4
Jiufen is a small town in Taipei County, specifically Ruifang (Rueifang) Township, of northern Taiwan. The town is characterized by teahouses, remarkable views, and a relaxing atmosphere which make it a popular choice for short stays and visits. The name Jiufen means ‘nine portions’ in Chinese. History tells us that the name came from the Qing Dynasty where only nine families lived in the village, and would require nine portion shipments of everything. On a side note, there is also a Shifen (ten portions) in Taiwan. Maybe that village housed ten families alike?
Other than telling you how a place came to be, I’m also going to show you what makes a place unique. For Juifen, the town was populated when gold was discovered in the area. For the most part, mining was the major reason people came to Jiufen until the 1970s, when the gold mine was shut down. As with many mines, the area was left deserted once shut down. Jiufen later saw its revival thanks to the many teahouses, mountains, stunning views and various media (film and anime) that featured the town. Its unique architecture and vibe make it an attractive place to visit.
Jiufen is on top of mountains meaning you can’t get there by train. To get to Jiufen from Taipei City, I first bought a train ticket from Taipei Main Station to Ruifang Station for $80 TWD. Then I transferred onto a bus outside of and across from Ruifang Station. This is a little tricky for a few reasons – knowing where to stand to wait for the bus and knowing which bus to board. All I can say is the bus stop is on the other side of the road from Ruifang Station (look for crowds lining up in front of small shops or people to ask), and you board a bus headed for Jinguashi (金瓜石), which will pass by Jiufen.
The bus ride is about 15 minutes and swerves a lot because it goes up narrow mountain roads. Once you get off the bus (many people get off here for Jiufen, or ask the bus driver if unsure), there is a lookout to the right where you can watch the sunset or admire the views. The entrance to Jiufen Old Street (九份老街) is a few steps away where you can find food, snacks, teahouses, and more amazing scenery.
The first thing I ate from Jiufen Old Street was ‘taro balls’ from Grandma Lai’s Yuyuan (賴阿婆芋圓). The texture resembled much like tangyuan except these had no filling and were accompanied by green bean and pieces of taro. From what I remember, the balls came in green, purple, white, and yellow. You can order a cold or hot version. And although I don’t remember how much an order was, it was inexpensive, refreshing, and also very tasty. Definitely worth a try.
I then ran into a bunch of stores that sold snacks. Some eats I recall are dried squid, almond drinks, and liquid sugar lollipops that squeeze out of their packaging. There were plenty of souvenir shops that sell handmade things too. But I was more interested in going to the teahouses to savour and learn about tea.
Most teahouses have employees that let you try their teas and explain what’s special about each one. From my experience, they weren’t pushy to get you to buy, but rather want to help you find the right ones. This is speaking from my visit to the popular Jiufen Teahouse (九份茶坊), but frankly nothing I tasted said wow. However, the décor and atmosphere blew my mind. It’s an ideal place to have a conversation or read a book. Tea is something that varies greatly in flavor and among individual tastes so be sure to try them out to see what you like! It’s absolutely normal that what’s good to one person isn’t to another with regards to tea. Actually, I suppose I can say that for anything really.
I ended up buying from a gentleman who runs his own teahouse. He also grows and picks his own tea leaves from the mountains. After a long chat about all things tea related, he showed me how he treats the tea leaves. I can tell he’s really passionate about tea and told me he even uses the leaves he grows to participate in tea competitions.
After my tea run, I realized I was already at the end of the street. It was incredibly beautiful to see the street lights illuminate this little village. At the end of the road is a viewing spot to look down to the lower parts of the village from above. Way too breathtaking. Jiufen is a must visit if you’re ever near Taipei.
Related posts:
Back to top