shortly after 10AM, when they open, and was able to get a corner seat on the balcony with this primo view.

Lunch does not start until 11:00, but before this, you can order a tea service which comes with some 4 little treats. These include sweet dried plums, brown sugar mochi, a green bean cake, and sesame crackers. It’s fun to try the different flavors with the tea while enjoying the view.

Your waiter or waitress will show you the formal process for making the tea. They make your first pot, but you are given enough tea to make a total of 5 pots. The pots are small, so this goes quickly. I had Oolong tea which was grown, cultivated, and hand-picked in Taiwan.

Later in the day, they offer lunch and dinner as well as cocktails. If you read old posts on the A-Mei Teahouse, they say that reservations are required here, but that is dated information. Seating here is first come, first serve and the staff is very friendly and welcoming.

Making this teahouse even more interesting is the fact that this was once the site of the only blacksmith shop in Jiufen. Todays wooden teahouse preserves the historical building’s construction.

Skyline Teahouse

Skyline Teahouse sits directly across from the A-Mei Teahouse. It’s popular because it offers great views of the A-Mei Teahouse, which is a little amusing, but it’s true. It also offers similar views of the coast, although from the opposite direction. The food, the tea, and the service, however, is just okay. I only recommend this teahouse if you want a photo of A-Mei. You can try to take a photo of A-Mei from the doorstep, but they will call you in to order something.

This teahouse opens at 9 AM, so you can get here before the A-Mei Teahouse opens. I was here early, but I’ve seen photos of the nighttime view, when A-Mei is lit up, and it is spectacular.

Jiufen Teahouse

The Jiufen Teahouse is around 100 years old, reportedly the first teahouse here, bringing the teahouse culture to Jiufen. It’s located on the main drag of Jiufen Old Street, a few meters before the first coastal viewpoint.

It looks lovely from the outside, standing apart from the food stalls with its elegant wooden architecture. It’s also lovely and spacious inside, so worth a stop. As it’s near the edge of the sloping hill, the Jiufen Teahouse also offers great views from its balcony.

I personally found this teahouse a bit stuffy. It’s also more expensive. I did arrive mid afternoon, which may be part of this as it’s probably peak visiting time. There were no open seats so they suggested I go to look at the menu near the kitchen while I waited. While I was there, I saw the balcony so walked over to see the view, but got yelled at. That didn’t sit right with me, so I decided to leave after that.

Shu ku Tea Store

The Shu ku Tea Store is past the main viewpoints of Jiufen Old Street on the crest of the hill, so a little less popular. This, however, makes it more charming. At least to me.

The wooden architecture here is a little rustic, which adds to its charm. The tea store offers hillside views, although not as good as A-Mei, Skyline, or Jiufen. They also have a menu with nice variety, making this a great place for a sit down lunch, dinner, or just tea away from the crowds. I was able to order a single tea (you don’t need to order a whole tea service) and a delicious snack of dried red waxberries, which tasted like a cross between a strawberry and a cranberry.

To get to the Shu ku Tea Store, turn left after exiting Jiufen Old Street at the top and walk past all the coastal viewpoints on your right hand side. Continue straight until you see a sign for a traditional Taiwanese tea pointing up to the left. Follow the road up and around until you find the tea store.

Yu Zai Fan Shu Teahouse

I did not visit Yu Zai Fan Shu, but others say it’s a hidden gem teahouse in Jiufen. Reviews state that they offer great food and tea with the same great coastal view as A-Mei. They also say that you walk through a cave before arriving at the entrance.

Visit Jiufen Xiahai City God Temple

The Jiufen Xaihai City God Temple stands near the Jiufen Old Town bus stop, so if you arrive by bus, it’s one of the first things you’ll see.

This temple is dedicated to the City God, who protects the town of Jiufen and its inhabitants. It was built during the gold boom years here in the late 19th century. It should come as no surprise that visitors come to this old gold boom temple to wish for wealth and health.

And while most visitors probably do not take the time to visit this temple on a day trip, it really is very moving with its colorful art, decorative carvings, and Taiwanese music. At least it was when I stopped in here after the sun set and all the lights were on. Making it even more beautiful, is the incredible coastal view from its second floor balcony. The video below gives a good idea of what to expect here.

Quanji Temple

Quanji Temple, also spelled Cyuanji Temple, worships the Holy Ruler Deity Guan, protector of Jinguashi. It’s best known for its giant Guanyu holy figure, which weighs over 25 tons. This statue is a remarkable sight at night as it’s lit up behind the temple. I actually saw the statue first, as I arrived at this temple at night after hiking Teapot Mountain. It lit up the hillside!

There are several restaurants near Quanji Temple, making this another great place to have a sit down lunch or dinner away from the crowds of Jiufen Old Street.

Both Xaihai God City Temple and Quanji Temple are beautiful, but if you only have time for one Temple, I recommend the Xaihai God City Temple.

Quanji Temple is located at the last stop on Bus 1062 from Taipei. You can catch the bus at the Jiufen Old Street Bus stop, continuing in the same direction as when you arrived.

Visit The Jiufen Goldlore Museum

If you have time, visit the Jiufen Gold Lore Museum to learn about Jiufen’s gold boom days. It provides information and exhibits on the gold mining industry as well as real gold bars, interactive exhibits, and historical photos of Jiufen.

This museum is located on Qingbian Road, a short drive or walk southwest of the A-Mei Teahouse. This road is one level down from Jiufen Old Streets.

Visit The Jinguashi Gold Musuem

The Jinguahsi Gold Museum is a little farther away. It’s located in nearby Jinguashi, which was another historic gold mining town in this region. This museum is more scenic, nestled near the mountains where a lot of mining took place. It focuses more on the technology and methodology of mining. You can also take a short train ride on the tracks that were once used to transport gold and equipment.

To get here, drive or take Bus 1062 from the Jiufen Old Street bus stop (towards Quanji Temple). Use your GPS or ask the bus driver which stop to get off at.

Hike Teapot Mountain

Teapot Mountain is a moderately challenging, but stunning day hike located near Jiufen, making it ideal if you stay here for a day or two.

This hike is a long series of steps heading up the lush greenery of Teapot Mountain. It sits near the coast and has several red pagodas where you can rest to see the stunning coastal scenery unfolding around you.

I hiked here on a mostly rainy day, but the sun peaked out near the summit, showcasing its stunning views.

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See my post on Hiking Teapot Mountain To Discover It’s Breathtaking Views for more details and how to get here.

Hike Along The Bitoujiao Coast

I was not able to do his hike due to rainy weather (and a typhoon), but I really wanted to. The Bitoujiao Trail, also known as Bitou Cape Trail, is on the coastal peninsula of the northeastern part of Taiwan. It offers stunning views of the sea.

I’ve seen a variety of lengths listed for this trail, ranging from about 2.5 to 3 miles (4 to 5 km). Either way, it should take around 2-3 hours with stops for photos. There is some elevation to this hike, so it will get your heart pounding, but it is not as challenging as Teapot Mountain.

To get here, take Bus 856, also known as the Gold Fulong tourist shuttle, from Jiufen Old Street to the Cape.

Was The Movie Spirited Away Inspired By Jiufen?

If you search for Jiufen on Google, you’ll see many posts saying the animated box office hit Spirited Away, directed by Hayao Miyazaki, was inspired by the architecture and lanterns of Jiufen.

In the animation, a 10 year old girl named Chihiro, becomes trapped in a mystical world when her parents are transformed into pigs and he efforts to save them.

In an interview, Miyazaki said that Jiufen was not the inspiration of the animated movie. Apparently, the real inspiration is Dogo Onsen in Matsuyama, Shikoku, Japan.

Jiufen still, however, carries a lot of the same beauty and charm of the movie, attracting many movie fans. You’ll see many references to the movie here and many souvenirs.

Where To Stay In Jiufen Old Street

If you choose to do more than a day trip here, which I recommend, here are a few choices on where to stay. Rooms are inexpensive here, so I’ve listed the places that offer sea views as I definitely think it’s worth it here.

• I stayed at Old Street Seaview Homestay in the deluxe room with a sea view. It was a much larger room than I needed, but I wanted the coastal view. It says it’s locally hosted, which I believe as the lady checking me in could not speak English (we used Google translate). It was nice and quiet and the view was great. Nothing spectacular but the view and location. It’s just a few steps from the Jiufen Old Street bus stop. I would stay here again.
• Kao Mama B&B is also located just a few steps from Jiufen Old Street and gets very good reviews. Look for the rooms with a sea view.
• Chiu Chunt Dint B&B is also close to Jiufen Old Street. Look for the King Room with sea view which also reportedly has balcony space. I think this room books up quickly, so book in advance. This accommodation was once a store that sold coal in the gold reserve era.
• Yun Cheng Homestay is about a 3 minute walk to Jiufen Old Street. This place has parking available on site if you have a car, which is rare (check to see if there’s a fee). Breakfast is also included here. Look for the rooms that offer sea views.
• Old Song’s Home offers some large spacious rooms with great sea views. It’s on Qingbian Road, which sits below Jiufen Old Street. It’s still not far from the bus stop, but does require some walking and taking a series of steps down to arrive.

How To Get To Jiufen From Taipei

To get to Jiufen without the hassle of driving, take Bus 1062 from Taipei. You can catch this bus from the Songshan MRT Station or the Zhongxiao Fuxing MRT Station. To find Bus 1062 at the Songshan MRT Station, take the metro exit 4. Follow the steps at exit 4 up to Bade Road and turn right. The Songshan Bus Station will be up ahead and on your right hand side. There are several bus stops here, so look for the one that says 1062. Exit at the Jiufen Old Street bus stop.

If departing from the Zhongxiao Fuxing MRT Station, use exit 2 to find the Zhongxiao Fuxing Bus Stop for Bus 1062.