Taipei Travel

The Beitou Museum was once the residence of an upper-class Japanese family, it is almost intact, including the all-important bathing area. Beitou was known throughout the Japanese Empire as a hot-springs resort during the Japanese colonial era (1895-1945). Japan had a profound influence on Taiwan, which continues to this day.

The Beitou Museum was once the the residence of an upper-class Japanese family. As we have travelled to Japan several times, it's easy to recognise the architecture. It is still intact, including the ceremonial bathing area. Beitou was notorious throughout the Japanese Empire as a resort. Kamikaze pilots spent their last days here before plunging into Allied warships. The Japanese colonial era (1895-1945) left a profound and lasting impact on Taiwan, as this fine remnant of Japanese colonial culture shows.

Please reserve the guided tour and enjoy all that this place has to offer. It’s a typical Japanese house in the mountains which was used in the past as a hotel with hot springs baths. Japanese kamikaze fighters came here for their last moments. Jackie Chan stayed here. This is a beautiful building- authentic. There’s a restaurant and you can also take Japanese culture classes like ikebana. There are also seasonal displays. Take a cab from xinbeitou station to get here (around 100ntd)

Came here hoping to have a more in-depth explanation to Beitou and its development. Was disappointed in the content - half the property dedicated to restaurant, the other half had little in content, the only interesting room was that of the old ceramic bath area for the hotspring. Unless you are fans of Japanese architecture, not worth the long walk uphill from Xin Bei Tou MRT station, nor the admission fee in my view, as we also travel quite extensively to Japan.

With its century old history, most of which wonderfully preserved, the museum is a hidden gem in this hot spring central area of Beitou. Established in the 1920's during the Japanese occupation era, this place used to be an elegant guesthouse (Kazan hotel), probably serving the then Japanese "upper class", complete with meeting rooms and ritual tea ceremony space, and a traditional 'hot spring bathing room'. The manager of the place has been kind enough to show visiting guests the various rooms in this rather spacious 'museum' & its history. Rather amazing setup in my view. When we arrived in late morning, we're welcomed to stay for lunch which we happily accepted the offer. After being shown around the place and watched a video, we returned to the dining area where quite a few families were already taken their place in the hall where lunch will be served. It's kind off a set lunch arrangement and we're promptly given a menu. To my surprise it resembles a list of what I would call "mini-degustation" - 9 dishes in all, complete with ontree, small snacks of prawns, scallops, chicken, fish 'snacks' (steamed, fried & sushi style), finishing with kinda herbal soup, desert & fruits. Admittedly the three of us were quite full at the end of the 'banquet' and really couldn't fault the menu, or the chef who designed it for that matter. A very pleasant surprise lunch experience at a museum.