Taiwan's first Shinto shrine Tanabata Festival experience – a Japanese-style dating itinerary

By MOOK Scenic Spots Editorial Team

Located in Tongxiao Township, Miaoli, there is one of only two remaining Tongxiao Shrines in the country. This unique structure built during the Japanese colonial period has now become an important local tourist attraction. In 2016, the "Tongxiao Shrine Tanabata Festival" was first launched to great acclaim, not only combining traditional Japanese historical architecture with Valentine’s Day but also featuring a fusion feast of Taiwanese and Japanese cuisine. This year, the local government has expanded the event, which will be grandly held on August 26 and 27, with arrangements for food tasting, wood carving performances, and free yukata (casual kimono) experiences.

The shrine’s Tanabata Festival activities blend Taiwanese and Japanese features, featuring traditional Japanese cultural elements such as the shamisen (a three-stringed instrument), Japanese dance, and yukata experiences, as well as Taiwanese traditional foods and culture including flowing noodles, sesame oil chicken, fried rice, and live performances like Nangka singing and jazz music.

This year’s event is divided into three main zones: the Tongxiao Shrine main activity area, the Hutou Mountain Fort activity area, and the Cihui Temple activity area. The main activity area specially features displays and sales of Tongxiao rushes and wood carvings, and invites local wood carving masters to demonstrate their craft on-site.

Since the animated film "Your Name" became a hit, the scenery of the Tongxiao Shrine in Miaoli has also sparked a tourism boom, attracting many visitors to take photos. Strolling up the shrine steps under the dappled light and shade of the trees feels like stepping into a scene from "Your Name." The site includes many historical relics such as the shrine office, the first torii gate, the hand-washing pavilion, the approach path, stone lanterns, the second torii gate, the worship hall, the offering hall, and the main hall.

【Info】
Tongxiao Shrine Tanabata Festival
Event location: No. 8, Zhongzheng Road, Tongxiao Township, Miaoli County (Hutou Mountain Park)
Event dates: August 26 and 27, 2017