XimendingPost date：2011-05-18
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If you want to know what’s popular with Taipei’s younger set, Ximending is the place to go. Called the “Harajuku of Taipei,” Ximending features a dense collection of shops and walking malls surging with trendy youths. You’ll find a good selection of Japanese magazines, as well as fashion and gaming accessories. To the so-called “Japan Junkies,” this place is as good as it gets in Taiwan. And perhaps this is fitting, given the fact that Japan played such a key role in Ximending’s past.
During the Period of Japanese Occupation, the Japanese built Ximending based on Tokyo’s Asakusa district. They planned a commercial area, and gradually established a marketplace. In the 1930s, Ximending became known as Taipei’s “movie street,” a distinction it maintained until the city’s development shifted eastward, resulting in Ximending’s eventual decline. In the 1990’s, planning began for a walking mall, which paved the way for the area’s reemergence as a bustling youth hangout.
Apart from its pop culture, Ximending also has a “red envelope club” culture. The so-called “red envelope” clubs began operating in the 1960’s, copying similar clubs in Shanghai. In the clubs, colorfully clad songstresses would be rewarded for their efforts in the form of red envelopes containing tips, given to them by appreciative patrons. The warm interaction between singer and audience became one of the clubs’ distinguishing features.
Today, Ximending still has an abundance of great eateries. The Goose Meat Shop, A-Zhong Noodle Soup, Lao Tien Lu stewed meats, Chengdu Starfruit Ice, and Bee Coffee are all old shops with distinctive tastes. If you get a chance, don’t forget to swing by and give them a try!
During the Period of Japanese Occupation, the Japanese built Ximending based on Tokyo’s Asakusa district. They planned a commercial area, and gradually established a marketplace. In the 1930s, Ximending became known as Taipei’s “movie street,” a distinction it maintained until the city’s development shifted eastward, resulting in Ximending’s eventual decline. In the 1990’s, planning began for a walking mall, which paved the way for the area’s reemergence as a bustling youth hangout.
Apart from its pop culture, Ximending also has a “red envelope club” culture. The so-called “red envelope” clubs began operating in the 1960’s, copying similar clubs in Shanghai. In the clubs, colorfully clad songstresses would be rewarded for their efforts in the form of red envelopes containing tips, given to them by appreciative patrons. The warm interaction between singer and audience became one of the clubs’ distinguishing features.
Today, Ximending still has an abundance of great eateries. The Goose Meat Shop, A-Zhong Noodle Soup, Lao Tien Lu stewed meats, Chengdu Starfruit Ice, and Bee Coffee are all old shops with distinctive tastes. If you get a chance, don’t forget to swing by and give them a try!
