20180629 14:15 Ximending
Meeting Place: MRT Ximen Station exit No. 1

Ximending is Taipei’s iconic teen pop culture paradise whose pedestrian areas are always filled with throngs of people, especially at night, weekends, and holidays. The Red House Theater(紅樓), Tattoo Street, Movie Street, America Street, KTV, Wannian Mansion(萬年大樓), Eslite bookstore(誠品書店), and a host of boutiques offer entertainment, fashion, accessories, and anything new and interesting. Foreign backpackers(背包客) love it too.

Traditional dishes only to be had at Ximending include Ay-Chung Flour-Rice Noodles(阿宗麵線), Shanghai Laotianlu(上海老天祿), Chengdu starfruit shaved ice (or smoothie冰沙), and Fong Da(蜂大) coffee. Thanks to Ximending’s old patrons(食客) and often even older shop owners, these traditional dishes and drinks can still be enjoyed by the younger generation and foreign visitors.

Meeting Place: MRT Ximen Station exit No. 1

Route: MRT Ximending exit No. 1 > Red House Theater > Mazu Temple(天后宮) > Taipei Cinema Park > Movie street > Graffiti(塗鴉) street >
> MRT exit No. 1

Ximending, or the Shibuya（渋谷）of Taipei, is an important area for cultural and creative activities. Pop music, movies, Japanese anime culture, fashion, street art, and handmade crafts can all be found here, attracting young trendsetters from around the city.

Before Japanese rule in the early days of the 20th century, Ximending was an area of wildness but eventually developed into a vibrant center of entertainment. After 100 years of transformation, Ximending still stands out for its youthful exuberance（活力）. Among its other noteworthy characteristics is the first designated pedestrian zone(行人徒步區) in Taiwan that provides a protected walking area for visitors and street artists.

During the tour, we will explore both the old and new of Ximending around its historical sites, public art spaces, and designer’s market. Much more than the shopping district guidebooks make the area out to be, this tour will lead visitors to uncover the uniqueness and diversity of Ximending’s creative subcultures.

Rediscovering Taipei
Aims for a “beyond guidebooks” approach, introducing to visitors, the untold histories behind Taipei’s old streets and buildings.