Qishan Old Street 旗山老街

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Qishan Old Street is a large a popular historical street in Qishan District of Kaohsiung City. Originally a major industrial hub for sugar cane during the Japanese era, now it is a quite agricultural town in rural Kaohsiung. It is one of the best old streets in Taiwan for its many agricultural products and snacks, as well as the many well preserved historical buildings in the area. 

Background:
The original name of Qishan was Taburian, a name given by the Makatao Siraya Aboriginal Tribe that had inhabited the area for thousands of years.
During the Qing Dynasty, the local Han farmers who began to cultivate the area first planted sweet potatoes (Fanshu 蕃薯) so the area was named Fanshu Village.
During the Japanese Era in 1920, the name was changed again to Qishan. They re-planned the city streets, making them look like a chess board. Also they created what is now Zhongshan Road, or Qishan Old Street, and many western baroque style houses were built along the street at the time.
​Qishan station was completed in 1910 for the Taiwan sugar company, to ship sugar cane from Qishan to Jiuqutang Station in Dashu. The railway line included many stations in between.
After World War 2, the railway line was still in use and began accepting passengers in 1973, as the sugar cane industry died down. By 1979, passengers were banned on the line and the line was dismantled. 
Qishan is still mostly a rural area, with the main agricultural products being bananas, rice, beans, gourds, and other fruits and vegetables. On the old street some popular local delicacies are Rouyuan, Mantou Buns, Tangyuan, and Zongzi.
Now Qishan station and many of the western style houses has been registered as historical monuments. Qishan Old street is also a popular spot for tourists on weekends, and is usually closed to vehicle traffic during the day on weekends and holidays.

Delicacies:
Qishan is still mostly a rural area, with the main agricultural products being bananas, rice, beans, gourds, and other fruits and vegetables. On the old street some popular local delicacies are Rouyuan, Mantou Buns, Tangyuan, and Zongzi.
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Hours:
Every Day from about 9 AM to 10 PM, with more shops opening later in the day.

Price:
Qishan Old Street: Free
Qishan Station: 30 NT

When to go:
If you go during weekends or holidays, it can get really crowded but that is also the time when most all of the shops and stalls are open. If you want to avoid the crowds you can try going early in the afternoon when it is not as busy, 

How to get there:
By Scooter/Car: From central Kaohsiung, take provincial highway 29 north (scooters) or national freeway 10 (cars) until you reach Zhongshan Road in downtown Qishan. This is the old street.
By Bus: From Zuoying HSR station or Kaohsiung main station there are many intercity busses that can take you to Qishan Station in about an hour.
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Map:
​Please see below:

Our Journey:
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I have been to Qishan Old Street about ten times. After visiting many other old streets in Taiwan, I can say for certain that is one of the best old streets in Taiwan. It is a touristy old street with lots of things to eat, but it also has many historical buildings and a historical train station, which are pretty much left the same way they were from the early 20th century.

If you visit via car, there is lots of free parking along the street in Qishan, even on busy weekends, but you may have to walk a few blocks. Above you can see a Qing Dynasty era Sanheyuan in the middle of the city.

Because Qishan is mostly an agricultural district, most of what you will find on the old street are fruits, vegetables, and other snacks.

Traditional Douhua (jellied tofu).

10 NT store (lol almost nothing here is 10 NT).

Fruit stand.

Local fruit ice store.

I did have lunch at this restaurant one time. I highly recommend it. Very good fruit desserts.

Local bakery and snack shop.

One of the many mantou bun shops, which come in lots of different flavors.

Traditional cake stand.

Ginger and sweet potatoes.

Another fruit stand.

Water caltrops (菱角 lingjiao). 

Octopus balls.

The farmer's association building, which looks like it dates to the Japanese era.

Coming closer to the busines part of the old street.

Qishan Tianhou temple, the main temple on the old street, which dates back to1815. The main god here worshipped is Mazu.

Old stone archway on the old street.

Wholly roasted pig.

Looking down the old street you can see Qishan station in the distance.

Roast duck.

People lining up for cheap bakes goods.

One of the most recognizable houses in Qishan with arched pillars around the outside.

Another view from the side.

Japanese era building near the train station, probably a railroad worker dormitory.

Qishan Station, which was restored in 2009. The price for entrance is 30 NT.

​Qishan station was completed in 1910 for the Taiwan sugar company, to ship sugar cane from Qishan to Jiuqutang Station in Dashu. The railway line included many stations in between.
After World War 2, the railway line was still in use and began accepting passengers in 1973, as the sugar cane industry died down. By 1979, passengers were banned on the line and the line was dismantled. ​

Era train in the back.

They let you get on the train for a mock train ride every half hour or so.

Inside the building is a railway museum of the Japanese era sugar cane lines.

Some trains you can take a photo with.

Replica of a train roundhouse.

There is a model train track on the ceiling.

Era reciepts.

Another view insdie.

Map of era train track lines.

Ice shop behind the train station.

What the original sugar cane train would have looked like.

View from the front of the station with the original train track still intact.

Another view of the old dormitory. 

More treats along the old street, all banana flavored.

Pineapple cake store.

Passing by the wholly baked pig again.

Thousand layered cakes.

The most beautiful and historical part of the street are these western baroque style houses built during the Japanese era.

Many of the houses still have the family names still printed on them.

I always wondered about this “Zenshiuko” plaque on Qishan Old Street. Turns out it’s the Romanized version of the Japanese pronunciation of a Taiwanese man’s name. His Chinese name was 洪善修 (Hong Shanxiu). Turns out his children still own the house and a local 7-11. http://www.banana.url.tw/737/8archi/text/old_street/index.html

Wider view of the houses.

Lin family house, with exhaust pipe covering up the beautiful façade. 

The old ice factory on Qishan Old Street, now looking quite abandoned at least on the second floor.

Egg rolls and cakes.

Another historical street corner.

For historical western houses on the old street.

Tsai family house.

Liu Family, with a R on the top for some reason.

Another view of the house.

A wider view of the historical houses.

Also when I was there in late 2019, there was a DPP rally, so the old street was particularly packed that day.

Once you are done strolling the old street, be sure to also check out the Kaohsiung Confucius Temple up the hill.

Thanks for reading and be sure to stay tuned for more of our blogs on Kaohsiung to come!

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