Chiayi KANO Story House: Transport Yourself Back to the Real Movie Scenes

▲ Alishan Forest Recreation Village in Chiayi served as the filming location for Coach Kondo’s dormitory in *KANO*, and has now been transformed into the KANO Story House. (Photo / Courtesy ofAlishan Forest Recreation Village’s Facebook fan page)

Tourism Center / Comprehensive Report

The Taiwanese box office hit *KANO* surpassed NT$300 million, and although most theaters have stopped screening it, the film’s shooting locations remain popular destinations. The Chiayi City Business District Culture Promotion Association has set up the KANO Story House at “Alishan Forest Recreation Village,” the filming site of Coach Kondo’s dormitory in the movie. Since its opening on April 30, the venue has offered free admission for a full month, allowing visitors to relive the inspiring scenes once again.

▲ Alishan Forest Recreation Village in Chiayi was the filming location for Coach Kondo’s dormitory in *KANO*. (Photo / Courtesy ofChiayi City Business District Culture Promotion Association’s Facebook fan page)

The KANO Story House is located within the Japanese-era staff dormitory complex at Alishan Forest Recreation Village, where a large movie still has been installed outside Dormitory T21. Inside the house, you’ll find Japanese-era student uniforms, electric fans, bicycles, various vintage furnishings, as well as a tourist map for the KANO story trail. Stepping inside feels like entering the movie set and traveling back to the Japanese colonial period.

The KANO Story House was funded and built entirely through private efforts, without applying for any official subsidies. The organizers say that while Taipei has the Taipei Story House to narrate the history of Taipei City, the Chiayi KANO Story House tells the story of Chiayi Agricultural School and the origins of baseball in Chiayi. The Story House is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and volunteer guides are available on-site.