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Taichung is my hometown and one of my favourite cities in the world! The city is also filled with beautiful, photo-worthy spots. Here are some of the most instagrammable places in Taichung.
To learn more about the things you can do in Taichung, read my blog post here.
TOTORO BUS STOP
This is literally a tiny bus stop on the side of a small street with not much else around, so don’t expect anything grand. Many tourists come here just for a photo with Totoro. I am a huge Totoro fan so seeing this was very exciting for me. I grew up watching Studio Ghibli films, and My Neighbour Totoro was one of my favourites. Warning, the parking is also limited in this area!
Location: No. 133號, Qiaocheng Road, Dali District, Taichung City, Taiwan 412. Click here for the map.
I’M TALATO ICE CREAM
I came here for the gram! This is by far one of the most instagrammable places in Taichung. It was hard for me to turn down an opportunity to lie in a pool of fake ice cream. The shop is decked out in cute ice cream décor, making it one of the most Instagram-worthy spots in Taichung. The ice cream was a bit pricy in my opinion, but I was there for the experience. I had the guava & rose sorbet, which was quite refreshing and enjoyable.
Location: No. 451號, Yingcai Road, West District, Taichung City, Taiwan 403. Click here for the map.
艸水木堂
Another place I went to for the gram… This is a more “local” dessert shop in Shen Ji Village and with no English name to my knowledge. Do not fear if you can’t read Chinese (I can’t either)! I just copied and pasted the Chinese characters into Google Maps. My cousins and I were looking for a fun café to have a snack. We had a blast taking pictures and riding on the “merry-go-round animals” (they don’t actually move). Note there is a minimum food and drink spend for guests who want to go in and take pictures. The café is in a super cute neighbourhood, with other cute shops and areas within walking distance to check out.
Location: No. 364, Minsheng Road, West District, Taichung City, Taiwan 403. Click here for the map.
MIYAHARA
This pastry shop looks like something out of Harry Potter and is another one of the most instagrammable places in Taichung. The décor in this historic building is absolutely stunning and this is definitely a great spot to snap photos for Instagram. The first floor is dedicated retail space where you can buy pineapple cakes, nougats, cookies, and many other treats. There is also an ice cream shop with a large variety of flavours. I love buying gifts from Miyahara to bring home to Canada.
Location: No. 20號, Zhongshan Rd, Central District, Taichung City, 400. Click here for the map.
CAFFAINA COFFEE GALLERY
What a visually stunning coffee shop! This trendy spot is always bustling with locals and tourists. I was immediately drawn to the décor, especially the floor to ceiling bookcase (it’s not real). I was impressed with their huge selection of coffee, pastries and desserts, though prices are not always cheap.
Location: No. 45號, Section 2, Huizhong Road, Xitun District, Taichung City, Taiwan 407. Click here for the map.
NATIONAL TAICHUNG THEATER
The National Taichung Theater is a beautiful building that was designed to be a “sound cave”, with curved walls and high ceilings. It is not just a venue for music and the performing arts, there are restaurants and cafes in the building, as well as local vendors on the first floor. On the rooftop, there is a lovely garden with amazing views of Taichung.
Location: No. 101號, Section 2, Huilai Rd, Xitun District, Taichung City, 407025. Click here for the map.
PAINTED ANIMATION LANE
Though the Painted Animation Lane is small, the nostalgia makes it worth a quick visit. Located in the West District of Taichung, Painted Animation Lane is a hidden side street with lots of paintings of cartoons and anime characters, like Totoro and Dragon Ball Z.
Location: Lane 100, Linsen Rd, West District, Taichung City, 403. Click here for the map.
NMU 幸卉文学咖啡 NICE TO MEET YOU CAFE
Going to the Nice to Meet You Cafe made me feel like I was transported to another world in an older time. The cafe is located in a Japanese-style house on the grounds of the Taichung Literature Museum. I was told that during the Japanese occupation of Taiwan, this house was used as a police dormitory during the occupation. The interior of the cafe features beautiful woodwork, Japanese decor and tatami seating. There is a large selection of coffee and dessert, including cakes and shaved ice.
The cafe has a store that sells unique teacups, coffee mugs, and tea. I went with my family and we picked up some Totoro coasters to take home. After dining at the cafe, we took a stroll around the grounds of the museum behind the cafe.
Location: No. 6號, Zili Street, West District, Taichung City, Taiwan 403. Click here for the map.
