Su'ao Cold Spring Park Introduction
The Su'ao Cold Spring, known as the "World's Best Spring," is located in the northern part of Su'ao Township and is one of the two natural underground treasures of the Lanyang Plain, alongside the Jiaoxi Hot Spring. It is said that in the early days, the residents of Su'ao often found insects dead in the cold spring water, mistakenly believing that the spring water was toxic and thus dared not approach it. During the Japanese colonial period, Taiwan's first governor, Seigo Yamaguchi, bathed in the Su'ao Cold Spring while on an expedition to Nanao; he not only felt incredibly cooled after bathing but also found his spirits invigorated. A Japanese soldier named Nobuyuki Takenaka, during a military trip, felt greatly revitalized after drinking the cold spring water. After retiring, Takenaka settled in Su'ao Township and began researching the composition of the cold spring, ultimately confirming that it was not toxic and possessed unique therapeutic effects, which continue to be a source of pride for the townspeople today. It is rumored that frequent soaking in Su'ao Cold Spring is beneficial for the skin, regarded by local women as a natural beauty secret, and it assists with stomach and lung ailments, as well as conditions like kidney stones, bladder stones, gout, diabetes, and various chronic obesity issues. Interestingly, not only was the efficacy of the cold spring confirmed, but Takenaka also recognized the unique taste and carbon dioxide content of the spring, leading him to establish Taiwan's first soda factory, the "Qixing Cool Soda Factory," at the foot of Qixing Mountain, producing the popular and trendy "marble soda." Although marble soda is no longer produced, "yokan" still remains a representative specialty of Su'ao Cold Spring today. The Su'ao Cold Spring is characterized as a "low temperature mineral spring" with a constant temperature of 22 degrees Celsius. Formed by the abundant rainfall in Yilan and the thick limestone layer terrain of Su'ao, the spring water is colorless, odorless, and transparent, with bubbles occasionally rising from the ground, making it a carbonated spring suitable for both bathing and drinking. The continuously rising fine bubbles at the bottom create a unique experience, resembling soaking in a sugar-free soda.
