Stroll through Beibu Old Street with a nostalgic heart

Photos & Text / Provided by Aoi Aoki & Sharp Point Press

Though it was my first visit, I felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity in Beibu. After a stroll, satisfy your hunger with some Hakka cuisine here.

Walk through narrow alleys to feel the history and culture

Reachable from Taipei by bus in about two and a half hours, Hsinchu’s Beibu is a great place for a day trip. It's a popular tourist destination bustling with people from Taipei on weekends, and on sunny days, it can get as lively as Tokyo’s Harajuku. This compact town is ideal for leisurely exploration, which is one of the secrets to its charm.
▲ People passing by greeted us in Japanese saying “Konnichiwa,” giving me a sense of nostalgia and closeness even though I was abroad.

The area feels somewhat like Kamakura in the suburbs of Tokyo, filled with red-brick houses and concrete walls. Wandering around here gives you that traveling vibe. The seemingly maze-like alleys may seem easy to get lost in, but don’t worry—just venture in. You’ll discover Japanese-era houses rarely seen even in Taipei, or old hand-pumped wells not commonly found in Japan. The town preserves many historic buildings that naturally evoke a nostalgic atmosphere.


▲(Left) Charming alleys like this can be found all over the place. (Right) The main streets have a hot spring resort-like feel.

Most buildings are preserved for tourism, and many are still used as residences or offices. Here, you can witness the Taiwanese efforts in recent years to protect historical and cultural heritage.


▲ Citian Temple, built in 1846, is a must-visit shrine for anyone coming to Beibu. The overall layout of the town centers around it, and no matter which alley you walk down, you’ll eventually end up back here.

When in Beibu, you should try Hakka cuisine

The local cuisine in the Beibu area is predominantly Hakka food, a traditional cuisine of the Hakka people—one of the Han Chinese subgroups originally from ancient China—and a branch of Cantonese cuisine.


▲ The serene atmosphere inside feels like dining at a friend’s home, though you might have to share a table when it’s busy.

Located next to Citian Temple, this canteen serves authentic Hakka dishes. With its over-100-year-old red brick floors and wooden-beam ceilings, the place exudes the simple charm of an old-time home. The flavorful dishes, rich in vegetables and lightly seasoned to highlight the ingredients’ natural taste, are both healthy and incredibly tasty. On weekends, you’ll see long queues of visitors from Taipei eager to try it out.


▲(Left) “Fried Tofu” (NT$130). Lightly battered and deep-fried tofu served with chili sauce. (Right) A very savory mountain vegetable dish, “Stir-Fried Goya” (Large NT$150, Small NT$120). ※Raw eggs are no longer used.

[Beibu] Beibu Canteen
DATA: map 29
Address: No. 4, Beibu Street, Beibu Township, Hsinchu County
Phone: 03-580-1156
Business Hours: 10:00–20:00, Open Daily, No Credit Cards Accepted
Over 50 healthy dishes made with thoughtfully selected ingredients

Experience and taste Hakka Lei TeaAnd its sweet flavors

Don’t just taste Beibu’s famous Lei Tea—try making it yourself. Beibu’s tea is also quite renowned. After a walk, stop by a teahouse for a sip. About a five-minute walk from Citian Temple, the teahouse “Shuijing Tea Hall” is where the tea-loving owner, Mrs. Huang, recommended a variety of fine teas including Oriental Beauty. Among them, Hakka Lei Tea is a must-try. Made by crushing nuts and tea leaves and then adding hot water, the resulting tea has a smooth, sweet taste that’s very soothing.


▲ The shop is converted from a residence, and its exterior looks no different from the surrounding houses—you might easily miss it without the sign. Inside, it has the ambiance of Japan’s Showa era.


▲ If you’re not confident making it yourself, the shop staff can prepare the Lei Tea for you. Just layer peanuts, pumpkin seeds, black and white sesame seeds, and green tea leaves, grind them into a paste, and slowly add hot water.

How to Get to Beibu

Take a bus from Taipei Bus Station bound for “Zhudong” (at the time of reporting, the bus stop was No. 215). It takes about two hours to reach Zhudong, then transfer to another bus to Beibu, which takes around 20 minutes. The fare is NT$140, with buses running approximately every 20 minutes. Alternatively, take the high-speed rail from Taipei Main Station to Hsinchu, then take a taxi for about 30 minutes.

※The above is excerpted fromThe Best of Taiwana book written by popular Japanese author Yuka Aoki, which introduces Taiwan's interesting and fun spots from a Japanese perspective and recommends many hidden gems even locals don't know about.More info~~