Jiufen 九份, also known as Jioufen and Chiufen is located in the Northeast of Taiwan. It is a small town and a village in the mountains of Ruifang District.
This is the perfect place to be Spirited Away from the pressures of the city and be immersed in the rich history of Jiufen.
Jiufen Old Street ( 九份老街 ) & its History
In the early years of the Great Qing ( 大清 ) Dynasty, there were only 9 families living in this mountain village. Every time a shipment comes from the town, it is always portioned into 9. Soon the village was named “Jiufen” ( Kau-Hun in Hokkien ) which means “nine portions“.
Spirited Away Inspiration
If you are into anime films, you probably knew about “Spirited Away” or Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi ( 千と千尋の神隠し) in Japanese directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli in 2001. It is the 1st to have an Academy Award and also Best Animated Feature in Oscars.
Most have claimed that some sceneries in Spirited Away are inspired by the Lanterns and the Tea House in Jiufen, Taiwan.
However, Miyazaki denied that his inspiration for Spirited Away isn’t in Jiufen but can be anywhere in the world. It’s just that the resemblance is so uncanny. Well, that’s another story.
A-Mei Tea House 阿妹茶樓
A-Mei Tea House is famous for its Oolong Tea and Taiwanese pastries. It has been the main tourist spot in Jiufen for its Lantern Alley and iconic scenery.
In spite of Miyazaki’s denial, many Japanese and international tourists would still come to visit the iconic place.
Lantern Alley
This narrow alley just outside A-Mei Teahouse and is one of the iconic places in Jiufen for its mesmerizing Lantern displays and the most popular among photographers. One of the IG-worthy places I recommend. It is crowded every day. So the best time to visit is early morning if you want a less crowded photo.
Cute Souvenir shops
There are a lot of shops in Jiufen and most of them are either for food or for souvenirs. Some of the souvenir shops sell Studio Ghibli anime characters in Totoro, Spirited Away and many more. We also encountered a unique shop selling cute Gothic merchandise and fashion.
Qipao Rental in Jiufen
Visitors can also Rent a traditional Qipao ( Cheongsam ), a Chinese traditional dress worn by females in Jiufen.
Foodie in Juifen
We came across a sausage food stall that is Buy 1 for 35 TWD & 3 for 100 TWD. It tastes good. What we actually like here is the seller. She wears a cute wig and has an entertaining way of getting customers to buy. She also wears a tag that says “Picture taking is FREE”. Everybody loves her and you gotta try these sausages.
It is quite difficult to find Milk Tea drinks in Jiufen but surely you will get to drop by the most popular XING FU TANG. They also sell Taiwan’s signature snack, “Stinky Tofu“, that costs 40-50 TWD. If you’re into sweets, I recommend the Taiwanese mochi filled with Red Bean or Strawberry that costs 40 TWD ( 67 Pesos ). Definitely affordable and yummy!
Street Dogs
The cute thing about Jiufen is stray dogs. You can see them in many places. Visitors tend to feed them often making them really fat dogs but cute.
Gold Ore Museum
Long before WW II, Jiufen used to be a mining town. Reaching its peak of the ” Gold Rush ” during Japanese colonization in Taiwan, the small village then had a rapid development.
Now, this spot catches a lot of curious visitors as it brings back memories from the past. Gold Ore Museum is a mini tunnel that highlights brief exhibitions of Jiufen’s gold mining past. The tunnel actually leads you to the Sweet Potato Teahouse 芋仔蕃薯.
Jiufen Village Night View
We came to see the night view of the Jiufen village from the hillside terrace. It was a little bit foggy at night but beautiful and seemed magical.
This spot is located in Qiche Road, an overlooking terrace and few meters away from Lantern Alley.
How to easily get to Jiufen?
From Taipei Main Station, use Banan Line ( arrives every 7 mins.) to Zhongxiao Fuxing Station. Once arrived, ride 1062 Quanjitang train (24 stops) to Ruifang Station. From Ruifang Station, ride the Bus 788 ( 13 min. ) to Jiufen Old Street.
Fare: 121 TWD ( 1 hr & 15 mins. trip)
From Ruifang Station, ride the Bus 788 (13 min.) or Bus 965 to Jiufen Old Street. The Bus stops every 15 mins. and is just alight from Ruifang Station.
Fare: 15 TWD ( 23 min. trip )
From Keelung City, head to Sijiaoting Bus Station and ride the 1062 Bus Line to Jiufen Old Street. Fare: 30 TWD ( 23 mins. trip )
Tip: The most convenient way to go back to Taipei is ride the Bus 965 from Jiufen Bus Stop.
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