Hinoki Village

When you come to the city of Chiayi, known as the ""Forest City,"" one of the most popular attractions is the Hinoki Village (檜意森活村). It is the most well-preserved Japanese-style dormitory group in Taiwan to this day, due to the prosperity of the forestry industry in the past, specializing in ""Hinoki"" production. The area used to be a residential settlement that thrived on the forestry industry, but it has now been transformed into a cultural and creative park.

There is no admission fee to enter Hinoki Village (檜意森活村), and there are 3-4 car parks nearby. The outdoor park is open 24 hours, while the indoor exhibition hall is open from 10:00 to 18:00 (closed on New Year's Eve). There are free guided tours available, but for a more in-depth understanding of the past and present of Hinoki Village (檜意森活村), visitors can join a 40-60 minute paid tour to learn about the charming history of the settlement, which consists of 28 Japanese-style Hinoki wooden buildings.

The park is home to a wide variety of specialty shops, and the most popular experiences include trying on a kimono, allowing visitors to dress in Japanese kimonos and travel through the hundred-year history of Taiwan, reminiscing about the ""Hinoki-cho"" during the Japanese colonial period. Walking among the 29 century-old Japanese wooden historical buildings, one can relive the former glory of the Hinoki Village (檜意森活村), as if experiencing an ancient Japanese town in Kyoto.

Hinoki Village (檜意森活村) has as many as 30 to 40 shops, and the recommended local delicacies in the park include tofu pudding, frosty ice cream, ai-yu jelly, and Japanese-style coffee houses. It is suggested to spend 1 to 2 hours savoring the leisurely and relaxed travel time.