Chiayi City Historical Relic Museum, East District, Chiayi City, Taiwán
In addition to the Alishan railway, another precious historic building to have been left in Chiayi from the Japanese colonial period is the ruins of a Shinto shrine in Chiayi Park. However, because the main body of the Shinto shrine was burned down by an accidental fire in 1994, the current Historical Relic Museum that stands today used to be the administrative office of the shrine. Soon after, the government renovated the building, restoring its original beauty by using Japanese-style stone lanterns, walls made out of wooden planks and a distinctive black tiled roof.
Today, many people mistakenly think it is in Japan when they see a photo of it! However, after taking off your shoes and going inside, the exhibitions on show are related to historical relics and urban development in Chiayi, not Japan. Although foreign tourists to Taiwan are not guaranteed to find it interesting, such is the detail of its portrayal of historical life in Chiayi, that walking through the building is, nevertheless, an atmospheric and memorable experience.
Epic Taiwan Culture & Adventure Route © Monika Newbound
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