Railway-Themed Anime Base: Hsinchu’s First “Taiwan Anime Dream Factory” to Open in May

▲ To celebrate the May opening of Heshing Station within the “Taiwan Anime Dream Factory,” Hsinchu County Government will host a cosplay romantic parade at the station, inviting cosplayers to join the fun. (Photo / Courtesy ofHsinchu County ing Fan Page)

Tourism Center / Comprehensive Report

Once facing demolition, the Hsinchu Neiwan Branch Line has been transformed into an anime paradise. Taiwan’s first “Taiwan Anime Dream Factory,” which combines local Hsinchu features such as railways, Hakka culture, and hot springs, has nearly completed its facilities. Among them, Heshing Station, famous for its “Chasing the Train” love story, is also set to open to the public in May.

The Neiwan Branch Line was once an important transportation artery in Taiwan, but in recent years it has gradually declined and faced demolition. Thanks to the efforts of cartoonist Liu Hsing-chin, who hails from Neiwan and is known for his work “Ah-san-ge and Auntie Po,” along with local advocates, the Neiwan Branch Line has been transformed into an anime base. The goal is to revitalize local tourism through manga. Characters created by Liu Hsing-chin, such as Ah-san-ge and Auntie Po, have long been integrated with Neiwan, becoming cultural icons and tourism mascots of the area.

▲ Heshing Station is no longer in use, and its old station building and platform have been converted into a leisure park. (Photo / Courtesy of Wikipedia)

To celebrate the revival of Heshing Station, Hsinchu County Government will hold a series of events for the International Anime Art Festival in May: On May 3rd from 9:00 AM to 1:30 PM, there will be a “Puppet Parade” at Neiwan Station; on May 10th from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, a “COSPLAY Romantic Parade” will take place at Heshing Station, inviting cosplayers from across Taiwan to dress up as their favorite romantic interests from anime and celebrate together; on May 11th from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM, the “Taiwan COSPLAY Super Festival,” the first national competition held after Taiwan became an official member of the World Cosplay Summit (WCS), will feature classic manga artist Yoshiko Yamaguchi, creator of “Candy Candy,” and top cosplayers from across Taiwan gathering in Hsinchu.

Chen Hong-ming, chairman of the “Taiwan COSPLAY Art Promotion Association,” stated that the World Cosplay Summit is the world’s premier annual cosplay competition, with top cosplayers from over 20 countries competing for the championship each year. As the Taiwan regional preliminaries, the Taiwan COSPLAY Super Festival adheres to the same world-class standards in all competition details, including costume judging and performance criteria. Additionally, the winning team selected on May 11th will represent Taiwan at the World Cosplay Summit in Japan, embarking on a journey to conquer the global cosplay scene starting from Hsinchu.

“COSPLAY Romantic Parade” Event

Time:May 10th
Location:Heshing Train Station Anime Park, Neiwan Line, Hsinchu County
Address:No. 17, Section 1, Zhongshan Street, Hengshan Township, Hsinchu County
Registration Method:Download the application form from theevent websiteor call 02-7707-2100 for inquiries
Registration Deadline:From now until May 5th (originally only open until April 22nd, the organizer has extended the registration period)
Fee:Free