Jiufen Laojie: lantern-lined hillside lanes in Neu-Taipeh
Published on 09/10/2026 at 19:17 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Jiufen Laojie in Neu-Taipeh is the compact heart of Jiufen, a former gold-mining town that climbs the slopes above Taiwan’s north-east coast. Steep lanes and stairways pack shophouses, teahouses and homes into a dense hillside fabric, with rows of red lanterns marking the path along the mountain.
Jiufen Laojie and the gold town on the hill
Jiufen sits in Ruifang District in New Taipei City, on a ridge that looks towards the Pacific Ocean, and Jiufen Laojie is the cluster of narrow market lanes at its centre.Jiufen Old Street The town’s modern story is tied to gold discovered in the surrounding hills in the late nineteenth century, when prospectors followed river valleys up into the mountains and found rich deposits around what is now Jiufen.gold deposits at Jinguashan
During the period of Japanese rule over Taiwan from 1895 to 1945, Jiufen grew into an important mining centre, with company housing and commercial streets stepping up the hillside for workers and their families.Japan’s rule over Taiwan Jiufen Laojie took shape as a main pedestrian artery and its branches, serving the boomtown with food, daily goods and small luxuries sold from compact shopfronts along the slope.commercial lanes serving miners
Hillside architecture and lantern light
The streets that make up Jiufen Laojie are narrow alleys and stair-lined passages built along the contours of the mountain, with buildings stacked in tiers above and below one another.houses built along the mountain slope Many of the structures reflect Japanese colonial-era construction, with wooden facades, tiled roofs and simple latticed windows combined with later additions in concrete and metal.buildings from the Japanese colonial era
Along Jiufen Laojie, shophouses often rise two or three storeys, their upper balconies and terraces looking out over the slope or towards the distant sea, while street-level entrances open directly onto stair flights or tight bends in the alley.shops and homes stack up the hillside Decorative elements mix Japanese and southern Chinese influences, with wood-framed windows and tiled thresholds set beneath rows of hanging lanterns and calligraphy signboards.mixed Japanese and southern Chinese
From mining settlement to hillside market lane
Gold mining made Jiufen a busy town from the late 1800s to the mid-twentieth century, and Jiufen Laojie kept the commercial core close to the mines and company housing.gold rush town When the mines closed in the 1970s, the settlement declined, leaving staircases, alleys and shophouses that remained on the slope even as industrial activity ceased.when the gold ran out
A turning point for Jiufen came in 1989, when Hou Hsiao-hsien’s film “A City of Sadness” was shot in the town, bringing renewed attention to its hillside streets and older architecture.A City of Sadness in Jiufen As the village turned towards preservation and cultural tourism, Jiufen Laojie became a focus for teahouses, snack stalls and small shops that work within the existing stepped layout and historic facades.network of narrow pedestrian lanes
Visiting Jiufen Laojie: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Jiufen Laojie lies in Jiufen town in Ruifang District, Neu-Taipeh, east of Taipei, reached by regional rail to Ruifang Station followed by a local bus up to the hillside settlement.
- The lanes and connecting streets are stepped and narrow, with long staircases and varying gradients, and visits involve climbing and descending stone steps between different levels of the town.
- Jiufen is on Taiwan’s north-east coast in a mountainous district above the sea, and weather on the slope can bring mist, cloud and changing visibility across the terraces and ridges.
- The official language is Mandarin Chinese and the currency is the New Taiwan dollar.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Jiufen Laojie
Where is Jiufen Laojie?
Jiufen Laojie is in Jiufen, a hillside settlement in Ruifang District in New Taipei City, Neu-Taipeh, on Taiwan’s north-east coast above the sea.
What should visitors expect on a walk through Jiufen Laojie?
Visitors encounter narrow alleys and steep stairways lined with shophouses, teahouses and snack stalls, set within a dense hillside townscape shaped by the former gold-mining era.
What makes Jiufen Laojie distinctive?
Jiufen Laojie stands out for its terraced mountain setting, mixed Japanese and southern Chinese architectural details and lantern-lined market lanes that reflect the town’s history as a gold-mining settlement.
