Hualien Sugar Factory Introduction
In 1913, the "Hualien Port Sugar Factory", also known as the "Liuyuei Sugar Factory", was established by the Eastern Taiwan Sugar Company in Shoufeng Township, Hualien County. In 1921, another factory named "Yamato Factory" was established in Guangfu Township to expand sugar production. Towards the end of World War II, both sugar factories were damaged by Allied forces. After the war, the Taiwan Sugar Corporation took over and decided to dismantle the severely damaged Shoufeng Factory, while repairing the Yamato Factory and renaming it Hualien Sugar Factory, making it the center of sugar production in Eastern Taiwan. Due to its location in Guangfu Township, it is often referred to as "Guangfu Sugar Factory", although "Hualien Sugar Factory" is its official name. After decades of expansion and updates, Hualien Sugar Factory significantly increased its sugar production and quality. To supply raw materials for Hualien Sugar Factory, vast sugarcane fields can be seen from Xincheng Township to Fuli Township, creating a unique landscape in the Hualien-Taitung Valley. In addition to producing granulated sugar, the ice cream section of Hualien Sugar Factory, with its various flavors of popsicles and ice cream, is also very popular. For both tourists and locals, "eating ice cream at the sugar factory" has become a joyful shared memory. In 2002, due to persistently low international sugar prices and the dual impact of joining the WTO, Taiwan Sugar Corporation decided to halt the sugar production business at Hualien Sugar Factory, which had a history of over 80 years, and shift its focus to tourism and leisure development. Building on the existing ice cream foundation, it planned to create a sugar industry cultural park as the core, providing guided tours for visitors, along with Japanese-style dormitory clusters, creative workshops, organic rice, and the development of organic leisure industries. This integrates bicycle routes, surrounding tourist attractions, and the Dalongdong Forest Park into a linear tourism path and attractions, attracting visitors to the park. The original corridor-style single staff dormitories within the sugar factory have been renovated into creative workshops, now serving as a platform for community art exchange and teaching courses, offering DIY handmade classes and craft exhibitions to visitors. Additionally, the factory now sells handmade lemongrass essential oils and lemongrass soap gift sets, cultivated using organic farming methods, with no artificial fragrances added during the production process, making them ideal souvenirs, available for purchase at the creative workshop. Next to Hualien Sugar Factory, there are rows of well-preserved Japanese-style buildings, which are some of the last remaining Japanese wooden structures in Taiwan. These cypress wood houses were built during the Japanese colonial period as staff dormitories and have been well maintained over the decades, presenting a rich nostalgic charm. In line with Hualien County's policy for smoke-free tourism development, the Japanese-style hotel at Hualien Tourism Sugar Factory, after renovations and rebuilding, obtained a general hotel license on January 24, 2011, and officially commenced operations, providing various accommodation options for visitors to Hualien. The hotel offers room types such as "Japanese-style Wooden House" (for two people) and "Family Wooden House" (for three people). Each room has its own parking space and garden, with wooden flooring, tatami mats, sliding wooden doors, and cotton bedding, presenting authentic Japanese style. The family room features a handmade cypress wood bathtub and scoop for guests to easily enjoy the experience of soaking in a cypress tub. It allows you to appreciate the serene beauty of Japanese culture, helping you release tension in the urban jungle. Hualien Tourism Sugar Factory warmly welcomes you to stay and experience the elegance and charm of Japanese wooden houses!
