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Shenkeng day trip
A historical and architectural tour to the mountain village
This itinerary would be for you if you want an escape from the skyscrapers from downtown Taipei. Shenkeng, the mountain village is located southeast from central Taipei city. It is only 10 km away from the Nankang exhibition center. Shenkeng’s early dwellers arrived in the 1700s, the inhabitants lived by Jingmei river and formed communities prospered by the water transport of goods. The inhabitants at Shenkeng moved out of the mountain following the gradual matured town-life emerged in central Taipei. Today, people in Shenkeng depend on main industries such as quality agriculture, specialty food production and tourism. Since the year 2008, ‘Shenkeng street’ – a street that is full of characteristic of the old days - has been included in special historical sights of the New Taipei City. If you got an opportunity to visit Shenkeng, spot for different styles of old architectures – whether it is an ordinary rustic style or a more posh and extravagant old house, you will sure enjoy the beauty of old Taiwanese/Chinese architectures and leave an additional impression to Taipei.
Shenkeng cultural and natural heritages
Shenkeng’s hundred-year-old houses, with red bricks and thin tiles, resembled traditional Taiwanese and southern Fujian architectural styles. Strolling through the preserved streets it is not difficult to imagine the busy past of the mountain market town. Look out for traditional courtyard residence (Sanheyuan), particularly the “Yong-an house” that has been listed as a third class monument, open to visitors on weekends. For those who like walks, there are a few public paths around Shenkeng, which lead to local temples and small waterfalls, for you to get rid of some calories before all the mouthwatering local cuisines.
Shenkeng must try cuisines
Thanks to the clean water from the river that flows through Shenkeng, Tofu from Shenkeng is particularly famous, and being treated by different cooking techniques, the tofu dishes come in a variety of taste, styles and forms. Including braised tofu, tofu soup, black tofu, grilled stinky tofu, tofu icecream, etc. There are also desserts like rice dumplings, taro balls, Caozaiguo, peanut candy and grass jelly drinks.
After filling your tummy, it is a tradition to drink tea and relax. ShenKeng was also a main tea and camphor producing village back in the Qing dynasty up to the Japanese colonial period. Today, you can still find some green tea and Oolong produced locally.
Transportation
MRT+ Bus:
Take Bannan line and get off at Taipei city hall station, transit with 912 bus express.
Take Winhu line to Muzha station, get off and transit with number 660, 666, 819, 679, 795 buses or express.
Bus:
Take number 660 bus from YuanHuang, Tacheng Street, Roosevelt Road, Gongguan, Jingmei, or Muzha stations.
Take number 912 bus from Songshou Road Entrance, Taipei City hall, Xinyi district center stations.
For more information please visit the webpage of New Taipei City tourism department: http://tour.ntpc.gov.tw/tom/lang_en/index.aspx
or Shenkeng district office website: http://www.shenkeng.ntpc.gov.tw/content/?parent_id=10059
*Don’t forget your umbrellas as the Nangang, Shenkeng hilly area rain unexpectedly.
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