Heading to a local market is also a great way to experience life in Hualien City! Visitors to the Hualien Hakka Cultural Hall and the Hualien Railway Culture Park in downtown Hualien not only get to appreciate the beauty of local history and architecture, but also discover great merchandise and stories that exemplify the local quality of life at the weekly market.
Text/ Lin, Ya-Ching
Image/ Hualien Farmers’ Market and Editorial Office
Enthusiastic Sharing of Great Products|Hualien Hakka Market
Every Friday afternoon, the “Hualien Hakka Market” at the Hualien Hakka Cultural Hall in downtown Hualien is a welcoming market where a group of people who love to share Hualien’s local culture, friendly farming produce, craft aesthetics, taste of life, and art gather to sell their homemade and homegrown goods. The Hualien Hakka Market has about 10 to 20 booths offering a wide range of products from health fruit vinegar, Hakka cuisine to handcrafted woodwork, all of which showcase the most authentic taste of Hualien. It is hoped that by sharing the good life and friendly environment in the region, the people of Hualien can welcome visitors by exemplifying the spirit of Hakka hospitality.
The population of Hualien is composed of diverse ethnic groups, of which the percentage of Hakka population accounts for 30%, leaving behind many captivating stories about migration and settlement. In order to preserve the historical heritage and memory, the Hualien Hakka Cultural Hall was established on the grounds of the former staff dormitory of the Hualien Port Branch of the Taipei District Court. The building was authentically restored to its original state, and the concrete base was preserved and built with wood mortise and tenon to reproduce the traditional Japanese construction method. The museum features Hakka cultural relics, Hakka language introduction, and the sale of special Hakka-themed merchandise and souvenirs. In addition, the museum organizes Hakka cultural exhibitions and Hakka language classes from time to time, so that the museum not only has a good architecture and fun market, but also passes on rich cultural heritage.
INFO|Hualien Hakka Cultural Hall
Address: No.1, Lane 98, Fuxing Street, Hualien City
Telephone:03-8350315
Business hours:08:00-17:30(Closed on Saturdays and Sundays)
Business hours: Hualien Hakka Market is held every Friday14:00-18:00
Lavatory:Yes
Gathering of Organic Smallholder Farmers|Hualien Farmers’ Market
Now entering its 13th year, the Hualien Farmers’ Market is the oldest running small farmers’ market in Hualien. Every Saturday morning more than a dozen local smallholder farmers bring their freshly harvested, environmentally friendly, high-quality agricultural products to the Hualien Railway Culture Park Building 1 for sale. The farmers interact enthusiastically with consumers, introducing seasonal produce and processed agricultural products with the warmth of human touch. When visitors come to the Hualien Farmers’ Market, they can expect not only healthy and safe food ingredients, but also plenty of hospitality and trust in the sustainable development of the local land.
The Hualien Railway Culture Park, where the market is located today, was formerly known as the Hualien Branch Office of the Railway Department, which was in charge of the Hua-Tung Line and was later abolished. In 2002, the site was revitalized and converted together with the adjacent former Hualien Public Works Section, the Ministry of Railways Police Department Budōkan, the steam train water refilling tower, the planned steam train restoration site, a railroad-themed tourist shopping area, and the former director’s dormitory into a theme park. It is also today renowned as the most complete narrow-gauge railway base in Taiwan. Because of its convenient location in downtown Hualien, it has become a popular tourist attraction for leisure and fun.
INFO|Hualien Railway Culture Park
Address: No. 71, Zhongshan Road, Hualien City (Hualien Railway Culture Park Building 1)
Telephone:03-8356656
Business hours:10:00-18:00(Closed every Wednesday)
Business hours: Hualien Farmers’ Market is held every Saturday09:00-12:00
Lavatory:Yes