Hsinchu Prison Martial Arts Hall 新竹少年刑務所演武場

Remains of Hsinchu Prison Martial Arts Hall

Hsinchu is a city filled with uncovered historical gems such as Hsinchu Prison Martial Arts Hall (新竹少年刑務所演武場). Down nearly every alleyway or on any street corner in the downtown area, you’re sure to find some buildings that date back several decades.  Over the years, many of these historical houses have been left uncared for. The result is that many of these priceless treasures have been rotting and collapsing in on themselves. Thus losing all of the stories stored within their walls.

The good news is that the Hsinchu government has been doubling its efforts to save as many of these priceless homes from the unrelenting test of time. Places such as the Hsinchu Prison Martial Arts Hall have not only been given a facelift. They have also been brought into the folds of other historic places around the city such as Dr. Li Kecheng’s home and the Residence of Principal Hsin Chih-Ping.

Want to visit Dr. Li Kecheng’s traditional house? Read more here!

An Active Prison

Some people may feel a bit uneasy about visiting Hsinchu Prison. Under the watchful eye of the surrounding watchtowers, this seems like an uncommon place to be spending your weekend. If you can get over the nearby concrete walls casting shade nearby, you can start to dig into the long history Hsinchu has with prisons.

Standing to the east of the Hsinchu Juvenile Detention Center (新竹少年刑務所) are roughly twenty buildings that have a history stretching back all the way to Japanese control of Taiwan. In 1896, the Japanese Colonial Government approved the creation of a prison in Hsinchu. Although the original location was by the City God Temple, the prison finally moved to where it is today. The bulk of the buildings that still exist is part of the East Residential Compound. This is also the location of the Hsinchu Prison Martial Arts Hall which was built in 1935.

While in Hsinchu, you won’t want to miss visiting the City God Temple!

Exhibitions and History

After taking off your shoes and slipping on some slippers, you’re free to roam the inside of the Hsinchu Prison Martial Arts Hall. The first room is quite wide and empty. Several tables encircle the center of the hall, displaying crafts and art from all over Hsinchu. The exhibits change every several months. The reason the main room is so spacious is the fact that this was the place where police would practice martial arts such as kendo, judo, and kyudo. There are even jars placed under the floorboards to amplify the sound of people being thrown on the mats.

These martial arts training centers are known in Japanese as butokoden (武德殿). Many of these martial arts facilities can be found throughout Japan and Taiwan. This one in particular was used by prison guards. The front rooms of the Martial Arts Hall are exhibits that go into the history of the training center itself. With both English and Chinese explanations, you can dive deep into the origins of the prison facilities as well as details about the architecture of the butokoden.

Looking for more culture in Hsinchu? Why not visit Guandi Temple!

Lost in Information

Hsinchu Prison Martial Arts Hall suffers from having almost too many descriptions within its walls. Other than the displays and lengthy explanations, you also have retired professors looking to fill their days by listening to themselves talk at the expense of anyone who might visit. Not much can be said about the condition of the facilities before the renovations, but now the interior of the training center lacks any sort of character. It is hard to imagine what life may have been like for your average correctional officer training martial arts in this butokoden.

Of course, preserving history is the goal of restoring any of these old buildings. But just rebuilding the exterior is not enough. The house still lacks a soul. Period accurate decorations and furniture can more effectively transport visitors back to 1935. While the plaques and paragraphs of text are important, you can read these just as easily at home as you can within the museum. People visit historical sites not just to read, but to be immersed in the culture of another time.

If you’re really wanting to see Taiwanese culture come alive, be sure to visit Beigang!

The Tip of the Iceberg

Having no entrance fee, Hsinchu Prison Martial Arts Hall is worth the visit while traveling around Hsinchu. If you are not willing to read every description and have your ear talked off by retirees, you may spend as little as fifteen minutes within this Japanese relic. Although small, you are still bound to enjoy the traditional architecture of this butokoden. Better yet, the best of this museum may be yet to come.

Surrounding Hsinchu Prison Martial Arts Hall are over twenty buildings just waiting to be restored to their former glory. Already, walls have been put up with the Hsinchu government logo around several traditional houses next to the training center. It is just a matter of time before you can visit the entire colonial-era prison facility and imagine what it would be like to walk through Taiwan nearly one hundred years ago.

You can find a full list of things to do in Hsinchu here!