Staying in the World of Spirited Away, Enjoying Taiwanese Cuisine and Cat Village | Taiwan Jiufen

Staying in the World of Spirited Away, Enjoying Taiwanese Cuisine and Cat Village | Taiwan Jiufen

Hi! We’re here at Haneda Airport This time, we’re off to Taiwan for a 2-night, 3-day trip Heading to Songshan Airport, close to the center of Taipei It only takes about 2.5 hours to fly from Japan to Taiwan Many international tourists combine their trips to Japan with a visit to Taiwan So here we go! Goodbye, Mt. Fuji. Japan, see you soon I fell asleep on the plane and before I knew it, we were at Songshan Airport in Taiwan We had planned to visit Shifen Old Street and see the famous lanterns Unfortunately, it’s raining, so we’re changing plans Instead, we decided to have dinner at the Keelung Night Market, about 40 minutes by train from Songshan Airport Transfer station, Songshan Station Oh, it’s a FamilyMart Taiwan’s 松山 (Songshan) Station has a sister station agreement with Japan’s 松山 (Matsuyama) Station How cute! Actually, there’s also a night market near Songshan Station But since we’re staying in Ruifang tonight, we’re heading to Keelung, which is closer The streets of Taiwan have a unique charm, where old buildings and greenery coexist. I personally really like it We’ve arrived at Keelung Station! Ad for a cat and a sign in hiragana characters… It feels like Japan The night market is about an 8-minute walk from Keelung Station Taiwan has a strong scooter culture. There are so many scooters on the streets Ah, here we are. We’ve arrived at Keelung Miaokou Night Market There are several reasons why night markets developed in Taiwan And one of them is the culture of eating out People in Taiwan rarely cook at home, and many homes lack kitchens That’s why affordable and tasty street food stalls, like those at night markets, became popular This Night Market started near the ‘Dianji Temple,’ where food stalls began to gather for temple visitors Taiwan’s warm climate and rainfall make it a fruit paradise Juice stands and freshly squeezed fruit stalls are everywhere A classic Papaya Milk: 60 TWD It’s sweet but light, and really good It has a tropical flavor, unlike anything I’ve had in Japan Red Yeast Rice Bawan are also one of Taiwan’s classic dishes The distinctive feature is that they are seasoned with a fermented red yeast rice condiment These jelly-like ones have no flavor by themselves, but the sauce is uniquely Taiwanese with a sweet and sour taste Since Keelung is a port town, seafood dishes are a must So we ordered a seafood soup It’s thick and piping hot It’s a delicious soup with a fish stock flavor Oh, it also has oysters and shrimp Keelung Miaokou Night Market is shaped like an L About 200 other shops, including ones selling miscellaneous goods, are here along with food But I’m just here to eat Xiao Long Bao? or Steamed dumplings, maybe? You choose what you want to eat from a variety of options Cash is a must at the food stalls I didn’t know what each item was, so I just chose based on appearance Yum! The food at the stalls is about half the price of what we’d pay in Japan, or maybe even a bit cheaper We’re satisfied after trying a variety of dishes Tomorrow, we’re going to “Cat Village.” So tonight we’ll stay in Ruifang, which is close by It’s about a 30-minute train ride from Keelung See you tomorrow! Good morning! Ruifang itself is a simple town surrounded by nature, but it’s a convenient base for popular tourist destinations There’s a market near the station And it’s bustling with locals having breakfast Now, today we’re heading to Houtong, famous for its many cats So, let’s catch the train Our destination is Houtong Station, just one stop away from Ruifang Station, about a 5-minute ride Our destination is Houtong Station, just one stop from Ruifang—about a 5-minute ride. Taipei is great, but if you want to travel less and focus on local sightseeing… staying in Ruifang is a good choice There are almost no accommodations in Houtong, the Cat Village We’ve arrived! I wonder how many cats we’ll meet I can’t wait to meet them Wow, there are so many cat decorations in the passage before the ticket gate By the way, Taiwan’s public transport system has an IC card called the “EasyCard,” which is useful You can also use it at convenience stores You can leave your luggage at the station I’ve spotted the first cat already! This place, Houtong, is a small village known as “Cat Village.” It used to be a mining town But now it’s a relaxing tourist destination where many cats roam freely among people Meow! Whoa, it’s coming toward me with a face like it’s hunting something Such a friendly cat! Wow, it looks just like Jiji from Kiki’s Delivery Service It’s only been a minute since we left the station, but there are already so many cats Watch your step, there are cats everywhere! All the cats seem to be used to people. So adorable There are also a few shops with snacks and goods Some cats are moonlighting as shop assistants The area is surrounded by mountains and rivers, and the beautiful natural scenery is also soothing Some of the stray cats might have injuries But they all look lively and healthy Oh, actually, the main area of ‘Cat Village’ is on the other side of the tracks Hello! Oh, wait, this cat has its tongue out Did it forget to put it back in? This bridge is really artistic and cool The station side is a bit higher, giving a great view And there are lots of cats here too Let’s take a little break here We’ll wait for the store to open with the cats The store inside is stylish and has such a wonderful atmosphere It’s so cute. Totally my aesthetic Since the weather is nice, we decided to sit outside and have a meal with the cats It seems like people and cats understand each other. I often see them having conversations It seems like the locals are the ones feeding the cats In May, Taiwan’s weather is just perfect for short sleeves Cold drinks taste good in this climate I ordered Taiwan’s classic dish, Lu Rou Fan It’s a rice bowl with braised pork belly cooked with spices like star anise It has a sweet and spicy aroma This is the true taste of Taiwan The cats are always around, so it’s a paradise for cat lovers In the morning, there were hardly any people, but by noon, more people started arriving What kind of bird is that? There are many cute cafes here, but most are unexpectedly closed today So we’re just strolling outside Cat Village has few roofs, so be careful during the rainy season from late May to June Oh, this cat has its tongue out too! Next, we’re heading to the famous tourist destination, Jiufen! If you’re coming from Houtong, the main route is through Ruifang Station Since we’re staying near Jiufen, we’ll take a taxi directly to our accommodation It’s about a 15-minute drive from Ruifang Station We’ve arrived! Our accommodation is within walking distance of Jiufen Old Street Ah, this is a different room type from where we’re staying But the friendly staff kindly showed us inside It’s so cute! It seems like it can accommodate 2 to 7 people, so maybe they have extra beds? The interior makes great use of the greenery and sunlight, and it feels really nice Now, this is our room for today But since it’s still too early for check-in, let’s leave our bags and go for lunch There’s a café from the same brand right nearby This place is full of grass! There’s also seating on the second floor I’m so hungry We chose the second-floor seating The weather is great, and the view is amazing You can order via the QR code It’s more of a café menu than Taiwanese food here What should we choose? Once you’ve decided, just send it through on your phone First, let’s have a drink Raspberry beer This time, it’s not just me and my husband, but also our friends from China Let’s toast with our colorful drinks! Seafood thin-crust pizza: 350 TWD It’s gooood One-plate lunch: 450 TWD My husband and friends chose this one After filling up, let’s go for a walk in Jiufen Old Street Our accommodation and café are on a small hill with a great view of Jiufen’s mountains and sea The famous Jiufen Old Street spreads at the foot of the mountain, so this view might be a hidden gem The stairs are a bit tough, but let’s head to Jiufen Old Street After about 10 minutes, we suddenly emerge from an alley into the lively shopping street Here we are, Jiufen Old Street Jiufen developed during the Japanese colonial period (1895-1945) due to gold mining It then became bustling with shops and workers After the gold mines closed, the town’s economy dropped But it was revived as a tourist destination after being compared to ‘Spirited Away,’ the Ghibli film Let’s take a break for dessert Hmm, I’ll go with this one Assorted taro balls ice: 70 TWD Hmm? This looks a bit different from the photo… Where’s my ice cream? Where’s my ice cream?!?! Now, let’s go see the view from “Spirited Away.” It’s a weekday afternoon, and even though it’s relatively quiet It’s lively enough for the green bird to come and join the crowd Ah, we’ve reached the famous street Wow! This is the iconic view of Jiufen, rumored to be the setting of “Spirited Away!” We’ve arrived at a teahouse on the side with the best view We were able to get in without a reservation Taiwan is very famous for its tea The tea ceremony has a ceremonial meaning, and there are special manners for serving tea This is Alishan tea, grown in the high mountains It has a floral aroma but the taste isn’t too floral, making it easy to drink The view from the teahouse is absolutely amazing, and the staff were very kind Let’s head back to our accommodation The stairs going up are tough, but let’s power through and climb them Almost all the accommodations around Jiufen are B&Bs I don’t think there are any large hotels here Our accommodation is located at the end of this lovely little alley It feels like we’ve stepped into a Ghibli movie or a picture book world A house-like building can be seen This is our accommodation for today It’s a guesthouse called “Jiufen Twilight Forest.” The bathroom and living room are visible from outside Unlock the door using the pin code from the reservation email It’s so convenient not having to carry around keys Wood Tone room with breakfast for 2: 6,000 TWD (204.57 USD / €176.99) The room is just like the name ‘Wood Tone’—super cute and cozy Change into the indoor slippers and begin the room tour First, let’s check out the space with the hanging chair visible from outside There’s a notebook where guests can freely leave messages I’ve left a message too, so if you stay here, look for it🐰 There are two beds, and up to six people can stay here There’s a TV you can watch while lying on the bed It’s iQIYI, a video streaming service It’s warm today, but the air conditioning is working well, so it’s comfortable If you go further in, there’s a dining area with a counter table Black bean and grain drink? I wonder how it tastes Look, there’s a Japanese snack The dishes, glasses, and everything are well arranged This refrigerator is so cute The alcoholic beverages are available for an extra charge There’s a set of glasses and tea Very stylish. Might be a pain to wash though Fireplace-style electric stove Finally, let’s check the bathroom and toilet behind this cute door The bath, shower, and toilet are all in one room There are facial masks, flowers, and bath salts Oh, by the way, don’t flush toilet paper in Taiwan There’s shampoo and shower gel No conditioner More people pass by our room than we expected Let’s close the roller curtains Even with the curtains closed, light still comes in from the ceiling And that’s the end of the room tour Let’s go check out our friends’ room “Twilight House” is another type of guesthouse with several rooms in one building Each room costs about 1,500 TWD, which is affordable It’s simple but sufficient The evening in Jiufen The streets glowing in the sunset are so beautiful and moving Before heading to Jiufen Old Street for dinner… we visited a temple nearby called “Shengming Temple.” The god worshipped here is Guan Yu, known for business prosperity It’s a bit funny to see an electronic billboard in front of such a historic temple It’s time for dinner Let’s head back to Jiufen Old Street There are way more people here than when we came earlier today The street gets most crowded in the evening when the lanterns light up It’s so romantic, and everywhere you look, it’s picturesque The main street is the most crowded, and the stairs and crowds make it quite challenging In the middle of it all… we discovered a quiet, cave-like path It’s so narrow, you can’t even pass each other Apparently, this was designed to look like the old gold mining tunnels At the end of the quiet tunnel, we found… Yuzao Fenshu Tea House… a tea shop? or a restaurant? We were planning to do some food walking, but we decided to sit down and enjoy a meal here The warm and inviting interior is lovely They showed us to the second-floor seating, and the view was amazing! I can see the teahouse we visited for lunch The menu focuses on Taiwanese home-style dishes, with a simple selection We ordered a variety of dishes for the table Chicken stir-fried in a sweet and spicy sauce Fried rice shaped like a pyramid The Taiwanese spices really hit the spot Local-style stir-fried vegetables It’s rich and good Bitter melon and chicken soup The bitter melon is really bitter! Tastes healthy I didn’t expect there to be such a lovely place to enjoy a meal in Jiufen The total for three people was 1,630 TWD There are also a lot of cats in Jiufen All the cats are friendly, so they must be loved by everyone The night view is so beautiful! It really feels like we’re in a Ghibli world After 8 PM, shops start closing, and by around 9 PM, it becomes quieter It’s time for us to head back and get some rest Good morning I slept well in the big bed We have a breakfast-included stay At the specified time, they bring breakfast from the café to our room It’s a bento-style breakfast Looks delicious The drink is iced tea Let’s eat with the cool cutlery from the room Just like the lunch yesterday, it tastes like café food It’s a bit sad that it doesn’t feel like Taiwan But it’s tasty. Especially the bread Checkout is by 11 AM, so we can take it easy this morning It’s been a wonderful three days, filled with beautiful scenery, friendly people, and adorable cats Thank you for watching until the end! How was the Taiwan episode? If there’s good feedback, we’d love to travel to other countries next See you next time

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🏨Accommodation Featured: Jiufen Twilight Forest
Trip.com: https://www.trip.com/t/2FbFukOkCQ2
Booking.com: https://www.booking.com/hotel/tw/jiu-fen-shen-yin-zhi-sen-twilight-forest.ja.html
MAP: https://maps.app.goo.gl/zgtKKwgPsj6JR1bT6
*This video was filmed with the inn’s permission.

💰Room Rate
Wood Tone room with breakfast for 2: 6,000 TWD (204.57 USD / €176.99).
*Prices may vary depending on the season and room type.

☕️Twilight Cafe
MAP: https://maps.app.goo.gl/2sBxnvFWQrvSHRmM7

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⌛️Timestamps
0:00 Opening
0:49 From Japan to Taiwan
3:26 Keelung Miaokou Night Market
7:56 Ruifang
9:14 Houtong Cat Village
16:58 Jiufen
18:31 Lunch
21:42 Jiufen Old Street
25:58 Room Tour
31:25 Room Tour Part 2
32:01 Shengming Temple
33:07 Jiufen Old Street at Night
38:00 Breakfast
39:44 Morning in Jiufen

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・Titles, descriptions, and subtitles are provided by automatic translation and may contain inaccuracies.
・The prices in the video are based on the exchange rate at the time of editing.
・Prices may vary with the season.
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