Hsinchu Weekend Flower Market 新竹市假日花市

Where Is The Night Market?

If Hsinchu is lacking in any department, it would be for its absence of a proper night market. Night markets are incredibly famous in Taiwan. Nearly every major city has an area dedicated to stalls of delicious food, carnival games, and other means of amusement. This is not just a place to fill your face with snacks. Night markets are also critical to a city’s culture. This is a place where locals and tourists both come out to wander around the shops under the stars.

There was once a time when Hisnchu had a night market. Right by where Xiazhuting Nanda Police Dormitories now stand, there were stalls selling everything from barbeque to waffles. Unfortunately, the Hsinchu Night Market was closed down. There is also Qingda University’s (新竹清大夜市) so-called “night market”. They also do not make the cut due to the fact that it is actually just a row of popular restaurants. So where then can you get some Hsinchu delicacies and enjoy swarms of people strolling past stalls of ring toss games and darts? The answer is the Hsinchu Weekend Flower Market (新竹市假日花市).

Looking for another place to grab a bit to eat? Be sure to visit Jingtingjia: Izakaya!

Food and Games

Despite the name, Hsinchu’s weekend flower market is so much more than a place to try your hand at growing some house plants. The flower market has all of the things that you’d expect a night market to have but during the light of day. The Hsinchu Weekend Flower Market has everything from pinball to milk tea, making it the perfect place to walk through, people watch and grab a snack.

As you may have already guessed, the flower market is only held on the weekend. Vendors will begin setting up their tents as early as Thursday night but do not expect them to be ready to do business until 11 am on Saturday. The Hsinchu Weekend Flower Market can be found bordering the Hsinchu Municipal Stadium (新竹市立體育場) in Hsinchu Park  (新竹公園). If you’re not wanting to enjoy your market food with the crowds, you’ll always find seating in the outdoor stands of the stadium.

If you’re looking for some history and a coffee, make sure to check out the Former Residence of Principal Hsin Chih Ping!

Taking A Bite of Hsinchu

The biggest draw of Hsinchu Flower Market is not the flowers at all, but the food. While poking your head inside different tents, it is the aroma of simmering meats and vegetables that will tempt you to pull up a stool. With classic favorites such as stinky tofu and the infamous night market steaks, Hsinchu’s weekend flower market is a place where you can check off many items from your Taiwan cuisine bucket list.

Ms. Yang (楊小姐) is a veteran of Hsinchu’s Weekend Flower Market. She has been serving out meatballs and noodles for over thirty years. Despite the growing costs of cooking oil and other items, she has been sticking to her honest night market prices. Like Ms. Yang, many of the stalls in the market will serve you delicious meals for a cheap price. Making this the perfect place for budget travelers to eat until they have to loosen their belts.

Another iconic place in Hsinchu you’ll want to make sure to visit is the House of Dr. Le Kecheng!

Plants and Flowers

The flower market wouldn’t have gotten its name if it wasn’t for the handful of stalls leading up to Gongyuan Road (公園路). Even if you arrive before the time the market opens, you’ll at least be able to pick up some plants and flowers before the crowds come rushing in.  Although the market isn’t a true “flower market”, there is more than enough to entice your average plant lover to pick up some new succulents to adorn their apartment.

Within the realm of the plant section of the “flower market,” you’ll also find several stalls selling antiques and religious statues. Don’t be surprised when you see a laughing Buddha poking his head out from between some leaves. While the antiques might be expensive, the plants are quite cheap. This means you can try your luck at growing your urban garden without losing too much money in the process.

Looking for more history? Be sure to check out the Hsinchu Prison Martial Arts Hall!

Games, Grub, and Gardens

The harsh reality of Hsinchu Weekend Flower Market is that it is only a shadow of what it once was. Due to the pandemic and other factors, the weekly market has been dwindling in size. There was a time when there were more stalls than you could count and even a small carnival for young children. Today, visitors can still enjoy some snacks and visit the various vendors, but one can not help but feel a little bit cheated when knowing how it once was.

Fortunately, Hsinchu Weekend Flower Market is only one of the stops in Hsinchu Park. Around the area, you’ll find a handful of historic houses, restaurants, and even temples to discover.  Once you get tired of the park, the famous 18 Peak Mountain (十八尖山) is also just a short stroll away from the flower market. Despite not having a night market, Hsinchu Flower Market does its best to fill the void. We can only hope for a brighter future when the wisps of steam from the skillets will once again fill the air with the smells of delicious delights.

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