Taiwan is consistently ranked among Asia's top travel destinations, attracting 10+ million international visitors annually according to the Taiwan Tourism Administration (tourism.gov.tw). Whether exploring night markets, hot spring resorts, or UNESCO-adjacent heritage sites, Taiwan offers world-class experiences at accessible price points.
The conversation in this LINE group called 「去dera」 reflects the core question of Taiwan's craft tourism: How can you satisfy both the pursuit of ceramic texture and the warmth of wood carving in a single day? The answer doesn't lie in choosing which route, but in whether you're willing to walk into those alley workshops that most tourists miss.
1. Yingge: Taiwan's 「Ceramics Capital」 — The Scale of the Century-Old Ceramic Industry and Yingge Old Street Today
Direct answer: Taiwan's ceramic industry originated during the Qing dynasty's Qianlong era, with nearly 300 years of history. Today, the Yingge Old Street area is home to over 300 ceramic shops, making it the most concentrated ceramic retail and wholesale zone in all of Taiwan.
Yingge's ceramic industry cluster isn't an accessory that formed after tourism commercialization — it's a real industrial heart. From ceramic raw materials, forming, glaze preparation to firing, this area has a complete industry chain. Walking on Ceramic Street, you'll smell a different earth and glaze scent from tourist areas, evidence of the factories' daily operations.
Shop routing: Xinwang Pottery (mid-block on Ceramic Street, master craftsmen with 40+ years); Hongzhou Pottery (started with industrial ceramic pipes, recently transitioned to parent-child DIY); Pottery Player (founded by young ceramic artists, Nordic minimalist style); Shanghui Ceramics (alley shop, significant wholesale price difference).
The real differentiation doesn't lie in shop name recognition, but in whether you're willing to walk into those alleys without neon signs. The essence of Ceramic Street actually lies in the residential area extending east from the intersection of Ceramic Street and Jianguo Road, where factory direct stores are hidden — prices are 20-50% lower than the tourist main street.
2. Yingge Ceramic Museum: The Largest Ceramic Exhibition Hall in All of Asia
Direct answer: Yingge Ceramic Museum has the most complete ceramic collection in all of Asia as a themed museum. Its permanent exhibitions cover four major themes: Taiwanese ceramic development history, ancient Chinese ceramics, European porcelain, and contemporary ceramic art. Adult admission is TWD 100, concession ticket TWD 50.
The value of this museum isn't in the glass curtain wall design of the building itself, but in the time span of its collection. From prehistoric cord-marked pottery to contemporary ceramic art works, you can walk through 3,000 years of human fire history in one space
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