As a Japanese, I became interested in traveling to Taiwan because someone I happened to know in Australia was Taiwanese. I decided to travel with almost no knowledge of Taiwan. That turned out to be a good thing.
While it is fun to go to a place with a lot of preparation, it is also fun to travel with no knowledge at all. It is often said that ignorance comes with danger, and that is certainly true in some countries. But in the case of Taiwan, it is the perfect place for a trip that starts with ignorance. Taiwan is safe, and the caring and warm-hearted people support a trip with an open mind.
When I first visited Taiwan, I immediately fell in love with Taiwan. There are three reasons for this.
⦁ Vibrant cityscape
⦁ A people who are not distant at heart
⦁ A life that is too cost-effective
I believe that these three things were all the more impressive because I had no prior knowledge of them at all. Different cultures have their own unique atmospheres and city designs, don't they? In the case of Taiwan, eye-catching and vivid buildings and signs add liveliness to the entire city. For travelers, it was an element that boosted the excitement.
A number of historical buildings
A people who do not keep distance in their hearts
People in Taiwan readily approach you when you walk down the street or enter a store. At the time, the only Chinese words I knew when I visited Taiwan were Ni Hao and Shay Shay, and the numbers 1 through 3. Naturally, shopping was a challenge, but even though I did not understand the language, the local people did their best to teach me, and when they understood that I was Japanese, they would speak Japanese to me in broken Japanese. In time, the language barrier naturally disappeared in my mind, and it became easier for me to talk to them.
Life in Japan is too cosy
Taiwanese people often eat out or take-out for their daily meals. There are many eateries, box lunch shops, and food stalls throughout the city. Even small alleys are often lined with several stores. A boxed lunch starts at NT$50 (Taiwan dollar). In today's Japanese yen, this translates to about 228 yen (4.56 yen as of Oct 4, 2022). 50-yuan bento is usually served with one main dish and a choice of three side dishes. At street stalls, you can eat large fried chicken the size of your face [ji-pai], baked buns with pepper [hu jiao bing], steamed buns [suwe zhen bao], and thinly sliced pizza-like [tseng yu bing] with scallions for about NT$10-45.
The most cost-effective lunch box
The city scenery and food are full of excitement, yet there is a sense of security and coziness with a sincere warmth. I was fascinated by Taiwan on my first visit and felt that I wanted to stay here forever.
This is the end of this article.
Thank you for reading to the end. ^^ ^^