Jiufen

The mountain town with lanterns in every photograph

Jiufen climbs steeply up a hillside above Ruifang, facing the Pacific Ocean with a view that drops from mountain peaks to the sea in a single sweep. Red lanterns hang from narrow stone stairways, teahouses perch on balconies with unobstructed ocean views, and the smell of taro balls, peanut ice cream, and fresh fish cakes drifts between the crowds on Old Street.

The town’s name — “nine shares” — comes from the era before a proper road, when everything ordered from the city had to come in nine portions, one for each family. Gold was discovered in the nearby mountains in the 1890s, and Jiufen boomed through the Japanese colonial period. The mines closed in the 1970s. By the 1990s, the town had been rediscovered as a heritage destination.

The A-Mei Tearoom (阿妹茶樓) — a multi-level teahouse of lanterns and wooden balconies — features in so many photographs that it has become the visual shorthand for Jiufen. It is often compared to the bathhouse in Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away, though director Hayao Miyazaki has neither confirmed nor denied the connection. The teahouse management is happy to let the association stand.

Where	Hillside above Ruifang, on Taiwan’s northeast coast
Cost	Free to walk; teahouse minimum spend TWD 200–350/person
Time needed	Half day (afternoon + evening); full day with Shifen
Getting there	Train to Ruifang (~50 min), then bus or taxi (~15 min)
Best time	Weekday morning before 10:00, or any evening after 17:00

What to see and do in Jiufen

Old Street (基山街) and the stone steps

Old Street (Jishan Street) is the main pedestrian alley, running roughly east–west along the hillside. Below it, Shuqi Road and the Bamboo Path (Shuchi Road, 豎崎路) — the steep stone stairway flanked by teahouses — are the most photographed corridors in the town.

The stairways are narrow and become genuinely impassable on busy weekend afternoons. If you arrive between 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM on a Saturday or Sunday during peak season, you may spend more time in a press of bodies than actually moving through the town. Arriving at 9:00 AM on a weekday or at 5:00 PM on any evening transforms the experience entirely.

What to eat on Old Street:

• Taro balls (芋圓): Purple taro and sweet potato balls served over ice shavings or hot sweet soup. The original shop, A-zhu Taro Balls (阿珠芋圓), has operated since 1945. Expect to queue.
• Peanut ice cream spring rolls: Vanilla ice cream, shaved peanut brittle, and coriander (optional) wrapped in a thin crepe. Unusual and genuinely good; TWD 50–70.
• Fish balls and sausages: Grilled or fried variations at every other stall; TWD 30–60.
• Braised pork rice: Multiple small shops serve the classic Taiwanese bowl with egg; TWD 60–90.

Teahouses and the A-Mei Tearoom

Jiufen’s teahouses are a genuine cultural experience, not just a backdrop. You sit at a low table, choose a tea type (oolong, green, black, or Ti Kuan Yin), and receive a pot, multiple small cups, and the equipment to brew multiple steepings. Food (usually small plates of Taiwanese snacks) can be ordered separately.

The teahouses with balcony views charge a minimum spend — typically TWD 200–350 per person — which includes the tea and use of the view. This is reasonable. The sea view from the right balcony on a clear afternoon, with the mountains on either side and ships in the distance, is among the best in Taiwan.

A-Mei Tearoom (阿妹茶樓): The most photographed exterior in Jiufen. The interior is also attractive, with multiple levels and sea views. Expect to queue on weekends. Minimum spend applies. The tea is not substantially better than at comparable teahouses — you’re paying partly for the experience of being in the most iconic building. That’s a legitimate reason.

Teahouse No. 9 (九份茶房): Older, more refined, with calmer atmosphere. Often preferred by repeat visitors to Jiufen.

Landscape Teahouse (山城茶房): On the upper levels of the town, with an elevated view. Less crowded than A-Mei.

Jiufen red lantern blessing experience in the old town

Gold Museum and mining history

Jiufen’s gold rush history is properly documented at the nearby Gold Ecological Park (黃金博物館) in Jinguashi — a 10-minute taxi ride from Jiufen Old Street. The park includes preserved mining infrastructure, a Crown Prince Chalet (a former Japanese guesthouse), and the famous gold bar that visitors can briefly hold (the largest pure gold bar in Asia, 220 kg). Entry is free to the park; individual attractions have small fees.

Jinguashi is architecturally different from Jiufen — quieter, more austere, with Japanese colonial-era buildings and a different atmosphere. Worth combining if you have a full day in the area.

Jiufen panoramic views

The best view in Jiufen is from the path above the teahouse area — walk up past the A-Mei Tearoom to the upper lane and look south over the town rooftops toward the sea. In the afternoon, the angle of light falls on the red lanterns and tile roofs. At dusk, when the lanterns glow against a darkening sky and the harbour lights come on below, the view is exceptional.

Jiufen by season

Season	Weather	Crowds	Notes
Oct–Nov	Clear, cool, best visibility	Moderate	The best window for photography and views
Dec–Jan	Cool, occasional rain	Moderate–high (holidays)	Chinese New Year week is extremely crowded — avoid
Feb–Apr	Frequent cloud, plum rains May–Jun	High on weekends	Views obscured often; check forecast before committing
Jul–Sep	Hot, humid, typhoon risk	Lower on typhoon-threat days	Storms can cancel transport; check warnings

Jiufen is at its best in autumn and worst for reliable views in spring, when cloud rolls in from the coast most afternoons. If a clear view of the sea from the teahouse balconies matters to you, build a weather check into your morning-of decision rather than committing weeks ahead.

Getting to Jiufen from Taipei

By train (recommended): Take TRA from Taipei Main Station to Ruifang (瑞芳), then bus or taxi to Jiufen. The train takes 50–60 minutes to Ruifang; fare is TWD 49–63 depending on the express class. From Ruifang, buses 788 and 825 go directly to Jiufen Old Street (15 min, TWD 15–30). Alternatively, taxis wait at Ruifang Station — TWD 180–220 per cab, split between your group.

The train is the fastest and most reliable option. Avoid the buses from Taipei to Jiufen directly during peak hours — they take longer and are crowded.

By tour (simplest for north coast combos): Most organized day tours from Taipei bundle Jiufen with Shifen and/or Yehliu, handling the awkward cross-connections between towns that are difficult by public transport. A guided group tour costs approximately TWD 900–1,400 per person including transport and a guide.

Guided group day tour: Yehliu + Jiufen + Shifen from Taipei

Evening tour: A night tour arriving at Jiufen after 5:00 PM gives you the lantern-lit old street experience with half the crowds. Several operators offer this specifically.

Evening guided night tour: Jiufen Old Gold Rush Town from Taipei

Combining Jiufen with other destinations

Jiufen + Shifen: The most common combination. Shifen is about 20 minutes from Ruifang by local train; from there, a bus or taxi to Jiufen completes the loop. Both are accessible on the same Ruifang-based train day trip. See Shifen for the detailed route.

Jiufen + Yehliu: Two different vibes — coastal geology (Yehliu) and mountain town (Jiufen). They’re on opposite sides of the headland; travel between them requires a taxi or tour bus (about 40–50 minutes, TWD 500–700 by taxi). Guided tours handle this well.

Jiufen + Houtong: Houtong is one train stop before Ruifang on the same Pingxi-area line. Jiufen + Houtong + Shifen is a mountain-and-cats day with good variety. Allow 10–11 hours from Taipei.

North coast circuit (Yehliu + Keelung + Jiufen + Shifen): A full day covering the complete northeastern loop. Requires either a private car or a guided tour. The north coast day trip itinerary covers this in detail.

See also the jiufen day trip guide and jiufen vs shifen comparison for help choosing your routing.

Where to eat in Jiufen

A-zhu Taro Balls (阿珠芋圓): The original taro ball shop, operating since the 1940s. Small, frequently queued. TWD 55–75.

Yu Yuan Taro (郁圓芋圓): Slightly quieter alternative to A-zhu, with a broader sweet soup selection.

A-Tong Braised Pork Rice (阿同控肉飯): Traditional braised pork belly over rice with a soft-boiled egg, served in a small shop near the upper old street. Very local, very good. TWD 70–90.

Teahouses for snack plates: Most teahouses serve small Taiwanese snack plates (mochi, taro cake, spring rolls) alongside tea. This is a full light meal by itself.

A one-hour Jiufen walking route

If time is genuinely tight, this compact loop hits the highlights without a full afternoon:

1. Arrive at the lower entrance to Old Street (near the bus/taxi drop-off) and walk east along Jishan Street, sampling a taro ball or peanut ice cream roll on the way.
2. Turn onto the Bamboo Path (Shuchi Road) and climb past the lantern-hung stairway — this is the classic photograph, best a little before the crowds peak.
3. Pause at A-Mei Tearoom for a photo even if you don’t go in, then continue up to the upper lane viewpoint for the panorama over the rooftops to the sea.
4. Descend via the quieter western lanes back toward the entrance, picking up a braised pork rice bowl or fish balls on the way out.

This route works on foot in about an hour without stopping to sit, or 90 minutes to 2 hours with a proper teahouse break. It’s a useful fallback if you’re combining Jiufen with Shifen or Houtong and only have the late afternoon free.

Practical advice

Arrive early or late. The 10:00 AM–5:00 PM window on weekends is genuinely unpleasant in terms of crowds. Before 10:00 AM, the street is peaceful and photogenic. After 5:00 PM, the lanterns light up and crowds thin slightly.

Shoes matter. Old Street and the stone stairways are uneven and wet in rain. Avoid sandals or heels.

Carry cash. Most stalls and small shops are cash-only. ATMs are scarce on Old Street itself; the 7-Eleven at the bottom has one.

The view disappears in cloud. Jiufen is in the mountains and frequently clouds over, particularly in spring and during plum rain season (May–June). Check the weather before committing to a specific day. The autumn months offer the best visibility.

Don’t confuse Jinguashi with Jiufen. They are adjacent towns with different characters. The Gold Museum is in Jinguashi; Old Street is in Jiufen. Taxis run between them for TWD 100–150.

Frequently asked questions about Jiufen

Is Jiufen the inspiration for Spirited Away?

The connection has never been officially confirmed by Hayao Miyazaki or Studio Ghibli. The A-Mei Tearoom shares visual elements with the bathhouse in the film, but the filmmakers have not stated that Jiufen was a direct inspiration. The association benefits the town’s tourism and the tearoom management, which has not discouraged it.

How do I get from Shifen to Jiufen?

From Shifen Station, take the local train back to Ruifang (10 minutes), then bus 788 or a taxi to Jiufen (15 minutes, TWD 180–220 by taxi). There is no direct bus from Shifen to Jiufen. This connection is the main practical friction in doing both towns independently.

Can I do Jiufen as a half-day trip from Taipei?

Yes. Leave Taipei by 1:00 PM (train to Ruifang), arrive Jiufen by 2:30 PM, explore until dark, and return to Taipei by 9:00 PM. This captures the most atmospheric hours. However, most visitors prefer a full day that includes Shifen or Yehliu.

What are taro balls and are they worth trying?

Taro balls (芋圓) are chewy dumplings made from taro starch, served over shaved ice or in hot sweet soup. Jiufen’s version is particularly dense and starchy. They are worth trying once. A-zhu Taro Balls is the original shop and still one of the best.

Is the A-Mei Tearoom overpriced?

By Taiwanese standards, yes slightly — you’re paying for the view and the iconic status. By international tourist standards, a pot of oolong and ocean views for TWD 200–350 per person is reasonable. Budget travellers can find more modest teahouses on the upper lanes with comparable views at lower minimum spends.

Is Jiufen worth it if it’s cloudy or raining?

Yes, though the experience changes. The Old Street food, teahouses and lantern-lit alleys are all still enjoyable in fog or light rain — some visitors find the mist genuinely atmospheric among the stone stairways. What you lose is the sea view from the balconies and the panoramic viewpoint. If a clear ocean view is your priority, check the forecast and consider postponing rather than paying a teahouse minimum spend for a whiteout.