Heavy traffic becomes a nightmare for farmers on "Brown Sugar Avenue"; EVA Air launches Chihshang sightseeing bus

▲ The Taitung Chihshang "Brown Sugar Avenue" that became an overnight sensation due to an advertisement. (Photo / Reporter Hsu Wen-pin)

Reporter Tsai Wen-jun / Comprehensive report

"Travelers, please love Chihshang with your hearts." The Brown Sugar Avenue and the tea-offering tree in Chihshang, which gained fame thanks to Takeshi Kaneshiro, have attracted countless tourists on pilgrimages. However, the overwhelming crowds have become a nightmare for local farmers. The reckless and unrestrained behavior of many visitors has damaged local farmland crops and also affected the lives of Chihshang residents. While expressing apologies to the local community, Chang Yung-fa Foundation Chairman Chang Kuo-wei also called on tourists to help preserve the beauty of Chihshang.

The straight road seems to stretch endlessly toward the sky. When the rice matures, the golden fields turn the Taitung Chihshang "Brown Sugar Avenue" into a country lane in the countryside. Coupled with the distant green mountains and the pure blue sky, such beautiful scenery never tires the eyes of visitors, attracting more and more people coming specifically for it. But in order to take photos with the scenery, many tourists even step into the rice fields, trampling on the rice ears and damaging the results of farmers' hard work over half a year, completely destroying the originally tranquil beauty of Chihshang.

▲ The influx of large crowds not only disturbs the local tranquility but also becomes a nightmare for farmers. (Photo / Gui Xiao-sun)

Chang Yung-fa Foundation Chairman Chang Kuo-wei specifically went to Taitung on the 7th to apologize to the locals for the disturbances caused by the advertisement. At the same time, to help improve local order and effectively reduce the impact on Chihshang, Chang personally promised that EVA Air’s in-flight meals on flights departing from Taiwan will prioritize using "Chihshang rice." Through EVA Air’s flight network, Taiwan’s high-quality Chihshang rice will be promoted internationally.

Additionally, starting from July 16, EVA Air will provide the Taitung County Government with ten "Chihshang Countryside Sightseeing Buses." These buses will travel between major attractions in Chihshang, making it convenient for travelers to explore the area. This move aims to encourage tourists to use the sightseeing buses and reduce the number of private vehicles, thereby improving the quality of tourism in the area. It is expected that there will be a bus every 15 to 30 minutes, and based on the user-pays principle, each passenger will be charged a fare of NT$50.

The popular "tea-offering service," regularly provided under the Terminalia catappa tree featured in Takeshi Kaneshiro’s advertisement, will also continue. During the summer vacation period (July–August), services will be offered twice daily in the morning and afternoon, as well as on weekends and national holidays starting in September.

Taitung County Magistrate Huang Jian-ting also stated that during the summer vacation, parking bans are planned to be implemented on Brown Sugar Avenue and Heaven Road. It is hoped that through traffic control, farming operations around the tea-offering tree in Chihshang can proceed smoothly. Additionally, when visitors come to Chihshang, they will be able to enjoy the vast expanse of rice fields and personally experience the peaceful and idyllic rural scenery and the car-free reality depicted in the advertisement.

% (Chang Kuo-wei, right) and Taitung County Magistrate Huang Jian-ting (left) sign an agreement to prioritize the use of Chihshang rice. (Photo / Provided by Taitung County Government)