Summer of Glory Café & Inn – Our Old House in Hualien

Written/Compiled and Reported by the Editorial Team of MOOK Travel Life Network

Often, the most beautiful parts of a journey aren’t the sights you’ve visited, but the unfamiliar daily life you encounter. In the historic town of Yuli in Hualien, why not stay in an old house to immerse yourself in the local way of living and savor the stories of time. Guests, driven purely by the desire to find an old house, and the old house, longing for someone to share its life, resonate with each other. As the night turns a bluish-black hue, bursts of laughter echo from this Japanese-style old house, reminiscent of summer evenings in the past when neighbors would gather under banyan trees to chat and laugh.

Though the old house may look like an ordinary residence, it has a touch of star power — it was a filming location for the movie *Summer of Glory*, serving as the “home” of the male lead, Zhang Ruijia. Pushing open the rickety Japanese-style doorframe and stepping onto the aged wooden floor feels like falling into a time tunnel, instantly immersing you in the stories of Yuli’s old town. The kitchen tiled with ceramic pieces and the bar counter made of driftwood become the perfect gathering spots for guests to share their travel tales. Or move to the inner courtyard, look up at the stars, and enjoy a drink — it’s astonishing how every scene in this enviable Japanese-style old house can be filled with such abundant happiness. Once you step inside, you won’t want to leave.

Originally opened by three teachers, it is now run by Jiaming alone, who gave up his teaching career. The books in his hands have been replaced by coffee cups. “Leaving the job doesn’t mean leaving the essence of education. In an era when traditional industries are declining, passing on the ‘old beauty’ is also a form of education,” Jiaming says. Our can also be interpreted as “Open You Are.” His original intention was to run a shop together with the guests. A shop without customers has no life. Since opening, Our has inspired a trend in the area of opening homestays and cafés, as well as encouraging bartering to meet each other’s needs, bringing people closer together.