Hsinchuku – Japanese Police Dormitory 新築窟 (下竹町)

Behind Hsinchu Train Station – 新竹後站公園

Like many cities around Taiwan, the train station is the heart of the city. The layouts of most of the cities on the island were set decades ago by Japanese planners. When strolling around a city in either Tokyo or Hsinchu, you’ll notice obvious similarities in how the town is organized. Hsinchu Train Station is no different. Although the city has gone through several facelifts and renovations throughout the years, many things are stuck in time. This includes the old Nanda Japanese Police Dormitories (新竹後站南大路警察宿舍) located directly behind the train station.

Behind Hsinchu Train Station, you’ll find an enormous parking lot as well as the intercity bus station. Other than the miles of concrete and parking spaces, you’ll also find a bit of history poking its head from out behind the rows of cars and buses. Located off of Nanda Road (南大路), tourists will find the Rear Station Park (新竹後站公園) as well as several traditional Japanese buildings which once housed local police.

If you’re looking for more historical buildings in Hsinchu, be sure to check out Hsinchu Prison!

Rebuilding Hsinchu

The two Japanese Police Dormitories off of Nanda Road are part of the Xiazhu Community (下竹社區) or Xiazhuting (下竹町). Both of these buildings were built between 1929 and 1935 while the Japanese were in control of Taiwan. In recent years, the Hsinchu government has been doing a sweep over all the historical buildings in the city. Many of these dilapidated ruins have now been rebuilt to their former glory. This, of course, includes the police dormitories off of Nanda Road.

The location of Xiazhuting may be a bit strange for your average tourist. Having these historical houses standing proud in the middle of a parking lot seems a bit out of place. But knowing that these are the original sites of these buildings will put the historians at ease. One of the dormitories has been made into an exhibition space. Showcasing traditional art from around Hsinchu. The Japanese house on the opposite side of the street is currently home to an Asian-fusion restaurant known as Hsinchuku (新築窟).

History doesn’t stop here. Be sure to grab a coffee at the home of Dr. Li Kecheng (李克承博士故居) )!

Hsinchuku (新築窟)

The Hsinchu government has been moving so fast to rebuild old historical houses around the city, that businesses and artists can’t keep up. There are a handful of refurbished century-old homes which stand empty simply because the government doesn’t know what to do with them. Luckily for the Japanese Dormitories behind the train station, Hsinchuku has opened up shop.

Affiliated with its sister restaurant in Taipei, Ooh Cha Cha (科技大樓), Hsinchuku (新築窟) brings Asian-fusion cuisine to Hsinchu. The restaurants were started by a group of friends from both California and Taiwan. Their first restaurant opened in 2013 and Hsinchuku in 2022. The core values of Hsinchuku are to serve Hsinchu healthy, vegetarian meals with an emphasis on sustainability and being cruelty-free.

Wanting to see the religious side of Hsinchu? You can grab a drink at Fangwai Coffee at Renguang Temple!

Vegetarian Hsinchu

No matter if you eat meat or are a hardcore vegetarian, you’ll find yourself right at home at Hsinchuku. With healthy and innovative takes on traditional Asian dishes, many of the items on the menu will have you both hungry and curious. The prices are a bit steep, however. For your average working-class person, you might only want to splurge on a meal when you have a special occasion.

What really separates Hsinchuku from the rest of the restaurants around Hsinchu is the fact that they have outdoor seating. Finding a nice patio with outside seating in Hsinchu is easier said than done. There are only a handful of places where you can enjoy the night air while chowing down on a delicious meal. For many customers, enjoying your evening outdoors is more than enough of a reason to empty your wallet for dinner.

No trip to Hsinchu would be complete without traveling to the Chenghuang Temple!

Nanda Japanese Dormitories

The Japanese buildings off of Nanda road have been saved from being forgotten by the passing of time. Along with Hsinchu Park (新竹公園), the area behind Hsinchu Train Station is being developed into a cultural center in the city. The surrounding parking lot may be a sea of eyesores from Xiazhuting, but this does not take away from the history and culture of the area.

Although you will have great food and a place where you can enjoy the night in Hsinchu, one can not help but feel the lack of a soul in Hsinchuku. Much like The Former Residence of Principal Hsin Chih-Ping, the house almost seems too new. With the lack of decorations and finishing touches to feel more like a home, the dormitory gives an empty feeling to its visitors.

Regardless, with time, character and life will continue to flow into restaurants such as Hsinchuku. These historical houses have been revived and now have a second chance at surviving in the modern world.

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