Qiaotou Sugar Factory (Taiwan Sugar Museum) Introduction
With the selected ticket for Kaohsiung, easily enjoy the tranquility of Qiaotou, where the heart naturally finds peace and tranquility. Step into the unique aesthetic thinking of Japan and explore the historical site, the Qiaotou Factory Manager's Dormitory. Experience the beauty of Japanese wabi-sabi through seasonal wagashi, Japanese tea, tea ceremony, and floral arts. Purchase information Qiaotou Sugar Factory, formerly known as Qiaozaitou Sugar Factory, is Taiwan's first modern mechanical sugar factory, which was put into operation in the 34th year of the Meiji era (1901) during the Japanese colonial period. It once led Taiwan into a glorious era of sugar production and has set many benchmark records in the Taiwanese sugar industry over the years. It was a pioneer in using steel construction technology in the early Japanese rule and has been designated as a historical site by the municipality. The park retains well-preserved relics such as the sugar factory, Japanese wooden houses, air raid shelters, and red brick water towers. In 2006, the Taiwan Sugar Corporation established the Taiwan Sugar Museum on-site, preserving parts of the wall of the first sugar factory from a hundred years ago and opening the entire sugar-making workshop to allow visitors to experience the tangible process of transporting, pressing, cleansing, evaporating, crystallizing, separating syrup, and packaging sugarcane. Park features The park features both Japanese and neo-Baroque tropical colonial architecture, along with 19 other historical sites, including the red brick water tower, ammunition depot, and life-sized Guanyin statue, which illustrate the historical struggles of Taiwan's economic and industrial development. The rich public art creations and cultural exhibition spaces add a new cultural vitality to this nostalgic space. The vast park also contains rich natural ecological resources where birds, dragonflies, butterflies, and squirrels are common visitors. Strolling through it on a summer afternoon, one can feel the refreshing breeze and then head to the sales department to enjoy traditional ice products from Taiwan Sugar. The Factory Manager's Dormitory Built in 1940, the Factory Manager's Dormitory was constructed by Kinmoku Sansaburo, the manager of the Taiwan Sugar Company at that time. It represents the most well-preserved and representative Japanese-style residence within the factory area. Its architectural features include a roof framework made of Taiwan cypress, elevated floors, wooden bed bundles, front and back yards, and a Japanese water feature. Notably, there is a rare independent brick foundation for a Japanese dormitory in Taiwan. In 2011, Taiwan Sugar Corporation restored it to its original appearance, and since 2015, the external space has been opened for public visits and photo-taking, while internal spaces also provide guided tours by reservation. This elegant old Japanese house has caught the interest of film crews, serving as one of the filming locations for the award-winning movie "The Bold, The Corrupt, and The Beautiful" at the 54th Golden Horse Awards, quickly becoming a popular spot for fans to take photos. The Social Housing Office Built in 1901, this important building from the Japanese colonial period features a construction structure that combines wooden frameworks, brickwork, and reinforced concrete. It is significant in Taiwan's architectural history. The exterior mimics the architecture of Dutch colonial buildings in Southeast Asia, with elevated foundations for ventilation, corridors, and continuous arches showcasing European styles. The square holes surrounded by the building are not merely decorative; they serve as gun holes for defense against bandit attacks, making this site a popular check-in location after being featured in "The Bold, The Corrupt, and The Beautiful." Qiaotou Sugar Factory Club In 1902, the then president Suzuki Tozaburo built this club within the sugar factory to provide a gathering place for employees who traveled from Japan to Taiwan, allowing them a spot to socialize and enjoy drinks. The building's exterior is primarily designed in a tropical colonial style, combined with Japanese wooden techniques. It is now planned as a Museum of Sugar Industrial Relics, a café, and a Pig Culture Museum, which showcases more than 1,300 collection items themed around pigs, donated by Professor Chen Shih-meng from National Taiwan University and former director of the Taiwan Sugar Corporation’s Livestock Research Institute, Ge Fu-Jiang. Rain Tree Square Once a target range for the Japanese military during the colonial period, after Japan's defeat in 1958, the National Government built dormitories for staff training Vietnamese exchange students behind the rain trees. Beneath the trees, there is a spiral stone staircase built from large rocks, creating a natural performance stage in the square. Iron Love Park Using iron scraps, chains, plates, pads, and bolts from Xiaogang Sugar Refinery and Gangshan Incineration Plant, the sugar factory creatively designed six artworks themed around "love," transforming the resolute steel into romantic installations. Shigu Bridge Sugar Cultural and Creative Park Established in October 2010, Shigu Bridge Sugar Cultural and Creative Park is located at Qiaotou Sugar Factory (North Warehouse Cluster) in Kaohsiung City. Operated by Shigu Cultural and Creative, the old factory space has been repurposed to preserve the historical aspects of the sugar factory while infusing new life into the drum art. Among its highlights is the water theater, renowned for its shocking sound and light effects. Advocating for Human Rights In August 1978, former Kaohsiung County Magistrate Yu Deng-fa and his son Yu Rui-yan were accused by the government of being "bandit spies" for "failing to report bandits" and "propagating for bandits," with sentences of eight years in prison. On January 22, 1979, figures including Hsu Hsin-liang, Huang Hsin-chi, Chen Chu, He Chun-mu, Zhang Jun-hong, and Zeng Xin-yi held a protest march in Qiaotou Township, marking the first political demonstration against the National Government's long-standing martial law in Taiwan, known as the Qiaotou Incident.
