Dajia Old Street 大甲老街

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Dajia Old Street (aka Shuntian Road Old Street) is a historic area in Taichung, including Qing-era and Japanese-era buildings, shops, and Jenn Lann Temple. It is known as one of the oldest settlements in the Taichung. The town is also home to the Dajia Mazu pilgrimage, the largest religious procession in Taiwan. Here you can also find food stalls and restaurants as well as Chinese medicine, clothing shops, and jewelry shops. It is definitely worth a stop on your next trip to Taichung.  

Background:
The area where Dajia Old Street stands was originally the land of the Taokas Aborigine Tribe, which was a Taiwan plains tribe that has some members that now live in Puli Township of Nantou. The first Chinese settlers came to this area in the late 1600s during the kingdom of Tungming, and created a settlement known as Dajia, near the Dajia River. During the 1700s, more settlers from Lukang came north and began to settle the land. Soon the area became filled with shops and became the center of commerce for the area and a transportation hub for goods. In the 1800s, a bamboo wall was built around the town creating a city enclosure. 
During the Opium Wars, a British ship called the Brig Ann ran aground nearby and the survivors were attacked by local militia who thought they had launched an amphibious assault, and falsely claimed that they had sunken enemy ships and defeated their army. 
The city of Dajia was also captured during the Daichaochun Incident (戴潮春事件), a rebel uprising during the Qing Dynasty, which was soon quelled by the Qing soldiers. 
During the Japanese invasion of Taiwan, nearby Da'an port was barraged by Japanese ships, but the local people quickly surrendered to the Japanese.
The old street also includes buildings from the Japanese Era with baroque facades. 
Today the old street is still a popular shopping area in Dajia with historical significance. 
The town is also home to the Dajia Mazu pilgrimage, the largest religious procession in Taiwan, which transports the sea goddess Mazu between Dajia and Xingang, Chiayi. 

​Hours:
24/7
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Tours:
You can book a tour of Dajia Old Street on Klook here or KKday here. 

Hotels in Taichung:
Most of the accommodation you will find is near the city center.  If you will only visit downtown, you can consider a day trip from Taipei.
We have stayed at and recommend the Norway Forest Travel Hotel, a convenient hotel right in front of Taichung Station (you can book on Booking.com here or Agoda here), and Sin Fu Business Hotel which is also a great value for the money and great quality in downtown Taichung (you can book on Agoda here). 
Looking for a hotel? We recommend booking through Booking.com here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation in Taiwan.
Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here.

How to get there:
By TRA: From Dajia TRA station, the old street is just a short walk away. You can also book a Taichung sightseeing bus on KKday here. ​
By Car/ Scooter: Take Provincial Highway 1 along the west coast until you reach Dajia The old street is in the center of town. 
​Looking for scooter rental in Taichung? Check out Klook here or KKday here to search for options.
If you are looking for car rentals, you can also search Qeeq here, Klook here, or KKday here. ​You can also check out our car rental guide here.  
By Bicycle: Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan's landscapes if you have the time and energy. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can use Taiwan's many Youbike sharing stations, or search for rentals on KKday here, and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. You can also book a Market Biking Tour in Taichung on Klook here.  
For more information, check out our Taiwan transportation guide here. 

Map: Please see below:

Our Journey:
​
We have been to Dajia Old Street once on a trip to Taichung. It seems like a less popular old street in Taiwan, and you may not be able to distinguish it from any other normal street in Taiwan.

You can book a tour of Dajia Old Street on Klook here or KKday here. ​

An old farmhouse covered by a tin roof. This is how many historical buildings are "preserved" in Taiwan. 

First view of the old street. 

Besides some old facades here and there, it looks like any old street in Taiwan. 

Some Japanese era baroque style houses. 

Outside of Jenn Lann temple (​大甲鎮瀾宮). 

There are also lots of food stalls outside the temple. 

This temple was built in 1730  and is the religious center of the area, and the main feature of the old street. During Dajia Mazu, hundreds of thousands of people will gather here to bring the Mazu Goddess south. 

More stalls nearby. 

Another view further down the street. 

Some other older buildings. 

More modern looking shops on the old street. 

View further down of the same row of shops.

I imagine during religious festivals this old street is packed, but normally it seems like the place is pretty empty. There are also some other historical buildings and sites nearby we missed in this blog that you can go explore if you visit the city. 

You can book a tour of Dajia Old Street on Klook here or KKday here. ​

There are many tours of Taichung available on KKday here or Klook here, such as an Instagram Day Tour, Historic Downtown and Sun Cake DIY Experience, Taichung Railway Station Walking Tour, Local Market Biking Tour, Aboriginal Food Tour, and much more on KKday here or Klook here. 

​Be sure to check out our full guide to Taichung here.

You can also check out our full travel guide to Taiwan here. ​

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