Kelly Chen’s Century Wedding: A Lucky Mini-Trip to Tainan

By / Scenic Spots Family (compiled and reported)

In a joint letter from AKIRA and Lin Chi-ling, they explained why they chose Tainan: “In my childhood memories, Chi-ling and her brother, relatives, and little friends ran through the paths of my mother’s ancestral home’s shrine in all seasons. This place carries happy times with family and is full of cherished memories for Chi-ling’s parents.”

Lin Chi-ling’s father’s hometown is in Houpi, Tainan. Jingliao Old Street still has shops from various trades in the early days, many of which have been around for over a hundred years, telling stories of a prosperous past. On this street, you can get everything needed for a wedding. It’s thus nicknamed the “Dowry Street.” There’s also the century-old residence of the female lead Chen Jialing from the hit drama “The Making of an Ordinary Woman,” the well-known Tainan Municipal Historic Site “Jindexing Pharmacy.” When hungry, you can enjoy local rice served during harvest season and the popular old-fashioned banana ice cream at “Hexing Ice Department,” a favorite spot for nostalgic dating.

Tainan is the earliest developed city in Taiwan and has many well-preserved buildings from the Japanese colonial era, which coincides with the Japan-Taiwan union of Lin Chi-ling and AKIRA.

Among them, the “Tainan Art Museum, Hall 1,” chosen for the wedding, was jointly repurposed and expanded by architect Shi Zhaoyong and the Japanese firm Shigeru Ban Architects. It incorporates symbols of Tainan culture along with Japanese spatial philosophy. The building itself is the Tainan Municipal Historic Site “Former Tainan Police Station,” built in 1931, designed by Miezuwa Setsuo, a local technician from Tainan Prefecture who later designed the Eslite Department Store. It features an eclectic Art Deco style and is one of the few remaining police station buildings preserved in Taiwan.

Not only is Hall 1 popular, but Tainan Art Museum, Hall 2, also attracts attention with its design—a pure yet bold pentagonal form inspired by Tainan’s iconic phoenix flowers. The interior consists of vertically stacked and staggered square spaces, creating flexible and free-flowing visiting routes. It’s one of the hottest check-in spots this year. Moreover, both museums are located in the historic core area rich in cultural heritage, forming a complete cluster of exhibition venues alongside the National Museum of Taiwan Literature, Confucius Temple, Judicial Museum, and Eslite Department Store. These sites are not only intellectually enriching but also new landmarks for creative photography, making them must-visit cultural hotspots for anyone traveling to Tainan.