Daxi, once called Dakekan, was a river port where boats carried tea and camphor down the Dahan River to Taipei's Wanhua, and the Lin Ben Yuan family once did business here. During Japanese-era street improvements in the 1910s–20s merchants rebuilt their shops with ornate pseudo-Baroque facades, creating today's Heping Road. After river trade died, dried tofu and woodcraft kept the town going, and it remains one of northern Taiwan's busiest old streets.
Architecture
Baroque facadesJapanese-eraArcades
Themes
River portQing eraJapanese eraCraftsTemples
Getting there
Where
Heping Road, Zhongshan Road and Zhongyang Road, Daxi District, Taoyuan
Getting there
Taoyuan Bus, or TRA Taoyuan Station then bus to Daxi, short walk; on weekends take the bus to avoid traffic
Time needed
Half a day
Best time
Less crowded on weekdays or weekend mornings; Daxi Puji Hall procession around Guan Sheng Di Jun's birthday (24th day of the 6th lunar month)
