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When night falls over the mountain town of Jiufen, as red lanterns light up the stone-step paths, they also illuminate the entrepreneurial dreams of a group of returning youth. These designers and artists who worked hard in the city have brought modern aesthetics back to the mountain town where their ancestors lived, reinterpreting Jiufen's cultural depth through contemporary design vocabulary, creating cultural creative products that have both local soul and international perspective.
The Contemporary Revival of Traditional Crafts
The youth cultural creative movement in Jiufen began around 2015, when a batch of graduates from Taiwan University of the Arts and Shih Chien University gradually returned to the mountain town, establishing studios in the relatively affordable alleys. They were not satisfied with selling mass-produced tourist souvenirs, but delved deep into Jiufen's mining history and Japanese colonial architectural elements, combining modern design techniques to create handcrafted items with collectible value.
Particularly worth noting is that the international situation of the Japanese yen's continued depreciation in 2026 has instead given these Taiwanese local designer brands a greater competitive edge. Compared to imported Japanese cultural creative products, the young designers in Jiufen can offer similarly exquisite handmade quality at more reasonable prices. The consumption trend of 175 million outbound Chinese tourists has also made these Taiwan-characteristic designed products highly sought after.
Selected Youth Cultural Creative Spots
Mountain Town Metalworks
Located in the middle section of Shishi Road's stone steps, a metalworking studio converted from a Japanese colonial-era miner's dormitory. The owner, Ah-Hua, originally worked as a jewelry designer in Taipei. After returning home in 2019, he focused on creating accessories inspired by Jiufen's landscape. The signature product is the hand-hammered "staircase ring," with the ring body carved with textures of Jiufen's stone steps, priced at NT$2,800-4,500. The studio offers on-site creation experiences where visitors can personally craft their own unique accessories.
Old Times Ceramics Studio
A ceramics creative space in the alleys of Jishan Street, operated by the returning youth Xiao-Ye. She incorporates common Jiufen sandstone and shale into the clay, firing vessels with a mountain town texture. The most popular is the "mining cup" series, with the cup body simulating the irregular shape of mining caves, paired with earthy golden glazes, each priced at NT$800-1,200. The studio also offers hand-throwing experience courses, 2 hours at NT$1,500, including firing and mailing.
Between Pages Bookstore Cultural Creative
An independent bookstore and cultural creative store on Qingbian Road, operated by designer Ah-Ze who transitioned from the advertising industry. The store sells his Jiufen-themed printed items, including hand silk-screen printed canvas bags (NT$680), postcard sets featuring Jiufen architectural silhouettes (NT$180), and a limited edition "mountain town night scene" woodcut print (NT$3,200). Each product is marked with its production date, having collectible value.
Weaving Dream Craft Studio
A textile workshop hidden in the back alleys of the old street, founded by Xiaomi, a high-achieving textile department graduate who returned to her hometown. She reinterprets her grandmother's generation weaving techniques, creating contemporary textiles that blend Hakka floral elements. The flagship product is the hand-woven "mountain town scarf," using locally sourced Taiwanese wool, presenting the visual effect of Jiufen's misty atmosphere, priced at NT$2,200-3,800. The studio offers weaving experiences, where after learning basic techniques, visitors can take home their own small creations.
Retro Film Photography Studio
A visual cultural creative space operated by a husband-and-wife photography team, specializing in shooting and producing Jiufen-style film postcards and photo books. They use vintage cameras to capture Jiufen's daily life scenes, avoiding the tourist perspective, presenting the authentic mountain town through local residents' eyes. Custom photo books start at NT$1,800, and limited edition photographic works are also sold on-site, each priced at NT$800-2,500.
Practical Shopping Information
Transportation:
Take the Taiwan Railway to Ruifang Station, then transfer to Keelung Bus Route 788 directly to Jiufen Old Street. Those driving can park at Jiufen Elementary School parking lot (NT$40 per hour), with a 5-minute walk to the old street.
Business Hours:
Most studios operate from Tuesday to Sunday 10:00-18:00, closed on Mondays. Afternoon visits are recommended, with better lighting and relatively fewer crowds.
Price Range:
Handmade accessories NT$800-4,500, ceramic vessels NT$500-1,500, textiles NT$1,200-3,800, photographic works NT$180-2,500. Most studios accept credit card payments, and some offer mobile payment.
Experience Courses:
Metalwork experience 2 hours from NT$1,800, pottery hand-throwing 2 hours NT$1,500, basic weaving 3 hours NT$2,200. Advance phone reservations are recommended, especially during holidays.
Shopping Tips
When selecting youth cultural creative products, pay attention to whether the back of the work has the creator's signature or studio mark, which serves as a quality guarantee and is where the collectible value lies. Many studios offer customization services, where personal names or dates can be engraved on products, with a production time of approximately 3-7 days.
Compared to mass-produced tourist souvenirs, these handcrafted works by young designers are slightly higher in price, but their uniqueness and storytelling more represent Jiufen's cultural depth. When purchasing, don't hesitate to chat with creators about their design philosophy; you can often hear many in-depth stories about Jiufen.
It's recommended to allocate half a day to slowly explore these studios; each has different aesthetic styles and creative philosophies. If your budget is limited, postcards, handmade soaps, and other small items are also good choices, being affordable yet meaningful souvenirs. Remember to get business cards from creators; many studios have online stores, so you can continue following their new works after returning home.
