Old Japanese Patriotic Women’s Association
Old Japanese Patriotic Women’s Association (台南愛國婦人會館) For the last few years, this fantastic remainder of the Japanese era has sat behind iron fences and sheet metal while it went through an extensive restoration process. In the summer of 2011, however, this beautiful building was unwrapped and given back to the city. Situated directly across from … Read more
Atha Yoga
Atha Yoga There are not an abundance of yoga places in Tainan, but there are a few studios around. Ananda Marga yoga studio, for example, has been around for a while serving the northeast side of town. More centrally located is Atha Yoga which has just moved into a new building on Fuqian Road, directly … Read more
Xiaonan City God Temple
Xiaonan City God Temple (Xiǎo Nán Chénghuáng Miào 小南城隍廟) Insurgencies abound throughout Taiwan’s history, but probably the largest and most successful one happened in the 1720s. In fact, it was this insurgency that led to the building of the first city walls around Tainan. The leader of this rebellion was a duck keeper named Zhu Yigui … Read more
Rolling Egg
Rolling Egg (Fāngǔnba Dànjuǎn 翻滾吧，蛋捲!) Eggs are rolling into Western-style breakfasts all day long on Tainan’s East Side. Bacon and eggs, omelets, scrambles, Eggs Benedict, pancakes, waffles, and steak breakfasts can be ordered off the menu from open to close. If breakfast food isn’t on your mind, their whole menu is available at any time … Read more
Back Alleys – Part 2
Back Alleys – Part 2 In part 2 of exploring the back alleys of downtown Tainan, I went into the areas north of Minzu Road. In particular I explored the Zhen Bei Fang Cultural Zone, which is one of the best preserved neighborhoods in the city.
Back Alleys – Part 1
Back Alleys – Part 1 Many people come to Tainan hoping to see old houses and a lifestyle that’s a throwback to yesteryear. A quick view of the downtown buildings will leave them disappointed. However, tucked in behind the five story facades of the downtown buildings is a whole other world that may just draw … Read more
Tongpanqian Cemetery
Tongpanqian Cemetery (Tǒngpánqiǎn Mùyuán 桶盤淺幕園) Tainan holds much of Taiwan’s oldest history, and it should therefore surprise non that it also holds one of the most historic cemeteries. The Tongpanqian Cemetery in the south district of Tainan is the city’s largest and contains many notable graves. These include the oldest Ming dynasty grave, the tombs … Read more
Tainan Airport
Tainan Airport (Táinán Jīchǎng 台南機場) Does Tainan even have an airport? Well, for those of us who are woken up daily by the screech of F-16s, it should come as no surprise that Tainan does indeed have an airport. At this time, however, there are no international flights and even domestic flights have become quite … Read more
Chi Mei Museum
Chi Mei Museum (Qíměi Bówùguǎn 奇美博物館) “See the world while living in Taiwan” is the motto of the Chi Mei Museum, located in Tainan’s Rende district. Though the museum’s impressive art collection may focus on seeing the western world, the museum’s scope extends well beyond fine arts to include a truly international selection of antiquities, … Read more
Hot! Pizza
Hot! Pizza People who love pizza generally fall into two camps: those who like their pizza thick and bread-like, and those who prefer a thin crust with chewy edges. In Taiwan, the former are well-served. But those of us who like thin crust pizza now have an oasis at Hot!, a new shop on a … Read more
