Taipei City's MRT subway system makes it easy to explore the city, from historic tourist spots to trendy spots like the Huashan 1914 Cultural and Creative Park and the Songshan Cultural and Creative Park. The MRT also makes it easy to take a short trip to the spring-fed Beitou Hot Springs or the seaside town of Tamsui, one of Taiwan's Eight Scenic Views.

Enjoy a Day Trip to the Hot Springs Just 30 Minutes from Taipei Station

Beitou Hot Springs (Beitou Wenquan), located just a 30-minute MRT ride from Taipei Station, is a hot spring tourist destination that developed during the Japanese colonial period. It features three types of hot springs: white sulfur springs, iron sulfur springs, and blue sulfur springs. Upon exiting Xinbeitou Station, you'll see the beautiful greenery of Beitou Park, flanked by hotels and spas on both sides.



While walking through Beitou Park, you'll come across a unique wooden building. This is the Taipei Municipal Library Beitou Branch, voted one of the world's most beautiful public libraries. Further ahead is the Beitou Hot Springs Museum, the site of a public hot spring built during the Japanese colonial period. With its brick interior, staircases, bay windows, and fully tiled baths, this museum is a must-see for fans of retro architecture. While you can't enjoy the hot springs here, there is a public open-air hot spring called "Qianxiyu" within the park. As this is a mixed-gender open-air hot spring, wearing a swimsuit is mandatory. Bring your own or purchase one locally.



But I wanted to bathe in the hot springs naked. So I headed to the SPA "Shuimei Hot Springs Club." They provide bath products, so you can come empty-handed. The water here is a white sulfur spring, which is good for arthritis and dermatitis. The water in the large bath is slightly warm. There's a steam sauna and bubble bath, and rocking chairs throughout the building make for a relaxing soak. Soaking in the refreshing hot springs, I smiled with joy at having another healing option added to my collection.

An open-air seaside town and a relaxing book cafe

After refreshing in the hot springs, I headed to Xinbeitou Station. It was about a 15-minute MRT ride to Tamsui, once an important trading port for Western countries. It takes about 40 minutes from Taipei Station to Tamsui Station. Once at Tamsui Station, I was greeted by the open, seaside scenery of Tamsui Old Street, a street lined with traditional shops, and a lively promenade along the Tamsui River lined with food stalls and souvenir shops.

A friend who lives in the town recommended Tancheng Huojiao Bing, located at the end of Tamsui Old Street, as a delicious restaurant. Pepper buns are made of flour skin filled with meat paste and baked in an oven. Tancheng Huojiao Bing, which always has a line of customers, has been in business for 30 years. Since it only took three minutes for the bun to be cooked, I ordered the red meat pepper bun, a combination of pork thigh and scallion filling. The crispy skin and juicy, spicy meat filling were irresistibly delicious! I ate it, panting carefully to avoid burns.



From the old street, I headed to the promenade along the Tamsui River. My friend recommended "Ai He Book," a book cafe along the promenade, for a solo visit. "Ai He Book" is a small book cafe run by a married couple who run a publishing company. The glass doors leading to the terrace seating offer a beautiful view of the Tamsui River and Mount Guanyin on the opposite bank. This year marks the restaurant's 10th anniversary, and to commemorate it, they published a book titled "Ten Years of Arikawa." The unique paintings on display in the cafe were created by his wife, Kakuhi. Enjoy a cup of coffee surrounded by books while admiring the serene scenery. It's a relaxing moment, and you'll forget you're on a journey.



If you're strolling around Tamsui, we recommend timing your trip to coincide with the beautiful sunset. It's said to be a truly romantic experience.
>>【Vol.1】 Sample local food on your way to Taipei, from breakfast to Xiao Long Bao and sweets
>>【Vol.2】 Wander around Taipei's morning market. "Dried noodles" are a must-buy when you visit Taiwan and make a great souvenir
>>【Vol.3】 Wander around the cafes and hardware stores in Taipei's wholesale district. Tell the god of love fulfillment exactly what your ideal type is!
>>【Vol.5】Papaya juice in tropical Taiwan! Strolling around Tainan's retro streets and renovated architecture

＜DATA＞
Beitou Hot Springs Museum No. 2, Zhongshan Road, Beitou District, Taipei City
Qianxi Bath No. 6, Zhongshan Road, Beitou District, Taipei City
Shuimei Hot Springs Club No. 224, Guangming Road, Beitou District, Taipei City
Charcoal Pepper Pan No. 258, Zhongzheng Road, Tamsui District, New Taipei City
Arihe Book 2nd Floor, No. 26, Lane 5, Zhongzheng Road, Tamsui District, New Taipei City
*The published data is from March 2017. Please check for details.


Interview and photography by Mori Yukiko
Her book "Edo Everyday Items" (Heibonsha), which connects Edo and the present through tools, was published in Taiwanese as "Edo Everyday Items" (Nichigetsu Bunka Publishing) in May 2016. After the publication of his book, he became completely immersed in Taiwan during his first visit, and has since visited the country frequently. His Taiwan fever has revived his desire to learn Chinese, which he had once given up on, and this spring he even studied abroad at a university in Taipei for a short time.