Taiwanese Japanese Historical Buildings: Identity Dilemma of Colonial Heritage Sites
Presidential Office, Taichung State Hall, Hayashi Department Store — Who is protecting, who is in dispute
When you walk along Chongqing South Road in Taipei, you can look up and see the majestic red brick building. This is the Presidential Office of the Republic of China, but its predecessor was the Taiwan Governor-General's Office — the supreme symbol of power during Japan's 50-year rule over Taiwan. This historical paradox is the fundamental dilemma facing Taiwan's Japanese historical buildings: how should we face these beautiful architectural heritages that carry colonial memories?
Cultural Context of Japanese Colonial Period Architecture: 50 Years of Colonial Architectural Legacy
The Japanese colonial period from 1895 to 1945 left Taiwan with an astonishing number of architectural legacies. According to statistics from the Cultural Heritage Bureau under the Ministry of Culture, there are over 200 existing historic sites from the Japanese colonial period across Taiwan, with over 500 historical buildings. These buildings are not only numerous, but more importantly, they shaped the basic framework of Taiwan's modern cities.
Japanese architectural strategy in Taiwan can be divided into three phases: the initial military administration phase (1895-1915) focused on government offices and military barracks; the middle period of civil governance (1915-1930) emphasized education and medical facilities; the later Japanization phase (1930-1945) incorporated more traditional Japanese elements. This evolution of architectural policy reflected the transformation of Japanese colonial strategy from armed suppression and assimilation education to cultural transplantation.
However, the preservation status of these buildings is extremely uneven. Large-scale government buildings in urban core areas have mostly been well-maintained, such as the Presidential Office and the Control Yuan (former Taipei Prefecture Hall); but scattered small and medium-sized buildings, such as police stations, stations, and dormitory complexes, face demolition or abandonment. This selective preservation actually reflects the divergence in Taiwan's society's perception of Japanese colonial buildings.
Presidential Office (Former Taiwan Governor-General's Office): The Most Controversial Use of Colonial Architecture
The Presidential Office of Taiwan is possibly one of the most unique political buildings in the world — a democratic government operating in a former colonial regime's building. Designed by Moriyama Matsunosuke and completed in 1919, this building's Neo-Baroque style and red brick facade remain one of Taipei's most iconic landmarks.
After the war, the Kuomintang government took over this building, using it as a symbol of "recovery." However, this usage has brought deep political contradictions. On one hand, continuing to use this building seems to endorse the political legacy of the Japanese colonial period; on the other hand, converting it into an office for a democratic government symbolizes transcending colonial history.
Even more controversial is the building's symbolic meaning. The central tower design of the Presidential Office was originally meant to display the authoritarian power of the colonial regime; its orientation facing west (toward Japan) also implies submission to the mother country. During the DPP administration, there were proposals to move out of the Presidential Office, but ultimately abandoned due to cost considerations. This "making the best of a bad situation" approach reflects Taiwan's pragmatic attitude toward historical memory.
Currently, the Presidential Office's visiting policy is also full of contradictions: limited access on weekdays, large-scale openings only during major holidays, and visit content that deliberately downplays Japanese colonial history while emphasizing the legitimacy of the Republic of China government. This interpretation strategy is essentially a form of "de-contextualized" historical narrative.
Taichung Old City Area: Preservation Models for State Hall, Miyahara Eye Clinic, and Taichung Railway Station
The Japanese colonial building complex in Taichung demonstrates a completely different preservation philosophy. Compared to Taipei's political considerations, Taichung places more emphasis on commercial value and tourism benefits, and this pragmatic attitude has反而 created more diverse activation models.
The Taichung State Hall (now the Taichung City Government Old Building) represents the "government-led" preservation model. This building, completed in 1924, was long used as the provincial government hall after the war. Although the main administrative functions have moved out, it maintains its complete architectural layout. Unlike the Presidential Office, the historical interpretation of Taichung State Hall is relatively neutral, emphasizing the artistic value of the building itself rather than political implications.
Miyahara Eye Clinic represents the "private sector creative" reuse model. Originally the clinic of Japanese ophthalmologist Miyahara Takekuma, it became the Taichung Health Center after the war and faced demolition in the 2000s. In 2010, the Sunrise Group took over and transformed it into a cultural creative mall, preserving the facade and basic structure while incorporating modern design elements inside, becoming one of Taichung's most popular tourist destinations.
Although this commercialized preservation model has succeeded, it has also sparked controversy. Critics believe that excessive commercialization turns historic buildings into "Disneyfied" landscapes, losing their original historical depth. However, supporters argue that commercial operation ensures the sustainable maintenance of buildings, which is more practical than symbolic preservation by the government.
The case of Taichung Railway Station is even more complex. After the new station opened in 2016, the old station building (constructed in 1917) faces the problem of functional repositioning. Currently planned as a railway culture park, the specific operation model is still being explored. This reflects Taiwan's dilemma in handling large-scale transportation building heritage: balancing historical preservation with urban functionality is often difficult.
Hayashi Department Store (Tainan): Cultural Creative Regeneration of a Showa-Era Department Store
The Tainan Hayashi Department Store is a classic case of Japanese colonial building activation in Taiwan, and its successful model deserves in-depth analysis. This department store, which opened in 1932, was the most modern commercial building in Taiwan at the time, equipped with Taiwan's first elevator, and was known as the "five-story building."
After the war, Hayashi Department Store underwent multiple transfers, serving as the Salt Bureau and Air Force Officers' Club. After long-term vacancy, it reopened in 2014 as a cultural creative department store. Its success lies in "functional return" — continuing to serve as a commercial space rather than being rigidly museumified.
More importantly, Hayashi Department Store's business strategy cleverly balanced historical preservation with commercial needs. The first floor preserves the original terrazzo floors and cypress wood counters, recreating the 1930s shopping atmosphere; floors two through four introduce Taiwan local cultural creative brands; the fifth floor houses restaurants and performance spaces; the rooftop retains the Shinto shrine from the Japanese colonial period, becoming a unique historical witness.
This "layered strategy" allows different floors to bear different functions: commercial floors handle revenue, historical floors handle cultural education, forming a complementary relationship. Annual revenue exceeding 200 million NTD proves that historic buildings and commercial operation are not opposing relationships.
However, the success of Hayashi Department Store also has its particularities: Tainan's historical cultural atmosphere, relatively relaxed urban planning regulations, and flexible private sector management — these conditions are not easily replicated in other cities.
Taiwan's Japanese Dormitory Complexes: Cluster Preservation in Taoyuan, Hsinchu, and Chiayi
Compared to single-building preservation, cluster preservation of Japanese dormitory complexes faces greater challenges. These dormitory complexes are usually located in prime urban areas with extremely high land value, making the conflict between preservation and development even more acute.
The preservation experience of Daxi Wu De Dian (Martial Arts Hall) and surrounding Japanese dormitory complex in Taoyuan demonstrates the possibility of "gradual preservation." The strategy here was to first preserve the most representative building (Wu De Dian), then gradually acquire surrounding dormitories to form a cultural park. Currently, more than 10 dormitory buildings have been restored, becoming artist residency spaces and cultural creative studios.
Hsinchu City's advantage lies in combining university resources. The Japanese dormitory complex surrounding the Hsinchu State Hall (now the Art Museum) collaborates with art departments from National Chiao Tung University and National Tsing Hua University, allowing student teams to occupy and be responsible for daily maintenance, reducing government operating costs while injecting youthful vitality into the buildings.
Chiayi City's Hinoki Village (Taiwan Hinoki Village) adopts a "thematic operation" strategy. This complex of 28 Japanese dormitory buildings, themed around "forest culture" and combined with the history of the Alishan forestry industry, has created a story-rich tourist destination. Its key to success lies in finding the connection point between historic buildings and local industry.
However, dormitory complex preservation has also exposed structural problems in Taiwan's cultural heritage protection: lack of overall planning, complex property rights, and high maintenance costs. Many cities' Japanese dormitory complexes are still wavering between "rescue" and "demolition."
Decolonization vs Cultural Heritage Preservation: Political Power Struggles
The preservation controversies of Taiwan's Japanese colonial buildings essentially reflect deeper political identity issues. Supporters of preservation argue that these buildings are an important component of Taiwan's history, and regardless of political stance, should be objectively viewed; opponents believe that excessively beautifying Japanese colonial buildings may cause "colonial nostalgia," ignoring the oppressive nature of Japanese rule.
This controversy has manifested differently during different political periods. During the authoritarian period, the Kuomintang government, based on anti-Japanese sentiment, mostly adopted an attitude of neglect or modification toward Japanese colonial buildings; after democratization, with the rise of local consciousness, Japanese colonial buildings began to be re-evaluated; in recent years, with improved Taiwan-Japan relations, acceptance of Japanese colonial buildings has further increased.
However, politicized preservation strategies also bring problems. Some politicians, to demonstrate "de-Sinicization" stance, deliberately emphasize the value of Japanese colonial buildings while ignoring buildings from other periods. This "selective preservation" is actually another form of political manipulation.
Even more complex is the Indigenous perspective. For Indigenous peoples, Japanese colonial buildings often represent more direct memories of colonial oppression. Many Japanese colonial buildings in mountainous areas (such as shrines and police posts) were built on Indigenous traditional territories, and their preservation must consider Indigenous peoples' historical trauma and land rights.
Tour Route Design: Walking Maps of Japanese Buildings in Taipei, Taichung, and Tainan
For travelers interested in visiting Taiwan's Japanese colonial buildings, the following provides suggested routes for three major cities:
Taipei Political Building Complex Day Tour
Morning: Presidential Office (guided tour by reservation required) → Control Yuan (former Taipei Prefecture Hall) → National Taiwan University Hospital (former Taipei Imperial University Medical Department)
Afternoon: Ximen Red House → Zhongshan Hall (former Taipei Public Hall) → National Taiwan Museum (former Governor-General's Museum)
This route highlights Taipei's characteristics as a political center, and most buildings still maintain their original public functions. It is recommended to move with the MRT, with walking distance of about 10-15 minutes between each site.
Taichung Cultural Creative Activation Route
Morning: Taichung Railway Station (new and old station comparison) → Miyahara Eye Clinic → Taichung State Hall
Afternoon: Taichung Literature Museum (former Taichung Police Office) → Taichung Prison Martial Arts Hall → Taichung Park Lake Pavilion
Taichung's characteristic is the diversification of building functions, with the highest degree of commercial activation. It is recommended to rent iBike for transportation, with moderate distances between sites, and also experience Taichung's bicycle culture.
Tainan Historical Depth Tour
Morning: Hayashi Department Store → Tainan State Hall (now National Museum of Taiwan Literature) → Tainan District Court
Afternoon: Tainan Theological Seminary (former Tainan Presbyterian Middle School) → National Cheng Kung University (former Tainan Higher Industrial School) → Anping Tree House (former Teck Chai Trading Company warehouse)
Tainan's advantage is the highest density of historic buildings with good preservation status. It is recommended to combine walking with public transportation to experience the historical atmosphere of this ancient capital.
All cities offer guided tours in Chinese, English, and Japanese, but the quality varies. It is recommended to check opening hours and guided tour content in advance, as some buildings require reservation for visit.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: Do I need to make a reservation in advance to visit Taiwan's Japanese colonial buildings?
A: Some require reservations. Government office buildings such as the Presidential Office and Control Yuan require online reservation for guided tours; museums (National Taiwan Museum, Taiwan Literature Museum) offer on-site ticket purchases; commercial spaces (Hayashi Department Store, Miyahara Eye Clinic) allow direct entry. It is recommended to check the official website before departure to confirm opening hours and reservation methods.
Q2: What are the architectural characteristics of these Japanese colonial buildings?
A: Taiwanese Japanese colonial buildings mainly adopted Western architectural styles such as Neo-Classicism, Neo-Baroque, and Neo-Gothic, with traditional Japanese elements added in later periods. Characteristics include: red brick facades, arcade designs, mixed Japanese-Western style, and refined wooden construction techniques. Compared to buildings in mainland Japan, Taiwan's Japanese colonial buildings have a stronger Western character.
Q3: Why has Taiwan preserved so many buildings from the Japanese colonial period?
A: Main reasons include: excellent building quality (using superior materials and techniques), continued use by post-war governments (such as the Presidential Office), rising cultural heritage awareness in the 1990s, and recent improved Taiwan-Japan relations promoting re-evaluation. However, there are also political considerations: different political parties have varying attitudes toward Japanese colonial buildings.
Q4: What is the preservation status of Japanese colonial buildings? What challenges do they face?
A: Large-scale government buildings are relatively well-preserved, while small and medium-sized buildings (dormitories, stations) face demolition pressure. Main challenges include: urban development pressure, high maintenance costs, complex property rights, lack of professional restoration techniques, and political controversy affecting preservation policies. In recent years, private sector involvement has improved the situation.
Q5: What special experiences do visitors from Macau and Hong Kong have when visiting?
A: Visitors from Macau and Hong Kong will find an interesting contrast between Taiwan's Japanese colonial buildings and their own British colonial buildings: Taiwan's buildings place more emphasis on grandeur and majesty, while buildings in Macau and Hong Kong place more importance on practical functionality. Both regions face similar issues of "how to handle colonial heritage," but Taiwan's "reuse" model can provide reference. Another advantage is the lack of language barriers.
Q6: What significance do these buildings have in contemporary Taiwanese society?
A: Beyond purely tourism functions, Japanese colonial buildings have become important carriers of Taiwanese cultural identity. They represent the complexity and diversity of Taiwan's history, neither completely denying the Japanese colonial period nor beautifying colonial rule. This "complex view of history" reflects the maturity of Taiwanese society, which can rationally view history and draw cultural nourishment from it.
