Date of visit: 23 August 2025. This place looks like Japan. The buildings and architecture are Japanese style. There are no entrance fees and lots of interesting shops. We bought some souvenirs such as dried fruits and wasabi salt. The stalls provided us with sample tasting and they tasted pretty good. There is also a drummer that play drums with Japanese songs. We are impressed.

A range of beautifully kept and organised souvenir shops and cafes in former Japanese colonial era lodging area. Some of the shops are too generic, however, you can still find amazing authentic products from local brands! Definitely worth a check if you have a spare hour in Chiayi.

Don’t expect a long street here. It’s simple and cute! A dose of Japan in the middle of Chiayi. The stores are charming - though some will def be overpriced. Personally loved entering the Hinoki store! The smell of the wooden figures were amazing!

There are so many spots to take a picture, especially so fun, the goods have good quality and are affordable, the places are shady too and have many restaurants or snacks, it was incredible for us as foreigners to come to Hinoki But the toilet really smells bad and needs to be cleaned

Hinoki Village in Chiayi is a hidden gem rich in history, culture, and charm. This beautifully preserved site brings new life to a collection of Japanese-style wooden buildings that were once dormitories for workers during the hinoki (cypress) wood harvesting era. These structures date back to the Japanese occupation period, and today, they’ve been lovingly restored and transformed into a thriving cultural destination known as 文創園區 (Cultural and Creative Park). Wandering through Hinoki Village is a delightful way to spend an afternoon. The area is filled with quirky, creative shops, each offering something unique—from locally made crafts and artisanal goods to stylish souvenirs and one-of-a-kind keepsakes you won’t find anywhere else. Foodies will also enjoy exploring the wide array of food and drink stalls scattered around the village. From traditional Taiwanese snacks to refreshing beverages, there’s something to please every palate. One major highlight here is the Hinoki essential oil. If you're into aromatherapy, this place is heaven. The oils are extracted from the local cypress wood, and their quality is top-notch—fragrant, soothing, and surprisingly affordable. They also offer a range of hinoki wood products, allowing you to bring home a small piece of Taiwan’s natural heritage. The blend of culture, creativity, history, and nature makes Hinoki Village a must-visit. It’s not only a great spot for photos, but also a meaningful place to learn about Taiwan’s past and celebrate its craftsmanship. Highly recommended for visitors of all ages!

I am a bit jaded, having visited Japan twice in the last month. These buildings have low ceiling causing me to hit the ceiling beam twice. Walked about for 10-15 minutes, visited a snack shop then left.

Great place to spend an afternoon. Cute little shops for snacks and souvenirs, traditional Japanese architecture and landscaping, and beautiful flowers. What more can you ask for?!?

We visited Chiayi Old Prison, and it was an unexpectedly good experience. The prison, built during the Japanese colonial period, offers a unique window into Taiwan’s history that’s both eerie and fascinating. Walking through the old cells and courtyards, you can almost feel the weight of the past. The layout of the prison is unlike anything I’ve seen before, with its star-shaped design that allowed guards to keep an eye on multiple wings at once. It’s a reminder of the stark reality of life in a place like this, and it really hits home how different things were back then. What made the visit even more interesting was learning about the different roles the prison has played throughout its history—first under the Japanese and later during other key periods in Taiwan’s development. The information panels were super helpful in explaining the prison’s past and the people who were incarcerated there. Overall, Chiayi Old Prison is a must-see if you’re in the area and have an interest in history. It’s not the most typical tourist spot, but it’s definitely worth checking out if you want a deeper understanding of Taiwan’s past. It’s haunting in a way but also incredibly informative.

Place is very well managed. It is very well preserved and they have many belongings of the prisoners and historical structures preserved. One thing that could really improve the experience is adding English timelines and explanations for non mandarin speakers.

It’s a well-preserved Japanese-era prison, spacious and interesting to visit. You can see artifacts from that time, as well as models of several prisons around Taiwan.

Had a really good experience here. You get to learn about the history of the museum (including the Japanese era) and walk down the cells. You can go into the cells as well to have an idea of their living conditions. Most exhibits however are in Chinese. There are many friendly people in the museum (I assume they take care of the area) that would bring you around if you asked them! A museum lady saw me looking around and offered to explain to me the significance of some exhibits, which helped me in understanding better.

Free entrance. There is no more guided tour due to pandemic. Please note the visiting hours too, there is a lunch break in between. Could really imagine how it was when it was functioning as a prison. The alley to the rooms were eerie - so much of a prison. And the arts were very touching 😢 拼出圆满 💕

Interesting place with long history. You could see the old prison cells that date back all the way to 1920s. The museum also includes information on other prisons in Taiwan. Many areas are currently under construction though (including the restrooms) so I didn’t see too much. The downsides for me are: limited parking space, no AC, no restrooms, no English-speaking guide. Also, on the exhibition of the artwork - I personally find some of them a bit odd because they seem to be out of place with the prison site itself.

Great place to walk around and explore the history of this place

I hurried over in the morning and took a quick look from the side- it’s quite a large area. Since I had to catch a ride to Alishan, I didn’t have time to visit. Hopefully, I’ll get the chance to come back to Chiayi next time

The park itself is clean. The public restroom smells. The trains themselves are not maintained with rusty paints etc. its a shame, if they're well maintained it'll be such a beautiful park with historic trains. It felt like "train dumpster site". Waste time going here.

Experience the beauty of nature and immerse yourself in the vista of blooming flowers along the Alishan Forest Railway, while fully inhaling the fresh air amidst the valley. If you're looking to plan a nature-focused trip to Taiwan, we recommend exploring the romantic railway line in Alishan.

A short distance walk from Hinoki village so you can visit both places within the span of a few hours. A must-go for railway train lovers - a cool place with quite the variety of railway trains and designs. Free to enter and lots of space for photo-taking with the trains and along the rails. Barely any visitors on a weekday afternoon so spam photos to your heart's desire.

We entered for free on a Saturday morning. Well kept place. There was a train coming in and it was amazing to see up close.

Nice place to check out the Alishan trains. Free access and we went here while on a bike. Cool 10-20 minute tour

This is a nice stop in Chiayi. There are many opportunities for pictures. It is free of charge, so if you're in the area might as well go. It would be cooler if there were more opportunities to go inside trains. The only trains you could go into were changed into bathrooms. 🤣

One of the Chiayi tourist attractions. Interesting designed architecture. It was beautiful and poetic as the name suggests.

Cool place with the huge chestnut. Good for walking in the evening to exercise

Came here on a rainy day and it was completely empty. On first glance, looked like a place in Bikini Bottom but the architecture was really interesting! The inner area of the building is not shaded but there are some really nice patterns you can take photos of.

Closed for renovation, reopen date unknown. Night visit used torchlight, the lighting can be improve

A very unique architecture set in a spacious field. All peaceful and quiet, hang around just to enjoy the peace and serenity of the place, a place for photography. Stand in the centre of the dome, talk and you will hear slight echoes. A lovely place to stop by for a quick visit😊 After this you can visit the Alishan Rail Garage Park which is just nearby.

A unique architecture to take photo. Don't recommend coming here intentionally but there is a park and a cinema nearby, or if you are looking for a place to stroll. We came from museum of old tiles and heading towards Hinoki Village

Good place for a walk with a view to a piece of art work. Adjacent to a shopping mall and about 15mnts walk from night market. You can plan a visit to all three on a same day.

High three/low four. There are a lot of food stalls, as well as some drinks, games and clothes shops. Traffic flows through, making it a little dangerous and requires people to be aware of traffic. The spur along Zhongheng road is actually a bit nicer and more pedestrian friendly.

Many foods and drinks around this night market. We stay at Lam Kuai Fong Garden Hotel. Walking distance to the market. Recommended. Less crowded.

It was a calm night, not crowded and a very, very hot day... There were not too many choices, but they were all good... It's a little pricey for be a night market but the food was fresh...

Very basic and short night market. Nothing really worth mentioning much to me :) But still a fun walk. There may be a few beggars around though.

It is a disappointing night market. The stalls are sparse with little to no places to rest/ eat. The roads are not blocked and allows motor vehicles to pass through. It is unsafe for walking individuals. Food items also appear to be expensive. 1 serving of stinky tofu costs 80NTD but at least you could grab and seat and enjoy the food. Another stall down the road sold 1 serving of stinky tofu at 100NTD. As takeout. Jingcheng Night Market has stinky tofu for only 65NTD. My friend and I visited Wenhua for a second night in a row and realised a number of stall vendors were missing from the night before. We ended up having Burger King two streets away.

Beef noodles sold by older lady was great, clean taste and clear soup. soy shave ice with grass jelly and yam balls was cooling and not too sweet

Night market in Chiayi, walking distance from Chiayi train station. Spacious and not over crowded. Many ppl queuing for the Smart fish soup. Near the cultural park where we watched a international band competition

The Turkey rice was fragrant, with plenty of options for other braised delights. We got the intestine, pigs ear and turkey wing and they were all braised well. They also had some ginger on the side to pair it. The soup was nice especially on a cold night. Overall a great meal!

You go to this place for the food, not the atmosphere. The line is long & intimidating, but it moves quickly. This is by far the best Turkey Rice I have had, in the place famous for Turkey Rice. The cold bamboo shoot salad and oysters are also excellent. This is a must-eat when you are in or near Chiayi. Highly recommended.

Excellent food! Taiwanese food can be a bit hit and miss, this was definitely a hit. Flavourful rice with sauce going all the way to the bottom of the bowl, great with a fried egg, both of which contrast really well with the salad full of fresh/blanched veggies (nice change from every veggie being cooked to death) and dressing. Highly recommend. For non Chinese speakers, the process is order on the paper checklists outside, tell them how many people you are and then they'll yell a number at you, which is the number of your table. Then sit and enjoy your food.

This restaurant is worth you traveling to Chiayi for! I never knew turkey could be so flavorful! The rice is cooked in the turkey bone broth and the bowl is topped with crispy scallions and a pickled veggie. Be sure to get the turkey leg rice and the spinach is a perfect addition. The bone broth soup, soft tofu, and braised pig skin are also not to be missed.

It’s fine, but a bit too sweet and greasy.

Brilliant meal - helped by a very kind Taiwanese local who ordered for us !! Delicious tender turkey and lovely sauce! The price was right too!! Do affordable!

The chicken rice is authentic and the price is really reasonable. Tried several other items other than the chicken rice and they all tasted great. They have their own parking area, but not a lot of parking spaces (although still incredibly helpful). The service was very quick and the seatings are comfortable. They have indoor seatings with air conditioning (which is very good especially during warmer days).

They are back ….finally….. always the classic Chiayi style ….., delicious pot-cooked noodles and fresh seafood dishes, especially milkfish. ….nothing more.

Great sea food congee’s!

Tasty milkfish (both grilled and in congee) and oyster omelette

True Taiwanese street food experience. Great prices. Great food. So fresh.

They serve fried milkfish fillet and you can nearly not feel any bone in the fillet though. milkfish is know a bony fish.

the seafood they sold in here is super fresh

busy spot. as reported by fellow reviewers, no prices were posted. visit(s): 20201127

I came here when I was young and little. My dad’s all time favorite spot. Turkey rice taste just like the old days. However, the eating environment needs to be improved. Greasy floor and table. All dining wares are served in plastic melamine very disappointed about this. Milk fish belly soup has lots of tiny bones. Needs to be careful and slowly eating it to avoid choking. Steam squid with garlic taste great and fresh. Oyster soup was so so. Oysters were tiny and not super fresh.

We came here as this place was recommended in a blog and got shredded turkey on rice. Deep flavour and soft meat with no bones or fatty bits. The kids loved it so much we had to order seconds.

Try another place for your turkey rice. As a foreigner it was my first time trying Turkey Rice and like a lot of you I read about this restaurant in a Taiwan travel blog (you know the one 😉). I came here around 4pm and all staff members were yelling and causing a chaos, but I was the only customer. No one came to me to help me and I even felt ignored at one point when I tried to get their attention. The place also didn’t look very hygenic. Eventually I was seated at the first table at the window (all other seating is in the back). It felt like I was sitting in the middle of the kitchen. After ordering, the owner (it seemed, because he was the only one wearing a green outfit, instead of red), came to sit at my table and just make some calculations on the back of a random menu sheet. First I thought he was gonna tell or ask me something but apparently he was just doing some work. All the while still arguing with the staff members. It all made me pretty uncomfortable. Eventually my turkey rice was served and truth be told, it was good, but keep in mind it was my first time trying. It saved this review a star though.

First time in this city and among the hundreds of similar restaurants, we chose this one to try my first turkey meat over rice (NT$60). I actually liked it a lot, the meat was tender, not dry like typical turkey meat. The sauce or turkey oil on the rice was delicious, flavorful, not greasy and the rice had the right texture, not soggy. The tofu and daikon both were well cooked with good flavors. Good CP.

The food is so so at best and there is nothing special here. The owner or manager is dishonest, and they don’t give you an itemized list of what you order. They tried to overcharge me by counting all the empty bowls I requested which I disputed - almost paid TWD960 for something that costs half that… and he blamed me for taking the wrong bowls when it was the staff who did it. In terms of cleanliness… the bowls come with dried rice from the previous diners, so go figure!

It is not far away from Chaiyi Train station. The turkey rice is awesome. We ordered the fish skin, cabbage and the seaweed silverish soup. It cost us NT 230. Definitely a must try!!

Typical Taiwanese food. Very local taste, steamed rice with chicken strips mixed with liver and other inner organs. Need to like Chinese food to love it. $$$••

Tasty Thai and Thai inspired food. Chain store with a good menu and consistent standard. I personally prefer to order individual dishes rather than the set meals as I do not care for the drinks that are included in the sets and find the price more reasonable if drinking water or plain tea.

Rice is $45 /1 person. Ordinary dishes. Peanuts should have been more to increase the flavor of the noodles

Abit on the pricy side but really tasty food!! My girlfriend love it so it's good to go, they also very nice staff and they accept creditcard!!!

Good!

Food taste ok, not superb. Pricey. Ordered "Green bean noodles" Prawn, yellow curry, mixed veggie, prawn paste pancake and rice for 3 person = NT 1612 They charge NT45 per person for rice, if customer is over 120cm. I suppose this is not fair, cos not everyone like rice or take alot of rice. Service is good. Most customer are youngsters.

Amazing food and staffs are super friendly

A cozy place to take a break.

Great price. Nice soup and tea. Steak is fine. Great value

High CP value！the noodle is thick and elastic! Meat is ok, but just 120NTD , taste like 180!

It's good to eat, especially the beef soup. Besides, the price is not expensive.

Really nice restaurant..and the food is really delicious

good food , delicious steak , worth the price

Good food and good price..

friendly staff. we like it