The "Flower Blooms Waiting for You Sushi Relay" at Xinyi Township’s Plum Dream Factory Brings Creative Flair

Plum blossoms at the Plum Dream Factory are blooming sporadically, captivating visitors who take photos with their phones. (Photo by Shen Huisheng)

By the 14th, close-up shots of plum blossoms were already being taken by visitors. (Photo by Shen Huisheng)

Sporadic plum blossoms at the Plum Dream Factory. (Photo by Shen Huisheng)

The Plum Dream Factory in Xinyi Township, Nantou County, has strong appeal—even when events are hit by heavy rain, attendance still skyrockets. (Photo by Shen Huisheng)

The Nantou County Government and Xinyi Township Farmers’ Association have been hosting an annual thousand-person crisp plum-making event every April, which is not only popular but has also become a signature marketing event for green plums. Known for its creative marketing, the Plum Dream Factory has recently come up with another unique idea: launching the first-ever "Plum Sushi Relay" on the opening day of the plum blossom viewing season on the 23rd. The event is expected to attract at least 500 participants, with hopes of making it an annual year-end industry highlight for the township starting next year.

Zhang Shengzheng, head of the Plum Dream Factory at Xinyi Township Farmers’ Association, explained that the inaugural Plum Sushi Relay will feature ingredients from both Xinyi Township and Jiji Town, combining the flesh of Xinyi’s crisp plums as the base, paired with the so-called "gem among fruits"—Jiji’s red pitaya—to create a fruity sushi rice, along with other ingredients such as Jiji’s mountain bananas, once served to Japanese emperors.

The event is scheduled for Saturday the 23rd at the Plum Dream Factory. It will be divided into two sessions, each with a maximum capacity of 330 people. Participation is by reservation only, with a registration fee of NT$100 per person. In addition to joining the "Plum Sushi Relay," participants will receive a food voucher worth NT$160. Those who register on-site on the day will also pay NT$100, but the food voucher will be reduced to NT$80.

Zhang Shengzheng stated that around 150 people have already registered, and he estimates that attendance will exceed 500, possibly even more. If the two sessions cannot accommodate everyone, a third session will be added.

Since the value of the reserved food vouchers exceeds the registration fee, Zhang believes the number of participants could surpass expectations—possibly even reaching a thousand.

The Plum Dream Factory enjoys strong credibility and appeal. This year’s thousand-person crisp plum-making event saw record attendance despite heavy rain. If the "Plum Sushi Relay" attracts over a thousand participants, it could very well become the township’s signature year-end event in the future.

Currently, plum blossoms in various viewing areas across Xinyi Township are blooming sporadically—some trees have five or eight blooms, while others have over a hundred, though not yet enough to draw crowds specifically for plum blossom viewing. The official plum blossom viewing season kicks off on the 23rd, with the "Plum Sushi Relay" opening registration immediately. For inquiries, call 049-2791949 or visit https://goo.gl/forms/u2P0feVrrsfD5EK93.