What It Is

Jiufen is a former gold-mining settlement stacked up a mountainside above the northeast coast, in Ruifang District, New Taipei City. Mining stopped in 1971; the terraced streets and stepped alleys survived and were repopulated by tea houses and souvenir shops from the 1990s. Its best-known feature is Jishan Street (基山街), a covered, lantern-strung stairway lined with food stalls, and the tiered wooden teahouse fronts on Shuqi Road (豎崎路) overlooking the valley. A persistent but inaccurate claim ties it to the film Spirited Away; the studio has denied any direct connection, though the resemblance of the lantern-lit night scene is the reason the town draws the crowds it does.

Getting There

Train + bus: TRA northbound from Taipei Main Station to Ruifang Station — NT$73, ~30 min express / ~50 min local. From Ruifang Station, walk ~200m to the bus stop and take bus 788 or 827 to Jiufen Old Street, ~20 min, ~NT$15.

Direct bus: Taiwan Tourist Shuttle Bus 965 runs to Jiufen and Jinguashi from Banqiao Bus Station, Wanhua Railway Station, MRT Ximen and MRT Beimen, ~NT$90.

From Songshan: Bus 1062 from MRT Songshan Station goes direct to the Jiufen Old Street stop, no transfer.

What to See

Jishan Street (基山街) — the main covered market stairway; taro balls, fish ball soup, and souvenir stalls the length of it.

Shuqi Road (豎崎路) — the steep cross-street of stacked teahouses; the view down it, lantern-strung, is the town's signature photograph.

阿妹茶樓 Amei Teahouse — 市下巷20號. The most photographed building in Jiufen, red lanterns over a multi-tier wooden facade. Published hours are inconsistent between listings; confirm same-day rather than relying on a posted schedule.

昇平戲院 Shengping Theater — Taiwan's oldest cinema, opened under Japanese rule; now a small free museum on the mining town's boom years.

芋圓 taro balls — the town's characteristic snack, served hot or cold with sweet syrup; stalls along Jishan Street sell versions from NT$50–70 a bowl.

Crowds: Jishan Street and Shuqi Road become a single-file shuffle on weekend afternoons and evenings. Arrive on a weekday, or before 10:00, to walk it at a normal pace.

Sources: TRA and Taiwan Tourist Shuttle route/fare listings; Jiufen visitor guides (Nickkembel Travels, Taiwanderers, GoWithGuide). Checked 21 Aug 2026.