20141228_205757Beautiful red lanterns of Jiufen (December 2014)

Before I proceed, I will let you know that this post had been sitting in my blog drafts for over two years, almost three, at this point. I’d been meaning to write about Jiufen for so long and having it published at the end of the year (to mark the time I’d visited), but it always either kept slipping my mind or kept getting pushed back by other posts. I almost forgot to write it this year again, but thank goodness I remembered! Any case, I want to share with you one of the most beautiful places I’ve been to in the world, so please enjoy! 🙂

Located about 22 miles (35 km) east of the capital city Taipei, Jiufen (also spelt “Jioufen”) is uniquely located in the part of the country that’s bordered by mountains and the sea. In fact, it’s tucked into the mountainside, and the way to access the town is through some windy (and often dangerous) roads. Despite the precariousness of getting there, Jiufen remains an extremely-popular destination of locals and foreigners alike, the former flocking over for weekend trips out of Taipei.

Jiufen (九份) literally means “nine portions” in Chinese, and it got its name from the original nine families who established the village during the Qing dynasty (1636-1912). In 1890, railroad workers discovered gold while working on a railway line– it resulted in a gold rush into the early 20th century, during which the once-village rapidly grew into a town to accommodate for gold miners who wanted to strike it rich. The fever burned out quickly, though, as the rush went into decline during World War II and gold mines ultimately shut off in the 1970’s. For two decades, Jiufen was essentially a ghost town, lost and completely forgotten…

…until the 1990’s. After being nostalgically-featured in the 1989 film A City of Sadness, the town piqued the Taiwanese’s interest to go and relive the charm of the historic past. A second wave of interest appeared in the early 2000’s from the Japanese animated film Spirited Away, as its setting looked to have drawn inspiration from Jiufen– this second wave brought in Japanese tourists and since then have drawn many other tourists from around the world.

I first visited Jiufen in 2014, over winter break. I was visiting family in Taipei, and we decided to head over there as a day trip. While it’s possible to take the bus (lines 1062 or 965) directly over, we chose to take the train to the nearest station, Ruifang (about 4 miles/7km from Jiufen) and then the bus over. In total, it took about an hour to reach Jiufen, so it’s definitely a doable day trip from the capital.

Although it’s not a huge place, Jiufen still has a lot you can do in town: the way to start is by hiking up the stairs to the town center. As its situated in the mountains and once a mining town, Jiufen has multiple steps, lined with cherry-red lanterns, that lead up and down to shops and restaurants. This is the picturesque part that you see in photos online, and you’re sure to work out those glutes along the way!

20141229_130229Going up…

The town will most likely be bustling with tourists, especially if you go on the weekend– and given that the steps up to the main part of Jiufen are narrow, you’ll feel somewhat claustrophobic about it all. Definitely take your time to climb the stairs and admire the shops and restaurants built on each landing!

20141229_130122Going down…

Of course, there are dozens of souvenir shops, selling anywhere from your usual little trinkets to handcrafted items. I usually don’t bother buying anything too extravagant, but I think I purchased at least a cute keychain or postcard during my visit there…but if you’re a shopaholic, Jiufen boasts plenty of shops to keep you occupied for the day!

20141228_194902Shop after shop after shop…

One can’t go to Jiufen without having some of its local specialties. In fact, the town is a low-key foodie spot, with some of the most distinctive Taiwanese dishes that must be tried at least once. To start, I would recommend taro balls (芋圓), which are mochi-like in texture but in fact are made from taro (of course) and combined with other starches like sweet potato and mung beans. They are colorful and chewy, and they’re the perfect grab-and-go snack!

20141228_202159Taro balls

Another would be fish ball soup (魚丸湯), which is made from fish paste (sometimes even with shark meat) and rolled up like meatballs and cooked in a clear and clean-tasting broth. Sometimes, a bit of chopped celery is added in, but otherwise, it’s a very simple dish. The fish balls are springy in texture, and overall it’s the perfect bowl of soup to warm you up on a chilly winter’s day.

20141228_193024Fish ball soup

…and if you want to be a bit adventurous, try ba-wan (肉圓), which literally translates to “meat circle.” Upon first glance, you might think it’s some kind of slimy, washed-up jellyfish, but in fact it’s translucent sweet potato starch dough (hence the pinkish color) that blankets a meaty layer of pork, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots. Might be an acquired taste for some people (trust me, it was for me), but it’s definitely worth a taste while in town!

20141228_200310Ba-wan

Aside from shopping and dining, Jiufen has its eponymous Goldore Museum, where you can tour the historic underground mines and learn more about the fascinating (and dangerous) history about gold mining. When I visited, we traveled through the dark railway paths and we even participated in a gold panning activity afterwards. I didn’t get much gold (just a few gold flakes), but it was a lot of fun!

20141229_151129Inside the mine

Just before leaving for the day, it’s a good idea to head up to the Skyline Tea House for tea and refreshments, all the while admiring the stunning views of the milky blue Pacific Ocean and the mountains. As mentioned, Jiufen is uniquely-set in and between the mountains and sea, so you get incredible views all around. A great way to end your day in Jiufen before catching the bus and/or train back to Taipei.

20141229_162840Views of the sea

It’s been over eight years since I visited Jiufen: even with my return visit to Taipei in 2016, I didn’t go back, as I ended up visiting other parts of the country. And given the pandemic still going on, it’s going to be difficult to return with all of the COVID policies and regulations in place…regardless, I’m glad I checked out Jiufen and writing about it has made me incredibly nostalgic (as you can tell by the length of this post!). One of these days, I’ll have to try to go back, and I hope this post has piqued your interest in going, too.

Thanks for reading, and have a good day! 🙂

— Rebecca

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Published by Rebecca

Blogger, world traveler, poet, foodie, part-time penguin. Welcome!

35 thoughts on “Destination: Jiufen, Taiwan”

  2. Great post I’m glad you finally got to share it with us. Jiufen looks like a great place to explore and workout, which I guess I’d need after eating all the delicious-looking food there. 😋.

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  4. I enjoy reading your posts especially this one about Taiwan. You gave the readers a big picture of Jiu Fen. I’ve never been there but after reading your post, I have the urge to revisit Taiwan. Do you speak Mandarin or Cantonese or other Chinese dialects?
    Thanks for sharing.

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  8. Glad you finally got around to publishing this piece, Rebecca. Having spent so much time living in and exploring China, I had always meant to cross off Taiwan. But it wasn’t to be. Jiufen looks and sounds lovely, and as you say, enjoys such a special location. Adore those narrow, steep stairways and god… the food… we’ve been away from Asia too long. I have added ‘A City of Sadness’ to my watchlist. Great piece!

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    1. To be fair, I’ve been away from Asia for far too long, too: over six years! I miss Taiwan dearly, as it’s my home away from home…Jiufen is worth a visit (and revisit!), and I hope you can go someday!

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    1. Actually, it appears that Taiwan lifted its COVID restrictions two months ago! But I agree it’ll take some time to get there, as the change was recent…hopefully one of these days for you!

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