By MOOK Scenic Spots Editorial Team
Besides visiting old houses, sampling local snacks, and exploring historic sites in Tainan, a trip to a traditional barbershop can also offer a taste of the charm of bygone days. Unlike regular family-run hair salons, traditional barbershops are places where gentlemen go to get groomed. With the changing tides of time, such traditional barbershops have gradually declined, but Tainan still hides many nostalgic barbershops that treat every customer with professional grooming techniques and innovative services.
Besides visiting old houses, sampling local snacks, and exploring historic sites in Tainan, a trip to a traditional barbershop can also offer a taste of the charm of bygone days. Unlike regular family-run hair salons, traditional barbershops are places where gentlemen go to get groomed. With the changing tides of time, such traditional barbershops have gradually declined, but Tainan still hides many nostalgic barbershops that treat every customer with professional grooming techniques and innovative services.
Donglai Barber Shop, with a history of 30 years. (Photo provided by Rhoda)
Located about a five-minute walk from Tainan Railway Station, “Donglai Barber Shop” features a retro signboard, a row of vintage barber chairs, and barbers dressed in neat white uniforms, transporting you back to Taiwan’s nostalgic golden age.
The retro-colored signboard. (Photo provided by Rhoda)
In the 1950s and 60s, fathers and gentlemen of the time were accustomed to enjoying a full-service grooming experience at traditional barbershops. From shoe shining, serving tea and hot towels, ear cleaning, nail trimming, haircuts, shaving, to having someone put on your shoes — the complete grooming package, paired with a full-body meridian massage by an experienced master, was the height of stylish gentlemanly fashion in early Taiwan.
A row of classic vintage barber chairs. (Photo provided by Rhoda)
Additionally, “Huagu Barbershop,” located in Anping, is a traditional yet subtly luxurious large-scale barbershop. It has now incorporated creative touches from the second generation, breaking away from conventional barbershop services. In addition to its private massage rooms, it has introduced an overnight stay service, allowing travelers to experience the old-school gentlemanly feel of “sleeping in a barber chair.”
Huagu Barbershop is the only remaining large-scale barbershop in Tainan City. (Photo provided by A-Dao)
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