Taiwan, individual travel, 2008.

2008-01-04 記
Topic: 台湾

To Taiwan.

This time, I decided to go to Taiwan. The airline used was EVA Air. It is a company that I had heard of many times before, but I had never actually used it. This is because, when traveling to Southeast Asia with EVA Air, there is a high probability that I will need to stay overnight in Taipei for either the outbound or return flight.
	EVA Air.

This time, since it was a round trip to Taipei, the psychological barrier was lower, and I was able to get the tickets at a relatively cheap price for the year-end and New Year holidays. Including surcharges and other fees, it was almost 60,000 yen. Considering that it's 30,000 yen during the off-season, it's still quite expensive.

This Eva Air, even though it is inexpensive, has a reputation for high safety. In reality, the in-flight service is also very kind and more than sufficient.

I had been wanting to go to Taiwan for a long time, but I had a strong feeling that it was close by, so I could go anytime, and that made it difficult for me to make a decision.

This time, I am currently in a saving mode and trying to economize, and due to the rising oil prices, the surcharge amount is becoming significant. Therefore, after considering options in my local area, I chose this.

Furthermore, there is a possibility of a Taichung War after the Beijing Olympics. Before the Beijing Olympics, China was cautious about its actions, considering the world's attention. However, after that, there might be a Taichung War triggered by a Taiwanese independence declaration. I thought that while things are currently peaceful and safe, and while I still have the opportunity, I should go.

You might think, "Why talk about this now, in this peaceful era?" But China has continued to invade neighboring countries since World War II, including the invasion of Tibet and the Vietnam War. The peace in the Taiwan Strait is thanks to the American military. Originally, Japan should be protecting the peace of Asia.

Like that, we arrived in Taiwan in no time. 4 hours. It was a comfortable flight.

I arrived at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in Taipei and completed the immigration process. I also exchanged currency at the airport. I heard that Taiwan has switched to new banknotes, so I thought I would exchange the remaining banknotes from my previous trip for new ones. However, it seems I was mistaken, and the old banknotes I had left over are still usable as new banknotes. Hmm.

The view from the bus I took at the airport.

My accommodation was near Taipei Main Station, so I decided to take a bus there. There were many buses, but I bought a ticket for the West Line of Dayou Bus for 90 NTD. The guidebook said this route cost 110 NTD, but it was this price. The reason for the difference is a mystery. The bus departed from the bus stop more than ten minutes later than scheduled, and arrived more than 30 minutes late in total. It seems that the area around Taipei is quite crowded in the evening.

Since it's the second time, I somehow understand the relative positions, and while looking at the guidebook, I sequentially check the location of the bus. I thought it would go all the way to the terminal location shown on the route map at the boarding place... But I was told that the end is a little before that. Hmm.

After getting off the bus, I headed straight for the hotel. It was about a 10-minute walk from Taipei Main Station. Coincidentally, this was the same hotel I stayed at when I came to Taipei a few years ago. Are there only a limited number of reasonably priced hotels near the station? Or have my preferences just not changed?

Since it was nighttime, I was hungry, so I immediately went to the night market to get something to eat.

I searched for nearby night markets and found that there is a night market on Ningxia Road, slightly north of here. I took a taxi to go there. The fare was 90 yuan (315 yen). The initial fare is 70 yuan, and it adds 5 yuan for every 300 meters.

	Ningxia Road Night Market is said to be a night market centered around food. It is very lively. Last time, the smell of the stinky tofu (choutofu) was overwhelming, and I couldn't enjoy any of it. But this time, I'm going to get my revenge.

While walking around, the first thing I found was "chū kaizi jian" (o-a-chen). This is something I found at a food stall in central Thailand, and it's like an omelet with oysters inside, and it has a very juicy and unforgettable taste. I found it in a guidebook, and the stall is right in front of me, so I have to eat it.

I ate it. Hmm. It's delicious, but not that great. It's unavoidable that the taste is different from that time. I really want to go to central Thailand.

After that, I ate something like braised meat. When I was returning from the night market, I thought about taking a taxi, but it didn't seem that far, so I decided to walk home. ...but this was a big failure. It took much longer than expected, and I was very tired. I decided to use a taxi without hesitation next time. Tomorrow, I think I will explore the town.

Longshan Temple, National Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall (formerly Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall), National Museum of History, National Taiwan Museum, and the 228 Peace Memorial Park in Taipei, Taiwan. Taiwan round-the-island pass.

Longshan Temple.

This morning, I woke up once at the time I usually wake up in Japan. It was still 5:00 AM. I went back to sleep and woke up again at 6:30 AM.

We had breakfast at 7:00 AM in the restaurant on the 1st floor of the hotel, and then we decided to go to Longshan Temple, which opens early in the morning.

This is Taiwan's oldest temple, and it is not very far from Taipei Station (fire station).

	After getting out onto the main street, I took a taxi and it cost another 90 yuan.

This was a temple with quite an atmosphere.

A person who is watering plants.

	There are various decorations available.

Sun and koi fish?

	Longshan Temple.

When I tried to visit, there were a lot of people crowded together. It seems like they are offering morning prayers. Since I shouldn't disturb someone doing that, I am slowly walking along the viewing course.

	Turning around completely, I thought about going back, but suddenly, all the people around me started chanting a sutra (?). Actually, it was more like singing a song than reciting something. I was captivated and listened intently. I don't understand the meaning of the words, but it has a certain atmosphere like local music and art from some unknown land.

Judging from the books that everyone has, it seems to be Buddhist scriptures. As expected, since they call themselves Ryozanji Temple and a temple, that seems to be the case.

Unlike Japanese sutras, it doesn't feel particularly serious, and I get the impression that a group of local women have gathered to chant.

Religions that are integrated into daily life.
Here, too, I thought that religion is alive and moving people.

When you are in Japan, the perception is that "religion = suspicious." However, on a global scale, such recognition hardly exists, and rather, being an atheist can lead to being seen as an extremist. Therefore, when asked about your religion while abroad, under no circumstances should you answer with something like "atheist (anarchist)." Otherwise, there's even a possibility of being denied entry.

The indigenous religions that can be seen here also play a role in community formation, which is evident from the way people gather and show concern for each other. You can see them showing scriptures to each other and greeting each other in various places.

For a while, perhaps for several minutes, I was listening intently to the sutra.

And then, I leave that place.

National Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall (formerly Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall).

Next, I visited the National Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall (formerly known as Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall). From Ryūzanji Temple to here, it cost 100 yuan by taxi.

	This place has a large area, and the National Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall (formerly Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall) is a building that stands 70 meters tall. It was originally built as a memorial hall to commemorate Chiang Kai-shek, and even now, despite its name change, there are still many exhibits praising Chiang Kai-shek.

When I got closer, I could see how big it was.

	It is of tremendous size.

The plaza extends far into the distance.

	On either side of the stairs, there are lion dance performances. Their faces are also quite interesting... The person on the left appears to be a mother and child, while the person on the right seems to be a father.

I thought that was all there was, so I tried to turn back and go down the side road. But then, as I turned around, I noticed something below: there seemed to be a path leading downwards. It seems like you can enter the memorial hall from both sides.

	The interior consists largely of exhibits about Chiang Kai-shek, and it seemed that the staff were somewhat proud of them.

It seems to be a Cadillac that Chiang Kai-shek used to ride in.

	A model of the site. When viewed from above, its size can be understood.

National Museum of Japanese History.

After visiting the National Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall (formerly Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall), I walked to the nearby National Museum of History.

	This place was created in 1955, and it is said to hold approximately 60,000 items. The interior is not particularly large, but what was impressive was that there were many high-quality works such as ink paintings.

On the top floor, I ordered tea and took a short break. The botanical garden located behind can be seen from below. The pond is completely covered with lotus flowers.

Taking a break while enjoying tea and snacks.

	Suddenly, I saw a bride in a wedding dress and a photographer on the lawn.

In this museum, I bought some souvenirs such as ink paintings and had them mailed to Japan. It felt a little expensive, but it's okay sometimes.

In this museum, there was a special exhibition, and the person in charge spoke earnestly about their deep faith related to Buddhism in Taiwan. It seems that most people in Taiwan are Buddhists, and they explained concepts such as reincarnation (reincarnation) and the law of karma. I thought that it is common for religious figures in any country to start talking and not stop.

National Taiwan Museum and Taipei 228 Memorial Hall.

After leaving the National Historical Museum, I headed to the National Taiwan Museum. According to the guidebook, this museum has beautifully laid marble floors and is said to be "the most beautiful museum in Taiwan."

That slogan is not entirely wrong, especially when considering the marble in this entrance room and the dome that extends across the ceiling.

Here, there were exhibits on history, geography, indigenous people's folklore, and also plants and animals.

After that, I went to the Taipei 228 Memorial Hall, which is located immediately south of here.

	A sign at the 228 Peace Memorial Park.

This is a memorial hall with the purpose of preserving the memory of the February 28th Incident, which served as a precursor to what is known in Taiwan as the "White Terror." There was also a Japanese guide available, so I decided to listen and go around.

The February 28 Incident was the trigger for Chiang Kai-shek to impose martial law, which lasted for over 40 years. It was an incident in which people living in Taiwan before the war were massacred.

Before listening to the content, it seems necessary to understand the characteristics of the two parties: the Kuomintang and the Democratic Progressive Party.

The former is a political party that considers Japan's invasion as evil, and its supporters are mainly people from mainland China who came to Taiwan after the war with Chiang Kai-shek. They built an authoritarian regime for a long time. In Taiwanese textbooks, there was a description of "evil Japanese," but this perspective was based on the viewpoint of the Kuomintang (Nationalist Party).

The latter is a political party that considers Japan as a friend, and its support base consists of people who lived in Taiwan before the war (internal migrants), and they are proponents of Taiwanese independence. This group is pro-Japan.

In reality, even if it is the former case, there may be pro-Japanese politicians (such as previous governors), and even in the latter case, there are generations who received anti-Japan education, so things are complicated. Furthermore, with the recent trend of "nationalism," discussions arise about how each nation should be governed by its own ethnic group, which further complicates matters. However, basically, if you keep an eye on the two parties mentioned above, it will be okay.

After understanding this framework, listen to the explanation while considering which perspective it is presented from, and you will understand the content better.

In any case, the fact that such an exhibition is currently being held in Taiwan, where the February 28th Incident had long been a taboo subject, should be considered a truly remarkable event.

The numerous massacres caused by the February 28th Incident did not have legitimate reasons like Japan's "guerilla eradication operations" in Nanjing; they were true massacres. These are what should be called massacres, but if we start calling even the guerilla eradication operations in Nanjing as massacres, it will diminish the tragedy of the February 28th Incident. Massacres that deserve to be called massacres.

In an exhibition booth about "historical background," there were handwritten messages from people who served as Japanese soldiers displayed on the wall. According to my memory, it seems that becoming a volunteer soldier was extremely difficult, with acceptance rates of hundreds or even thousands times lower. Those who were able to become volunteer soldiers seemed to have been very proud.

	In the port of Keelung, people were tied together with wires around their hands and feet, shot with machine guns, and thrown into the sea. There were cases where a person fell, and then another person would fall simultaneously, but some managed to survive by chance. Decades later, these individuals finally testified about such events.

A tragic incident. That was the February 28th Incident. It was an event that triggered martial law in Taiwan and resulted in the deaths of many elites.

A structure in which introspective elites who experienced studying abroad in Japan before the war are massacred by Kuomintang troops led by Chiang Kai-shek.

Unlike the Chinese government, which suppressed and covered up the Tiananmen incident as a "foreign conspiracy," Taiwan, which can hold such an exhibition without turning away from the truth, feels like it is already in a different cultural sphere than China.

It is truly a land where the will of Japan has been poured into it.

Taiwan round-island tour ticket.

	While wandering around the city, I ate something like noodles with beef. This is pretty good.

However, this one is not very good...

And, I thought about buying tickets for tomorrow and onwards, so I stopped by Taipei Station (fire station).

Here, I bought a ticket called "Ring Island Pass," which allows you to go around the island once (but not in reverse direction). Yay.

The number of times you can use it is limited, but within that limit, you can ride express trains. You cannot use it for Shinkansen (bullet train).

It was good that I was able to make the purchase as planned.

I was tired from walking, so I went to a place called "Zhi Zhu Health Center," which is right near Taipei Station (train station), and had a massage. I have been to this place before, and I remember that the service was good.

	After that, I took the subway and went to Gongguan Night Market, which is located in front of National Taiwan University.

It is quite lively.

	Now, let's try a food stall!

	I thought that, and I tried buying some food.

Hmm. It's a miss... I'm sorry, sir.

	After walking and sightseeing for a long time, I will start heading home.

Tomorrow, I plan to take a train and go to Hualien.

Move to Hualien.

	In the morning, I had breakfast at the restaurant on the 1st floor of the hotel, just like yesterday. And, since I had time before the train, I also made a reservation for the next leg of the journey, from Hualien to Taitung.

Furthermore, when I tried to book a ticket from Taitung to Kaohsiung, it was fully booked all day long, perhaps because it was January 1st, or perhaps because it's a route with infrequent service to begin with. I was told to go to Taitung Station (train station) and ask a station attendant, so I decided to do that.

It is still morning, so there are not many people around Taipei Station.

	I will take the Chihkuang train at 9:25 AM and go to Hualien. The estimated arrival time is just before 12:00.

The Chikuho train was comfortable, and I was able to spend a relaxing time on the way to Hualien. The seat width is also wide, so your legs will not feel cramped.

	It seems there is a train called the Taroko Limited Express that travels this section faster than the Chu-kyu Limited Express, but I was unable to make a reservation. Well, since it's a sightseeing trip, I'll take my time and enjoy the scenery.

And then, I arrived in Hualien.

Again, just to be sure, I tried to reserve a seat for January 1st, but it was still fully booked. It's no use.

And, I thought about going to the hotel, and I wondered if there might be a shuttle service, so I called from a public phone to inquire, but there was no shuttle. Therefore, I decided to go by taxi.

It seems that the initial fare in Hualien is different from the 70 yuan in Taipei, and it is 100 yuan.

I arrived at the hotel and it cost 150 yuan. I arrived at the hotel and first made a reservation for tomorrow's Taroko Gorge tour. I also tried to reserve a dance show at the Amami Culture Village, but it was fully booked for today and tomorrow, so I couldn't make a reservation. Well, it can't be helped.

And, because I was hungry, I ate at a restaurant. It was a buffet style, and I was able to eat a lot.

After that, I went into town by rental bicycle. There seems to be a cycling road along the coastline, so I plan to go around there as well.

On the way to the town center, I saw a 7-Eleven, so I went to the ATM to withdraw money. Earlier, I tried to withdraw money from the ATM at the station, but my Mastercard Cirrus and American Express cards didn't work, and I was a little worried that I might have trouble withdrawing money. However, this time it worked on the first try. I thought, "That's why it's 7-Eleven."

I ran along the road by the coast, heading towards the town. The hotel is located slightly away from the coastline. (Actually, it would have been a better way to go along the cycling road that runs along the coastline, rather than this road.)

	I am walking around the city.

It is a townscape with an Asian feel, but it is not particularly dirty. It's truly what you'd expect from Taiwan.

	Interesting fish...

I have arrived near what is commonly known as the old station.

	On the ground, there are traces of old railway lines in some places.

The ball-like object in the middle of the fountain is rotating around and around. Upon closer inspection, is that marble? Taroko is a region known for its marble, but this is quite a magnificent ball.

	After riding for quite a while, I decided to go onto the cycling road along the coast. And, since I also wanted to confirm the location of Nanbama Night Market, which is held at Nanbama Park, I decided to go there.

To Minamihama Park, located on the coastline. Since the time was still early, I hadn't done it yet. But, the guidebook says "It is much larger in scale than night markets in Taipei and Kaohsiung," but it doesn't seem that way at all.

	You can see a beautiful coastline stretching far into the distance.

There seems to be something like an outdoor hall.

	Something might happen here sometimes.

And then, I went along the cycling road towards the hotel.

Just a little past the hotel, I took a nap on a bench.

Uto uto....

And when you start to feel cold, return to the hotel.

	Hotel room. It is quite beautiful.

But, when I looked out the window from the room, I could see a construction site. Whether the construction work comes first or the hotel comes first... I think it is questionable that the construction site is visible from the hotel.

I take a shower in the room and decide to go to the Amemi Culture Village again.

It is a thought that, even though I couldn't go on the tour, I should go see it directly.

I gathered information from the front desk staff and confirmed that the location was next to the Minami-Hama Night Market, which I had checked earlier. (I think I might have misheard something, which made me a little confused.)

The time is approximately from 7:20 PM to 8:20 PM, so this time I will go by taxi.

	I arrived at the Nanwan Night Market, but it was a little early. I got some snacks and drinks and then headed to the venue. By the way, the taxi fare was 135 yuan.

And I headed towards the venue... I think I went to the place that seems to be the venue, but there's no one there. That's strange. They should be preparing things by now.

	I walked around the area for 100 meters in each direction, but I couldn't find any other places that looked similar to this one. Reluctantly, I decided to return to the hotel as is. I was tired from walking.

I returned to the hotel and, using the preview on my digital camera, confirmed the location with the staff member I had spoken to earlier (this person speaks Japanese). They confirmed that the location was correct. (However, that is incorrect. More details will be provided in a later section.) But, to be precise, this person has not participated in that tour.

Since I have searched and worked on this to this extent, there is nothing I can do, so I decided to give up today. In any case, perhaps there is not much need to know about it, since local people are not participating. I am interested, so if there is an opportunity, I will do it then.

Tomorrow, I am going on a Taroko Gorge tour.

Taroko National Park and Amis Cultural Village.

Today is the Taroko tour day.

After eating breakfast at the hotel restaurant, I waited in the lobby.

Even though it was time for the tour, the guide still hadn't arrived, so I asked the person at the front desk, but to my surprise, they didn't understand English. Just then, a guide from another tour happened to be there, and that person helped translate. After asking by phone, it seems the guide would arrive in about 20 minutes. The tour was scheduled from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, but because the guide had to pick up guests from different hotels, a time difference like this was within an acceptable range.

And then the bus arrived, and the tour began.

The bus is magnificent and offers a comfortable ride.

I am just worried that this driver seems to be not a guide, and also, he doesn't speak English. When I confirmed with the front desk the other day, they seemed to say that he could provide some guidance using a few English words. Hmm.

Since it is a group activity, I think it is okay as long as you don't get separated, so I am not too worried. This is Taiwan, so I don't think there is a risk of being caught and eaten.

Gradually, the number of people increased, and we finally headed towards Taroko Gorge.

After driving on what appeared to be a highway for a while, we entered a narrow road and finally headed towards Taroko Gorge.

	From the point where we started crossing the river, the scenery began to change rapidly.

Taroko National Park, as indicated.

	This area is a treasure trove of marble, and it is said to be a geological formation created by the collision of the Philippine Plate and the Eurasian Plate.

The car proceeds, stopping temporarily as it is surrounded by steep cliffs.

	I am walking along a road next to the river.

It seems that a tour was the correct choice after all. It is a difficult place to come to on your own.

	Taking a break at a small parking area. I don't quite understand, but since everyone got off, I suppose I'll probably stay here for a while.

Demonstration souvenir shop. Ah, she looks like a kind old woman.

	There is fog on the mountain.

A valley surrounded by mountains.

	Taroko tribe symbol mark?

And, since it's almost time, I'll return to the bus to match everyone's movements.

It is difficult because there are no time announcements (laughs).

Even if you try to ask, he says "woo woo" (is he saying something?), points to his wristwatch, and smiles. Hmm. He can speak, but he seems to be able to speak fluently to people who appear to be Taiwanese. Hmm...

Well, I feel like, "Oh well, it's okay."

	And then, the bus starts running again.

There are quite a few stunning views.

	I am moving forward on a narrow road.

After that, I drove for a while on a narrow road, and then stopped at the entrance to the walking path. You will walk along the promenade and get back on at this point. It is a distance of about 1 to 2 kilometers, which is just the right amount of comfort.

	It's a pretty good view.

Even so, it is similar to hiking in the mountains of Japan.

	I walk slowly. It's not really mountain climbing. It's just a walk.

Here, I became friendly with a couple who were also participating in the tour, because I took a picture. At first, I thought that the woman was only Taiwanese, but it turns out that she is in a couple with a Japanese person and an Italian person. According to the person themselves, they are often mistaken for being Taiwanese and not recognized as Japanese.

After walking through the promenade, we got back into the car and went to the Tianxiang Grand Formosa (Tianxiang Jinghua Resort Hotel), where we had lunch. This cost was included in the tour, and considering that we were eating at this luxury hotel, the tour price seemed reasonable. Staying at this hotel costs over 6000 yuan, which is quite expensive.

The Italian man, Mario, lives in Turin and is said to be a researcher in fields such as physics. The woman currently lives in Japan, but it is said that they used to live together in Italy. The man said that he lived in Japan for 3.5 years. This time, he will travel in Taiwan for a few days and then stay in Japan for about 10 days.

Even when I heard things like "etcetera," a feeling told me that it's better not to delve too deeply into these matters, so I decided to leave this topic for now.

After that, I took a short walk around the area, and then got back on the bus.

	Tiensheng Grand Formosa (Tiensheng Jinghua Resort Hotel). It is a hotel that seems to be of the highest quality.

The bus returned on the same route and arrived at Gucheong, where we walked along the promenade. I was walking along the promenade, talking with the two people I mentioned earlier.

	This promenade was originally a road, and there is a slight concern that if it collapses, it may become impassable. Although it is not the same place, I remember that in Sorunuma Gorge, Hokkaido, a similar walking path was closed due to a landslide.

Above, there seemed to be a very narrow road, although it might have been an illusion. It is rumored that there is a narrow road in this area, which was built during the Japanese colonial era. Perhaps...?

	And then, I got on the bus.

After this promenade, you will pass by and visit Chōshun-ji, the last scenic spot. This is a short stay of about 10 minutes. Here, the spirits of 212 people who died during the construction of this Central Ring Road are enshrined.

	Is that it...?

There is something above as well.

	When I looked at the brochure, I noticed that this location was not listed on the Japanese page for places to visit. When I look at the English page, it seems that this place has become a stopover point. Japanese tour groups do not stop at this place, and the time that would have been spent there will be spent at a souvenir shop, I imagined. After that, I will return home.

On the way, we stopped at what seemed to be a typical marble souvenir shop, and I was bombarded with souvenirs. There were people who could speak Japanese, and it was interesting to watch.

And then, the bus returned to the town of Hualien.

The two people who had become friends got off at the station and said goodbye.
I decided to return to the hotel first. (The basic rule is to get off at the same place where you got on, but it seemed like you could also get off anywhere in town if you wanted to.)

At the last souvenir shop, when I spoke with the two people, they told me the place where the Amis people were dancing. That place was a little different from the plaza next to Nanbin Park, which I had thought it was. It's relatively close, so it's a distance that you can reach by walking.

After this, I will take a shower and then go to see the Amis dance, which I was unable to see the other day.

When I returned to the hotel lobby, I spoke to the staff member I had asked about the location previously, and he said that he had known the correct place all along. Hmm. It's important to confirm things... However, it is also true that his explanation seemed suspicious. Well, these things happen during travel. He said "yes, that's it" to wherever I pointed. Suspicious Japanese and suspicious explanations...

After relaxing in the room for a while, I went out again.

Since there was still a little time, I decided to take a taxi to a delicious wonton shop called "Ye Xian Pian Shi Dian." It took about 10 minutes to get to the downtown area, and the fare was 150 yuan. However, it was closed. The taxi driver pointed and said, "Over there, over there," but I didn't understand. Then, the driver, being considerate, gestured and said something like, "It's a service, I'll take you," and had me sit in the passenger seat.

And then, it stops about 1 to 2 minutes ahead, and the place it's pointing to is another wonton shop. Oh, so that's how it is. I thanked the man, and I headed to that shop.

The store seems to be very successful, and they are serving other customers without paying any attention to me. It seems like there's an atmosphere that they don't deal with people who don't speak English. Other people were entering from my side, so I followed suit and went inside. I'm not sure if it's okay. I sat down at the counter and ordered one. It seems like there's only one item on the menu: dumplings for 60 yuan. That's all.

And then the wontons arrived. They were okay, I guess. Suddenly, I noticed that the number of customers had decreased. Furthermore, the entrance on the opposite side from where I came in has a shutter closed. Hmm. It seems they were about to close. That was a close call.

	And then I went out to town, heading towards the Guoziao Night Market, and further towards the Shiyi Dadao area.

Then... There was a stage set up in front of what seemed to be a bus terminal, and people were dancing there. Is this the Amis Cultural Village??? I asked the store clerk in a tent in English, "Is this the Amis Cultural Village?" and they replied, "Yes." Is this the Amis Cultural Village??? Something feels different...

There is a sense of unease, and yet, since this is all I could find, I am trying to convince myself that this must be the case. There is a will to accept it, and yet, a part of me still cannot give up. Amidst this, since there is still a little time, I decided to go to the area that I originally recognized as Shiyagi-machi. My thought is that if there is nothing there, then there is nothing, and that is fine.

Then... Ishi Gei Oomachi appeared. When I looked inside... This is definitely Amami Culture Village, based on the atmosphere! I'm glad I didn't give up! Still, they should put up some signs around here. Are Taiwanese people always saying "yes" and "yes" no matter what you ask them? Anyway, I'm glad I could come. I'm glad I didn't think that the previous one was it.

	There is a stage. That's exactly what it looks like. After spending some time at the convenience store, I waited at my seat, and then the show finally began.

The show was enjoyable, just as expected! Moreover, unlike the information I received from the hotel staff that it would cost 350 yuan, it was free, just as the two people I met on the tour today said. This is a good deal.

	It is regrettable that this movement cannot be conveyed in the photograph. The dance, which might be said to follow a basic principle of folk traditions, where men are strong and women are graceful.

To dance, fluttering and leaping like a spring. Feminine dance.

	The children who came to watch also joined in the dancing. It is a cheerful atmosphere.

I could have predicted that some arrangements would be made when it became a show, but even so, the characteristics that seem to be unique to the Amis people are conveyed.

	It is not boring to watch. It is that sophisticated as a show. It is not a ritual that is being carried out busily within the tribe, but rather something that is carefully shaped to be shown.

The movement gradually becomes faster. The foot movements are wonderful. Powerful dance.

Shows, even though they are called shows, were originally folk dances, and each one should have its own meaning.

(Well, it's not something that can be understood just by looking at it here.)

And the climax. It was a show that took a long time to create. I have seen something good.

Soon, I will return home. Today, I am very satisfied because I was able to see the Amis dance, which I thought I wouldn't be able to see this time.

Tomorrow, I plan to travel by train to Taitō, and from there, take a bus to Chihon Onsen (Chippon Onsen, Two Pen Wenchuen) to welcome the New Year's Eve.

Taito's Chishon Onsen.

Today, I felt unwell from the morning.

This morning, I felt unwell in my stomach, but after eating, I felt better.

It's more like I felt chills and my physical condition deteriorated, rather than that I got sick from eating something.
It might be because it was cold during the Taroko Gorge tour the other day.

Today, I had no plans until the train's departure time, and since most stores in the town are closed in the morning, I spent my time relaxing in my room until around 10 o'clock, also for the sake of recovering my health.

Then we set off and took a taxi to Hualien Station (train station). This time it cost 155 yuan. It was 150 yuan on the way there. I guess that's within the margin of error.

Since I had about an hour and a half before the train, I decided to make train reservations for the next day in advance. I have been trying to book tickets for January 1st from Taidong to Kaohsiung for a while now, but it seems that slower trains have availability for later times, so I booked that. Anyway, I'm glad I was able to get them. For the subsequent days, I also booked the 4-hour journey from Chiayi to Taipei, which is the longest leg of the trip. That's good, that's good. This should work out.

I also made a reservation for the short section from Kaohsiung to Tainan. Since I planned to visit the Wushantou Dam from Tainan, I made sure to catch an early morning bus. I planned to take a taxi back to the nearest train station (train station) from Wushantou Dam, so I didn't make a reservation for the Tainan to Chiayi section. (I later canceled my visit to Wushantou Dam.)

With this, the worries about trains are almost gone, except for the Alishan Forest Railway. For the Alishan Forest Railway, there is an alternative of taking a bus, but I would still like to try the rare mountain railway. However, buses are cheaper and have more frequent services, so I think most passengers will choose the bus.

	And then, I boarded the train. Once again, it was a comfortable seat with plenty of legroom. I rode for 2 hours, but it didn't feel much, and I had the impression that I arrived in what felt like a short time.

And finally, we arrived in Taitung. The guidebook said there was a bus from here, so I looked for the bus stop. It was in an easy-to-find location in front of the station. I wanted to ask about the bus to Zhiben Hot Springs, but no one spoke English. Using the simple phrasebook at the back of the guidebook, I asked, "Where do I go to...?" and they told me which bus to take. I was then charged 22 yuan for the ticket. I didn't understand. The guidebook said 58 yuan, and the ticket said Taitung... I wondered if they would take me there, but of course that wasn't the case, and we arrived at the Taitung bus depot.

It seems that the price up to here is 22 yuan. I see. Here, I will buy a ticket to Shibon Onsen for 58 yuan this time.

I had some time before boarding the bus, so I ate beef noodles at a restaurant in front of me. The taste was not much different from what I ate in Taipei. It was just okay.

And the bus went to Chishon Onsen.

Here, I had one concern. I made a reservation at a place called Wired-Destinations, but the information there was only in English, and there were no kanji characters.

There is something called Toong Shing.

Also, I searched other websites to see if there were any with the names written in kanji, but even on Rakuten, which had them before, the kanji were not displayed.

Therefore, I was worried whether I could actually find it using this alphabet name. The worst-case scenario would be if it was a misunderstanding and it turned out to be a hotel in a different location, which would be terrible.

Can people from Europe and the Americas reach this hotel using only information from Wired-Destinations? I was able to make it work by supplementing the information with details from Rakuten and other sources.

As expected, the driver looked at the hotel name I showed him and made a face that said, "Huh???" That's it.

As a result, I finally reached the end, and the driver was asking someone who had gotten off earlier for directions. Apparently, he figured it out. At that point, I rechecked the Rakuten webpage and confirmed that there was a 7-Eleven nearby, so I decided to get off at 7-Eleven either way. I told the driver, and he seemed to understand. Hmm.

And, the car stops in front of 7-Eleven (on the mountain side), and the driver says, "This is it, this is it," and encourages you to get out.

	But, what was written there was "TOONG MAO (Tomoto Souma Onsen Ryokan)." Is this really correct? I made a reservation for "TOONG SHING".
Photos taken later.

	It seems to be a very good hotel, and it looks like it's relatively new. The front desk is also very clean. I was still a little uneasy, but I showed the reservation form to the staff and got confirmation, and then I finally felt relieved. It seems my name was also listed. Ah, that's a relief.

Even so, if the hotel name is different, it would be difficult to find. What were you thinking? This time, we were able to reach it, but if I hadn't printed out the Rakuten homepage, or if there wasn't someone among the people who came back with us who knew this hotel, we would have been in a hopeless situation.

Even at first, I thought it might be "Higashi-dai Hotel," because the "Tai" in "Tai-to" is pronounced "Ta-i-ton," so I expected "Higashi-dai" to be pronounced "Ton-tai." Although it doesn't quite match the hotel name "Toong Shing," that was the best I could come up with. Of course, I was completely wrong.

Thus, I was able to check in to Shibon Souma Onsen Ryokan (TOONG MAO) without any problems.

The pamphlet that was in the room.

	Outside the window, a peaceful landscape can be seen. The room is also magnificent. Moreover, there are two double beds. I am alone. (bitter smile)

It is still a new hotel.

Because I was very tired, I immediately went to a hot spring.

Here in Taiwan, hot springs are treated like swimming pools, and it is required to wear swimming trunks and a swimming cap.

I only brought swimming trunks that I bought in Vietnam; they are thin and light. I didn't originally have a swimming cap, so I bought one here. It was surprisingly cheap, only 50 yuan. It's light enough to carry with me on future trips.

And then, I changed clothes in the locker room and went into the hot spring.

This is... better hot water than I expected! It's described as a weakly alkaline carbonic acid spring, and I wasn't expecting much before entering, but if I had to describe it, I'd say it's like "muddy water." The mud touches the skin, and the sensation is very good! This is far superior to many ordinary hot springs in Japan.

Japanese hot springs are often called "hot springs" even if they are recirculating simple alkaline water, and there are many that seem like tap water. However, this place is different. It is definitely worth visiting, and I understand why the hotel is brand new and thriving. It is also understandable why it is the most prosperous hot spring town in the area. If the water is like this, I think I would want to stop by again if I happen to be near.

Approximately half of the site is dedicated to a pool and warm water zone, while about one-fourth is divided into sections resembling a traditional Japanese style, creating an onsen area. (Only this zone has the mud bath, while the pool side is transparent.)

	And then I got out of the bath. My skin is smooth. Like that, the sun was starting to set.

After that, I took a short walk around the area. It seems there aren't many shops.

I returned to the hotel and organized my luggage a little in the room.

And then I went to eat. Dinner cost 300 yuan. It might be expensive for a meal, but I guess that's to be expected at a resort hotel.

First, I went to the restaurant and told the staff, but they didn't understand. It seemed they didn't understand either English or Japanese. I first spoke to the person at the counter, and they arranged for the restaurant staff to prepare a seat for me. Ah.

And when I tried to ask whether it was a buffet style or a menu order, I couldn't communicate in English, and Japanese didn't work either. Another person was called, and they asked me in Japanese, so I thought maybe Japanese would work, but it actually didn't work very well. Then, an elderly grandmother came out, and I thought that if she was from the Japanese generation, maybe Japanese would work this time, but she said, "I don't understand..." gufu...

The food appeared on its own, so I will eat it if that is okay. Hmm.
There are quite a few people who are studying Japanese, I thought at that moment.

A person appeared again, and this time, they spoke in Japanese, explaining using simple sentences. They told me that "buffet" is a word that is understood, and that breakfast is a buffet. (I already knew that...) Sigh. They said, "This is 300 yuan." I already knew that, but I said, "Okay, okay, that's fine." Hmm.

After finishing the meal, I went to the front desk and asked in English, "When will I pay?" They said, "Now." It seems that, based on the situation, it might have been a prepayment all along.

And then, I returned to the room and relaxed.

At this point, I was already quite tired. Why does traveling in Taiwan tend to accumulate fatigue? Perhaps it's the food. The people are fine, and the transportation is comfortable. I feel like I'm being affected by the food, especially street food.

I have recovered a little after soaking in the hot spring, so I will not push myself today.

Tomorrow, let's also leave the hotel a little later. After all, the train for tomorrow is reserved for a time after 7:00 PM.

National Taiwan Prehistoric Culture Museum.

	Today, I didn't have many plans, so I decided to go to the National Taiwan Prehistoric Culture Museum, which I received a pamphlet for recently. Since I didn't have to rush, I took my time again and relaxed in my room, and then checked out around 10 o'clock. I boarded the 10:12 bus and headed to Zhiben Station (train station).

I look at the hot spring district from the bridge. It is very similar to a typical Japanese hot spring town.

Among them, I spoke with an elderly man who could speak a little Japanese, and asked the driver to translate the destination for me. It costs 27 yuan to get to the station. This elderly man comes from Tainan, and he likes the simple charm of this area. About 10 years ago, hotels started to increase, but before that, there was only one hotel. There were also no shops around the hotel. I see. Japanese people are also a target customer. Japanese people especially like hot springs.

And I will get off at Shibon Station (train station). It's a desolate station...

According to the timetable, the next train to Taito will be at 11:25, which is about 50 minutes from now. The train to Kang Le Station (train station), which is my destination, will be at 12:43, which is about 2 hours from now. I reluctantly decided to take a taxi.

There were taxis lined up in front of the station, but the first two didn't have drivers. Perhaps there are no customers until the train arrives. The driver of the third taxi was waving, so I got in. This driver is lucky. Before starting the meter, the driver held up four fingers, presumably indicating 400 yuan. I made a slight gesture and sound that seemed like "yes," but before we started, the driver pointed at the meter and turned it on.

	A brochure for the National Museum of Prehistory, Taiwan.

It was quite a long way to the National Taiwan Prehistoric Culture Museum. The car was driving fast, and the meter was spinning quite a bit. I wondered how much it would be... and then it was 370 yuan. Well, I guess that's about right. It's still a little cheaper than the fixed rate.

Even so, this National Taiwan Prehistoric Culture Museum is quite impressive. It certainly lives up to its status as a national institution. It's quite different from the surrounding, overgrown vacant lots.

	The exhibits inside were also quite impressive. You can also rent a Japanese audio guide, so you can take your time and look around. There are many exhibits, so you will get tired, so I took breaks along the way.

Exhibits about how Taiwan was formed by plate movement, the origin of Taiwan's flora and fauna, which is said to have come from Southern China, and the distribution of human fossils from the Stone Age to the present.

In modern times, information about the culture and customs of each tribe of the indigenous people was displayed for the last time.

While watching this, I thought that if Japan had not governed it, Taiwan might have been living a poor life like a remote island of the Philippines. The achievements of Japan are great... They have developed Taiwan to this extent.

	A magnificent ship.

It's like embroidery similar to Ainu embroidery.

	After visiting the National Museum of Prehistory, Taiwan, I had a meal at the restaurant inside.

The courtyard continues to spread out.

	Then I left there and headed towards the nearby train station. The difference between this and the museum is huge. (Laughing) The grass is overgrown, and there are no buildings between here and the station.

I check the train schedule at the station, but it seems like it won't be here for about two hours. Reluctantly, I think about taking a taxi, but there are no taxis stopping at the station.

Reluctantly, I decided to walk to the main road that curves in the middle.

During the journey, a train passes by. It seems to be a local train. Cross the railroad tracks and head towards the main street.

	It's just a little further to the main street.

And finally, I made it to the main street, and I thought a taxi might be coming, but none were appearing at all. Reluctantly, I started walking a little, and then, finally, one came.

Therefore, we will go to the Bannan Culture Park, which is an annex of the National Taiwan Prehistoric Culture Museum.

I failed here. I realized that the meter was not running after driving for a short distance. When I pointed at the meter, the driver put out two fingers, and it seems he was saying 200 yuan. It is probably several dozen yuan higher, but since he hasn't given me different numbers even after I've said something, I thought it was okay.

And just as I thought I had arrived at the Binan Cultural Park, I arrived at Taitung Station (train station). I was tricked. Well, it's not that far from here, so it's not a big mistake, but it seems I only understood the word "Taitung." Well, there's nothing I can do about it, so I'll just go with it, and I'll walk towards the Binan Cultural Park.

At the station information counter, when I asked for directions, they told me to go to the right of the station and then turn right again.

	Following that, I found it. This is it. It's definitely an excavation site.

However, is there more ahead? It turns out to be a park. I walked for a while, thinking there might be something else, but I couldn't find anything. The brochure says there is an entrance fee of 30 yuan, so there must be something there. Earlier, there seemed to be a ticket sales booth, but it was closed. Was that place originally a paid area? I returned to the station without understanding anything.

Even so, it's only 4 o'clock. There's too much time until the 19:45 train, so I tried checking again to see if there were any earlier seats available. And there was! That's good. It's about an hour earlier. That changed it to 18:15, and the arrival time also changed from 22:45 to around 21:45. Considering my sleep time, this is very helpful.

	And I waited for the train, but there was still time to spare. I killed time by having a snack at a nearby food stall. Even so, it's colder than I expected. At this rate, I might have to reconsider the Alishan sunrise tour. If it drops to 0 degrees, I think I'll freeze to death.

And the train arrived in Kaohsiung. I went to the hotel and finally got to rest.

Tainan.

Today, I woke up early and took the 7:18 AM train to Tainan.

Today, I was actually undecided until the last minute about how to spend the day. Should I spend it in Kaohsiung, or in Tainan? Should I go to see the Chushan Reservoir, or should I see a little bit of everything?

The deciding factor was the uncle from Tainan who I rode the bus with on the way back from Shibon Onsen the other day. He seemed very friendly towards Japan, and he said he was looking forward to watching the Kohaku Uta Gassen (year-end music show), so I definitely wanted to visit Tainan, where he lives.

Furthermore, I also wanted to have the opportunity to visit onsen in various places between Kaohsiung and Taitung, and when I actually looked at a guidebook for Tainan, I felt that it was much more worthwhile than just visiting the Bird Mountain Head Dam. Therefore, this time, I decided to travel around Tainan.

	In this way, after a while, I arrived in Tainan from Kaohsiung in about 30 minutes, and I went for a walk.

Immediately after arriving, I looked for a place to store luggage, and found one within the station premises, so I stored it there. It cost 17 yuan.

Now that we've become more agile, we'll first take a bus to a coastal area called Anpyeong. It's a reasonably priced bus that allows us to travel long distances for a fixed fare of 18 yuan.

Here, while waiting for the second bus, a taxi driver starts talking to me. He seems to be saying, "Get in the taxi." It feels like he might be saying, "No, no..." This didn't happen at all in Taipei, and I thought it was a little more enthusiastic in Taitung, but I felt that the taxi solicitations were surprisingly enthusiastic here in Tainan. In fact, the guidebook specifically mentions being careful of taxis only in Tainan. However, compared to Vietnam and Thailand, it's quite polite and approachable, so it's not bad in its own way.

	Then, I got on the second bus and headed towards Anping. It runs quite a distance, but the fixed price is wonderful.

And I approached the area and got off the bus in front of the post office. The elderly driver told me, "Anping Fort is that way, that way." I thanked him and got off the bus.

Actually, the initial destination was not there, but rather the Tokki Yokocho・Anping Juyaku (Taiwan Pioneering History Materials Hall) on the other side, but that was just a polite expression.

After getting off, I ate and drank a chicken burger-like item and a hot soy milk.

And then to Toki Yoko and Anpei Suyu (Taiwan Pioneering History Materials Museum).

Here, Tokki Yokocho・Anpei Juyaku (Taiwan Pioneering History Materials Hall) is written as "Taiwan Pioneering History Materials Hall" in the guidebook, and shockingly, it says "wax figures are creepy." However, the exhibits inside seem to have changed in purpose, and it is divided into a "reconstruction of surrounding tourist resources" corner, a "garden walk" corner with wood and houses, and a "pioneering history explanation" corner using wax figures. The first one seems to be the main exhibit. The wax figures were not prominent.

In this exhibition, it depicts how the surrounding area changed from 2003 to 2007 through a tourism resource development project, and it is easy to understand that this wax figure museum underwent a complete transformation as a result of that project.

Anping Tree House was originally a factory of a certain British company during the Japanese colonial period, and it was later abandoned. Trees have grown around the building, creating a strange and wonderful landscape.

Toki Yoko was a commercial building of a British company, engaged in tea export, farm insurance, and banking. It is the only remaining building of a British trading company in Anping, and is now used as the Taiwan Pioneering History Materials Hall. However, the brochure features the name "Toki Yoko" in a visually appealing four-character format on the front, rather than its full name.

And then, the walk is over, and I go outside.

	Now, we are finally heading towards Anping Fort.

This is a fortress built by the Dutch in 1627, and at that time, the sea was right on the other side. It is quite old, but it has been carefully maintained.

Inside, there are exhibits related to Koxinga. He was a person from the Ming Dynasty who drove out the Dutch. Although Koxinga's regime was overthrown by the Qing Dynasty after three generations, there seem to be several historical sites related to Koxinga in Tainan.

	From the observation deck, you could see far away.

Inside, there was a model of Anping Fort.

	And then, I went to Anping Kaidai Tianhou Temple, which is located right next to it. This is said to be a place where Mazu is enshrined. It is said to be the center of local beliefs. When I visited, there was a young man who was earnestly making a wish.

The Komainu (guardian dogs) near the pillar are also very cute.

	On the roof, there is a doll like this. And after walking around the area, I wandered aimlessly towards a bridge that I had seen on the map, which was nearby.

While walking, I saw a food stall, so I decided to try one item. However... This taste, I can't quite accept it... I'm sorry for leaving.

	As I suddenly approached the bridge, I found a canal museum.

Here, there was an exhibition about how the canal was in the past, and how the development progressed during the Japanese colonial era. From 1922 to 1926, a large amount of funding, 7.5 million yen at the time, was invested to contribute to Taiwan. Furthermore, in 1935, 7.7 million yen was spent to build a new port, laying the foundation for the current state.

Among them, my sister, although not very fluent, tried her best to explain in English. It seems that in the past, it was a very narrow canal. And then, I decided to buy some souvenirs... (laughs).

The appearance of canals in the past.

	This is an air raid shelter located in the back. It is quite realistic. Next to it, there was construction work being done to allow people to view the fish in the river through glass. It was said that this construction work would be completed by the middle of 2008.

And then, after leaving the Canal Museum, we crossed a bridge and headed towards the Eternal Golden Castle.
	Canal.

	It is a little far, but I will walk there while taking a stroll.

I am walking slowly. There is no need to hurry.

	And then to the Eternal Golden Castle.

Entrance ticket.

	Pass through the brick archway indicated on the admission ticket and enter the Eternal Golden Castle.

	This is the site of a fortress built between 1874 and 1876 during the Qing Dynasty, using French-style design and British-made cannons, and it appears star-shaped when viewed from above.

In 1975, it was renovated, and at that time, the mock gun emplacement that is currently located there was installed. And after walking around the park, I go outside.

There is a bus stop in front of me, and a bus is stopped there.

According to the guidebook, it seems that the daytime buses run only once an hour. If I miss the bus, I decided to go into the restaurant in front of me.

It seems I made it just in time to board. It costs 22 yuan. I can't speak English, but I managed to communicate through writing.

And wait for about 5 minutes, then depart.

Even so, I'm sleepy. This bus's sofa is so comfortable that I'm about to fall asleep. It's unimaginable in Japan to have a luxurious bus with synthetic leather reclining seats, especially a regular route bus. If it's like this, I feel like I could take a bus even to faraway places.

I dozed off, and then I arrived at the station (train station) in what felt like a very short time. Sigh.

Now, I thought about what to do, and since I had some time, I decided to go look for a place near the station. First, I decided to go to Akakanrou. I walked for a while from the station.

And at that moment, a large banner for Otonoya appeared in front of me!!! I had to eat there. I was already tired of Taiwanese food. In fact, if I were to be assigned to Taiwan, I would probably be defeated by the food.

The food at Otoyama tastes almost exactly the same as in Japan. It's wonderful. While there are subtle differences, such as the crispness of the cabbage and the texture of the rice, which are different from what I usually eat in Tokyo and the surrounding prefectures, those subtle differences are not noticeable enough to matter. It's truly wonderful. If it were closer, I might be able to live here.

The store clerk can use a little bit of Japanese. That's amazing.

And then, I headed towards the Zukanro.

	There are also komainu here.

Ah, how cute. I can understand that there are fans of komainu.

	There are many carp swimming in the canal, perhaps more than you would think. And they are also selling fish food. (Laughing) I ended up buying the fish food and feeding the carp. And then, I will return for another visit.

This place is also a fortress built by the Dutch in 1653, and it was once called Provintia Castle. In the subsequent era, during the time of Koxinga, it was used as an administrative building, and it was abandoned during the Qing Dynasty. It was completely destroyed once in 1862, but it was rebuilt.

This Zheng Chenggong, it is said, had a mother who was born in Kyushu, Japan, and that relatives of hers moved to Tainan and settled there.

Here, an older man who seemed to be friendly towards foreigners appeared and was enthusiastically explaining things.

I couldn't understand the nuance, but he said something like, "It came under the influence of various countries, first the Netherlands, then Koxinga, then the Qing Dynasty, then Japan, and although it lost the war and abandoned Taiwan..." He suddenly said, "But, in reality, it belongs to Japan." The guide said it clearly, with conviction and a sharp gaze. However, it seemed like he was being careful not to let too many people hear him. Perhaps he said it because I was Japanese, and because the person giving the explanation was also Japanese.

In explanation, Japan relinquished Taiwan in the Potsdam Declaration, but the destination of its ownership was not specified. Only a news release stated that Taiwan became part of China, but it was just a news release, and they are simply stating it. The fact is that the destination of ownership is not clearly defined. This is also written on the homepage of the National Diet Library.

At that point, the old man added his own opinion. "But, actually, it's Japanese." This is neither the claim that "Taiwan belongs to China," nor the assertion that "Taiwan's affiliation is undecided and it's in a floating state." This old man even said, "Its affiliation is Japan."

There was a Taiwanese person who is biased towards Japan, and they were here again.

And also, he seems like a very serious man.
I wonder if people in Japan used to be like this.

An unusual level of pro-Japan sentiment.

I can understand why Taiwan is popular.

And then, I took a walk around the surroundings.

	And then, I leave there.

There was still a little time, so I headed towards the Yeping Junwang Shrine. The taxi fare was 85 yuan (the initial fare).

	This place is dedicated to Zheng Chenggong, and it seems it was once called the Kaishanwang Shrine.

Koxinga, who aimed to restore the Ming Dynasty, which had been destroyed by the Han Chinese, was respected even under the Qing Dynasty, and during the Japanese colonial period, he was treated favorably because he had a Japanese mother. This place was once a Japanese shrine, and it was even the only shrine of its kind overseas.

This place was under construction, so we were able to visit for half price.

	And, I was thinking of going to the National Taiwan Literature Museum, which is nearby, but on the way, there was the Temple of Confucius, so I decided to stop by there as well.

The Confucius Temple is the oldest Confucius Temple in Taiwan, and it is said that people gather there in the early morning to practice Tai Chi under the banyan tree. Now, the number of people is sparse.

	Next to the Meiren-do building, there is a single person reading a book.

	There are many difficult-looking characters inside.

The way you look when you are reading a book is somehow cool.

	A three-tiered pagoda with an octagonal Munshōkak (pavilion).

And then, leaving the Confucius Temple, we headed towards the National Taiwan Literature Museum.

	The National Taiwan Literature Museum has an amazing building. Suddenly, a magnificent building appears, and you are taken aback.

It seems that renovation and extension work was carried out until 2004.

It seems that the construction work was very difficult in order not to damage the architecture of that time.

Originally built in 1916, it was used as the Tainan Prefectural Office at that time. After the war, it was used as the Air Force Command Headquarters, and then again as an office in Tainan. Now, it is a museum of literature.

Inside, there were various forms of literature, from the Dutch colonial period to the Japanese colonial period and the present day. Audio guides in Japanese are also available for rent (free of charge), which help with understanding the content.

What was particularly impressive was the literature from the period of Japanese rule.

The literature depicted how Japanese rule was strengthened through the construction of railways, and literature that described the feelings of traveling from rural areas to the city by train. There was also literature that depicted the feelings of being conscripted into the war, literature that depicted the event of local people resisting Japanese rule and rebelling, and literature that depicted the feelings of being conscripted into the Japanese army and going to war. Basically, these were sad stories, and some of them were tear-inducing. On the other hand, since this is a literature museum, if we don't introduce the fact that there were also people who had dreams of war and fought as soldiers of the Japanese Imperial Army with the spirit of Yamato, this exhibition would be biased. If we were to introduce both sides, but here, in Taiwan, which has been under the long-term rule of the Kuomintang, is this exhibition the limit? There was no literature here written by a very pro-Japanese old man, like the one I saw earlier.

Taiwan Longitudinal Railway.

A work that describes how Japan, while laying railway tracks, governed Taiwan.

If Japan had not ruled, and the United States had ruled instead, Taiwan might still be living a poor life, just like the Philippines under American rule. The Philippines were not even taught how to make pencils. At the very least, the options were limited, and during that era of colonial competition, ideals would not have been realized as ideals. The world of literature continued to shine, depicting ideals that could not be seen.

The time is getting close to the train's departure time, so I headed towards the station. I stopped at a MOS Burger to fill my stomach, picked up my luggage, and then boarded the train.

It takes about 40 minutes to travel from Tainan to Chiayi. In Chiayi, I intended to reserve a ticket for the Alishan Railway for tomorrow, but the ticket office is only open from 8 AM to 5 PM, so I cannot buy a ticket. The Alishan Railway has a regular service around 1 PM and a special service around 9 AM, but according to the information at the station, there will be no special service tomorrow.

If that is the case, we will take the bus to go there. I would like to take the mountain railway on the way back, so I will try to buy tickets tomorrow. I was able to successfully book tickets for the 9:10 AM bus. It seems to have seat reservations, but it doesn't seem very crowded. However, I don't know how many people will be coming in the morning. There are 5 buses, so it probably won't be that crowded, right? It's New Year's, but... Maybe it's because it's a weekday, or maybe it's because it's not as much of a holiday as the Lunar New Year.

And, I went to the nearby 7-Eleven to get some cash, and then took a taxi to the hotel. The initial fare was 100 yuan, and the price remained the same until I arrived. This is also a good hotel. The front desk is as new and clean as the hotel I stayed at before. And, there are sufficient amenities in the room.

Since breakfast is included, I plan to have a leisurely breakfast tomorrow and then take a bus to Alishan.

Alishan's giant trees.

Today, I woke up at 7:00 and had breakfast at the hotel. This Chiayi Zhongxin Grand Hotel has good facilities and the service level is satisfactory. It seems that there are other locations in Taiwan as well, since it is a chain hotel. If I have the opportunity next time, I would like to consider it as an option.

I had a buffet-style meal and then returned to my room to pack my belongings before leaving.

Take a taxi to the station. The initial fare is 100 yuan. It takes a relatively short time to get there.

First, I went to the ticket counter for the Alishan railway and tried to buy a return ticket for tomorrow, but it seems that return tickets need to be purchased at the station on the other side. I was not able to buy it here.

When I was near the ticket counter, several touts invited me to join a tour of Alishan. They also offered information about hotels. They asked me if I wanted to see the dam along the way. However, they gave up when they found out that I had already booked both the bus and the hotel.

Looking around, I see that there are also several other people trying to attract customers. It seems that today is not during the peak New Year's season, and it's a weekday, so there are hardly any crowds. If that's the case, I probably wouldn't have needed a reservation. Thinking about it, it's winter now, so there probably isn't much demand for "escaping the heat."

The bus departs on time. The bus is not very crowded. I haven't bought the return ticket yet, but if the crowding on the way there is like this, even if I can't take the mountain railway, it seems unlikely that I will be unable to take the bus and be unable to return.

	The car leaves the city and soon enters the mountains.

In any case, this bus seems to operate under the basic principle of lane-straddling driving common in Asia. It's a bit scary to look ahead. The Ford car in front is slow, and the bus is about to overtake it. Of course, the bus loses in acceleration, but it's winning in curves. Speaking of something different, this Ford car is quite stylish. It has a beauty that Japanese cars don't have. The blue car with the "18" logo that I saw the other day was also very cool. I'm starting to want a Ford car.

The bus is traveling along a mountain road. It seems to have climbed quite a bit. A mountain range stretches out into the distance.

And, the bus stopped temporarily at a gate just before Alishan Station. It seems that you need to pay the entrance fee here. Apparently, this includes insurance, so you need to keep it and not lose it.

Each person gets off the bus and pays the entrance fee of 150 yuan at the payment counter right next to the door. After receiving the receipt, they return to the bus. When getting on, show the receipt to the staff at the entrance and then take your seat.

And then, the bus started moving again, and finally arrived at Alishan Station.

It is said that Alishan, 250 years ago, was named after a hunting ground of a chief named Abari of the Tsou (Cao) tribe, who came from Datong to the current Alishan area for hunting. He is said to have named the place Alishan after himself.

This place is apparently about 2170 meters above sea level. I'm feeling slightly sleepy, which might be a symptom of mild altitude sickness. It seems to be due to the rapid ascent of more than 2000 meters. I should try to drink more water.

After getting off the bus, I decided to go to the hotel first to put my luggage down. When I asked at the information center, it seems to be very close, just a short walk away. As I went down the stairs, I saw a decent-looking hotel.

	Well, it's not bad for being in the mountains. The room is, well, okay, I guess. There is a grandmother who can speak Japanese. She is very fluent.

After putting my luggage in the room, I received an explanation about the promenade from my grandmother, and also information about the early morning sunrise viewing at Chukyo-san tomorrow. Apparently, there are few visitors during this season, so there is only one round trip of the train to Chukyo-san. The time to wake up, the departure time of the mountain railway for the sunrise viewing, and the time of the sunrise were all written on the clock in front of the reception desk. Hmm.

Tomorrow, I have to wake up at 5:00 AM. However, that is 6:00 AM in Japan time, so it's not much different from my usual wake-up time.

And I go for a walk.

And, when I started climbing the stairs, I felt nauseous after 30 seconds. This is bad. Every time I move, I always feel this way. However, I know from experience that it gradually becomes easier if I move slowly.

Shorten your stride and move forward half a step at a time. Quite slowly.

Go onto the car road, and proceed along the pedestrian path.

I went to a station of a mountain railway.

	The view from the station.

	Suddenly, a train came from the opposite direction. A train that comes very rarely, a small number of trains.

The railway tracks are also aging to a certain extent.

	Drive on the road and head towards the walking path that the grandmother told me about. I was supposed to be following the path that my grandmother told me about, but somehow, I ended up going in the opposite direction. Oh no. I couldn't find the branching point. I was supposed to go around Numahira Station, but I ended up going past it later.

However, even so, it is not actually possible, so it goes in reverse. Pass by the Alishan Hotel, and turn from near the Alishan Workshop towards the Giant Tree Group Trail.

	While descending the stairs, I saw in front of me what is called the "elephant's trunk tree," a tree stump that looks like an elephant's trunk.

What you can see beyond that is what is called the "Sandai-ki," a 1500-year-old tree. The first generation tree fell, and the second generation sprouted on top of it, and then the third generation sprouted on top of the second generation. They are lined up side by side.

It is truly on a large scale.

When I went to Yakushima a long time ago, I also thought that large cedar trees are amazing things. The size cannot be understood from the photos, so the "size" may not be conveyed unless you see the real thing.

	There is a company.

Beyond that, there was a Paulownia tree that was said to be a thousand years old. Although its name is "thousand years," it is said to be 2000 years old. This is also very neat. In the photo, the size is not conveyed.

And then, as you go down the wooden walkway, a surprisingly large cedar tree appears right in front of Jiyun-ji Temple.

This is amazing. Although the Jomon Sugi seems to have a larger estimated age, it is still a magnificent and impressive tree that is either equal to or surpasses it in terms of presence.

Personally, I prefer the atmosphere of Yakushima, as it gives a feeling that "monsters might be lurking," but even so, here in Taiwan, Taiwan is showing us those magnificent cedar trees.

Here, you can only see cedar trees that are at most 2000 years old. However, according to my memory, there should be cedar trees in Taiwan that are older than the Yakusugi cedar trees.

Alishan Xianglin Giant Trees.

For a short walk, this is more than enough. It's like "Yakusugi Land" in Yakushima.
	Alishan Xianglin Giant Trees.

	Even if humans try to form a circle by holding hands, wouldn't it require 4 or 5 people? Alishan Xianglin Giant Trees.
Alishan Xianglin Giant Trees.

And then, I moved back a little, and continued walking further into the pier. If I had gone down to this platform first, I think I wouldn't have been able to see the giant cedar tree I saw earlier, and that would have been dangerous.

	From this boardwalk, you can see many large cedar trees.

	A giant cedar tree.

	Compared to the size of a person, its enormous size is immediately apparent. However, it is quite difficult to convey the "size" in a photograph.

In a photograph, you can understand the size of something by comparing it to the size of a person, but that is completely different from seeing a cedar tree in person and feeling its overwhelming presence. It is truly the case that "a hundred hearings are not equal to one seeing."

	When the platform was completed, a railway station called Kamiki Station appeared there. It seems that, although the distance between here and Alishan Station is short, there are several round trips of trains every day, and several groups of people were taking the mountain railway from here back to Alishan Station.

From there, I continued along the "second" section of the giant tree boardwalk, passing through the scenic trail and Numahira Station (train station), and walked back to Alishan Station. However, in hindsight, I felt that the best option would have been to take the mountain railway from Shenmu Station back to Alishan Station.

In summary, if Alishan Station is the starting and ending point, the recommended course is as follows:

Ali Mountain Station → In front of Ali Mountain Hotel → At the narrow road near Ali Mountain Work Office → Elephant Trunk Tree & Three-Generation Tree → Pass in front of the Ali Mountain Highland Training Base → There is a building (?), but we will see it on the way back, so proceed straight for now → Ciyun Temple → Jingu Monument → Ali Mountain Xianglin Giant Tree → Thousand-Year Tung Tree (next to the building) → Giant Group of Elevated Walkways → Giant Tree Station → Take the mountain railway back to Ali Mountain Station (be careful as the trains are infrequent).
※ You can take a taxi to the area in front of the Elephant Tree and the Third Generation Tree. There are no attractions before that point.
*If your starting point is Zhuoshan Station instead of Alishan Station, please only refer to the section from Elephant's Trunk Tree & Sandai Tree onwards.

I have not seen Numabara Park, so I cannot make a judgment about it. However, I felt that if I could see "Part 1" of the Giant Tree Group Promenade, that would be enough, and I didn't feel the need to go out of my way to see "Part 2." "Part 2" is also quite impressive, but even just "Part 1" is enough to fully appreciate its amazingness.

And I, following the route described as "Part 2" above, headed towards Numata Station. Gradually, the fog became thicker.

Taking a short break and continuing on. Perhaps due to fatigue, I'm starting to feel sleepy. When I doze off, the sweat dries and I start to feel cold. If this continues, I'll get too cold, so I start walking again.

Suddenly, an elementary school appeared right in front of me.

I'm surprised to see an elementary school in such a remote mountain area. By the way, I remember that the Alishan Highland Training Base, which I saw earlier, had a sign that said "elementary school," but it also had a sign that said "middle school" at the same time.

Pass in front of the elementary school and walk on the sidewalk, then cross the pond.

	Next to the elementary school, there is a temple like this. Here again, the fog is approaching. Walking in the midst of increasingly dense fog.

And then, I arrived at Numabara Station.

I thought there might be a taxi waiting in front of Numaping Station, but there were few people, and not many cars were parked in the parking lot in front of the station. I thought, "Well, I guess there's nothing I can do about it," and decided to walk along the route to Alishan Station.

Drive on the road, and keep going downhill.

Indeed, it was wise to return by the mountain railway from the Kamikō Station.

And finally, we arrived at Alishan Station.

I decided to buy some souvenirs at the shops that are spread out in front of the station.

This is a high altitude area, and it seems like they are also producing tea.

A long time ago, when I visited Yakushima, the tea I bought there was very well-received, so I was a little interested in trying the tea here, which has a similar atmosphere. While I was looking at the tea, even though I was the only one there, someone offered to pour me some tea. It seems they want me to try it.

I was tired and wanted to drink tea, so I gratefully received it.

I tried two types of tea: oolong tea and green tea. The oolong tea has a cleaner taste, but I still prefer the aroma of the green tea. My parents basically drink green tea, and they don't usually drink oolong tea, so I'll choose the green tea. It costs 500 yuan (1750 yen) for 150g, which is about 1150 yen for 100g. If I compare it to the green tea I usually drink from Shizuoka, which costs 1200 yen for 100g and is considered a "slightly delicious" grade, I wonder what kind of impression I'll get.

Previously, when I bought tea from Yakushima, even 100 grams for 500 yen was the most delicious, I thought.

It had a slight bitterness, so it's probably a grade similar to Shizuoka tea, which costs around 1200 to 1500 yen for 100 grams.

At that store, I also obtained souvenirs for my colleagues at the company. Now, almost all my worries have disappeared.

And then, I return to the hotel.

I asked if I could order dinner at the hotel, and they said it could be provided for 200 yuan. It's surprisingly cheap. Apparently, there's a price list of 400 yuan for two people, but since it's just me, it's half price. Considering that the amount of effort involved doesn't change much even for one meal, this price seems like a good deal.

It says that I need to order at the front desk 30 minutes before. So, I specify the time and order there, and pay. In Japan, it seems that the basic style is to settle the bill at check-out, but here in Taiwan, it seems that the style of paying at the time of order is more common.

And after relaxing in the room, it was time for dinner, so I went to the restaurant.

This was a surprisingly good meal.

The seasoning is exquisite. It's as if it's taking into consideration that I am Japanese. The vegetables and wild plants are fresh, and I could eat them endlessly. The simmered bamboo shoots have a Japanese-style flavor and are very delicious. Even a simple stir-fry, the moistness of the cabbage clings to your mouth, and you can't stop eating, wanting another bite, and another bite. Of course, the main dish is a hot pot filled with a lot of ingredients. The seasoning is based on salt, with a slight Taiwanese-style flavor (like stinky tofu).

Even so, the Taiwanese-style seasoning is very mild, and even for me, a Japanese person, it is very delicious. The meat is refreshing, the kamaboko (fish cake) is fresh, the chikuwa (fish cake) has a good texture, and there are also things that look like shrimp tempura, but they are also very moist and have almost no greasiness. What a wonderful combination. I ate so much that I didn't think I could eat this much, and I ended up filling my stomach. It may also be because I was tired from walking for a long time, but it has been a long time since I have eaten this much.

Thinking back, the faucet in the bathroom also had Japanese writing that said "Karan ← Shower →". And the bathtub seemed to be in a Japanese style. I feel like this hotel is perhaps very fond of Japan. Also, the grandmother speaks fluent Japanese.

The only negative point is that the heating in the rooms and restaurants is not very effective. I was fine because I was wearing a lot of clothes, but it might be cold if you are wearing thin clothes. However, there is an electric blanket on the bed, so it probably won't be cold at night.

And after finishing the meal, I return to the room.

Tomorrow, I am going to see the sunrise. I will receive a wake-up call at 4:50 AM, arrive at the station at 5:50 AM, and the mountain railway will depart at 6:00 AM. I will watch the sunrise at the sunrise viewing platform. After that, the return mountain railway departs at 7:30 AM, so I will take that train back to Alishan Station.

There is also the option of walking back, but I think I will decide whether to do that or not tomorrow morning after checking how cold it is in the morning.

Alishan's sunrise.

Today, I woke up at 5:00 AM to see the sunrise from Jade Mountain, which is considered a new high mountain. Then, I took the mountain railway to Zhu Shan.

Originally, I had trouble sleeping well last night and woke up several times. Perhaps it was because of the high altitude? I woke up a little before the morning call and got ready to leave.

The thermometer in front of the lodging showed 1 degree Celsius. It's not as cold as I expected. In fact, it was colder when I woke up several times last night.

This morning, I was most concerned about the cold weather, but it seems this will be alright.

	Leave the hotel at 6:30 and take the mountain railway, which departs at 7:00. It seems that the time displayed on the hotel clock was 10 minutes earlier than the actual time, giving a sense of ease.

Gradually, people start to gather.

	Even in the still dark, the mountain railway begins to run. It's a loud noise. Is it diesel? While it was dark outside and visibility was poor, I ran for a while, about 20 minutes, and arrived at Shukuyama Station.

By the time we arrived, the sky was already faintly bright.

	There was an observation deck right in front of the station, where you could watch the sunrise.

However, most people do not go there, but instead drive and walk up to the Kanjidai observation platform via the road and stairs. I will also go with you regarding that matter.

	The brochure stated 20 minutes, but if you have enough energy, it's a distance that can be reached in less time.

The scenery before dawn is so beautiful.

	From this observation platform, I am waiting for sunrise.

It is gradually becoming brighter.

	The appearance of the mountains is also gradually becoming visible.

This observation platform seems to be at an altitude of 2500 meters.

Over there, you can also see Mount Jade, which is a so-called new high mountain.

Climb Mount Shinkoyama.
Niitakayama, climb it.

That code is echoing in my head. Was it about the attack on Pearl Harbor?

This Mount Jade is 3952 meters high, and it seems to be the highest peak in East Asia.
This is not all; there are also 20 mountains that exceed an altitude of 3500 meters.

In the past, people of the Tsou tribe who lived in this area called Mount Jade "Patunkuan," and a phonetic approximation "Batongguan" was added to it. During the Qing Dynasty period, it became known as "Yushan." Later, during the Japanese colonial era, it was referred to as "Shintaka-yama," meaning "a mountain higher than Fuji in the new territory." According to reports, Emperor Meiji named it that. After World War II, it was restored to its original name, Yushan.

Unlike Mount Fuji, which has a beautiful appearance, this new mountain shows a rugged and imposing face.

The sunrise is about to come soon. Light illuminates the clouds, creating a path of light. The mountains in the distance are already illuminated by light.

	And it's sunrise! Touching. A fantastic drama of light.

The sunrise advances very quickly. After a streak of light appeared, a round shape gradually emerged. Second by second, the light gradually becomes stronger.

	And, the surrounding mountains also begin to shine in the sunlight. Wonderful.

At the end of my trip to Taiwan, I didn't expect to see such a view.

	The weather, at the very last moment, became so clear and bright. I am satisfied.

And then, take the mountain railway again to return to Alishan Station.

	It still seems like a diesel engine.

After returning to Alishan Station, I tried to buy a return ticket, but it seemed like there was still some time before sales started, so I ate fried rice at a stall-like place in front of the station. It seems that fried rice rarely disappoints.

After that, I went to buy a return train ticket and was able to purchase it without any problems. I sighed in relief. It seems there was still plenty of time.

And then, I will return to the hotel once.

I feel better now that I've gone for a walk, but check-out time is approaching. First, I need to pack my belongings.

After packing your luggage, leave the hotel.

I still had a little time, so I watched the introductory DVD at the visitor center. Since there were no other viewers besides me, the staff kindly showed it in Japanese.

Apparently, there was a sacred tree with an age of 3000 years next to the Kamiki Station that I visited recently. It had been gradually dying due to the effects of several lightning strikes, and for safety reasons, it was felled in recent years. I see. It seems I missed it last time. There is a fallen tree there.

Old train station.

And then I spent more time at Starbucks. Still, it's amazing that there's a Starbucks even in the mountains like this. When I ordered my drink, they gave me a cake with it. That's good service. They also carried items up to the second floor for me.

	After relaxing at Starbucks, I will have lunch nearby. This is also delicious. It seems that the seasoning of Alishan is to my liking.

And then, finally, the mountain train.

	Again, there are few people present. Did you worry about anything?

It is moving forward with a considerable roaring sound.

	The first station is Kamiki Station, where a god tree that I missed seeing recently is located. Is this the sacred tree...? It has fallen down. That's a shame.

	A divine tree that has been tragically felled, and a train station. Perhaps, is it because artificial structures were built nearby?

And the train slowly descends the slope.

	With 25 people in each car, and a total of 4 cars, this train descended a steep slope with considerable shaking.

The smoke is terrible, but it's good sometimes.

And I arrived at Chiayi Station, and took a train to Taipei one departure earlier than my reservation to start heading home. At this point, there was someone already sitting in my seat due to a double booking, but perhaps because I am a traveler, they gave me their seat. The people of Taiwan are kind.

And it took a long time to get to Taipei.

	This evening, I will be staying at the Da Ming Commercial Building (Taipei Main Station Branch) on the 19th floor. The view is nice.

And the next day, I went to the airport by an early morning bus and started my journey home. (125 yuan) Taiwan is complex and has overlapping cultural spheres, but I wanted to be a good friend.

■ Aside

When I was leaving, I got off the limousine bus at Shinjuku Station. As soon as my luggage came out of the trunk, a suspicious man tried to take away my bag. The man was stopped by an employee, and I reached for my bag to prevent him from taking it. After giving the ticket to the employee, they checked it and returned the bag to me, so thankfully nothing happened.

After that, I watched the man for a long time, but he eventually left without carrying any luggage. It seemed like there were two of them, and one was pulling a suitcase. And it wasn't even remotely similar to my bag. The color and shape are completely different. Could this be stolen goods...?

I had heard that limousine buses are very strict about luggage handling and ticket verification, but even so, my situation was dangerous. I almost had my luggage stolen.

It is shocking to be in a foreign country and have nothing, and then suddenly feel like you might get attacked at Shinjuku Station. One must not let their guard down.

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Topic: 台湾

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