In the early 20th century, Taiwan produced more than half the world”s camphor. Taipei”s Nanmen Park was home to a government-run camphor and opium processing factory during the Japanese colonial period. The facility fell into disuse as the of market demand for Taiwanese camphor waned. It”s now home to an Italian restaurant alongside views of a bygone era.
Stephany Yang
Formosa News reporter
I”m walking on the handcart rail. This area used to be a camphor factory in 1915. Now it”s been transformed into restaurant.
This handcart rail was used for transporting camphor during the Japanese colonial era. At the time, this building was the only state-owned camphor and opium processing factory in Taiwan. The original structure is still intact, and it’s now home to a restaurant.
This area was used for packing, loading, and unloading products. A new restaurant has moved into one half of this historic space, adorning it with verdant greenery and floral pops of color.
Lin Peng-hsun
Restaurateur
We wanted to make good use of this space, to rejuvenate it. The view is really quite pretty. We wanted to make it look like a forest. Our menu uses ingredients from all over Taiwan.
The menu items are inspired by the flavors of Taiwan, and the ingredients are sourced carefully by the chef, who uses French and Italian cooking techniques. Meals are served against a backdrop of an intriguing moment in history.
Diner
This used to be a factory for camphor trees. I am particularly interested in the surroundings here and want to look around the building.
Member of the public
This place makes people feel as if they’re living right in a historic site. It’s all very beautiful.
Lin Peng-hsun
Restaurateur
We”ve maintained the original appearance of the floor and most of the building”s structure, so people can have a closer sense of its original style. There are also camphor trees around here. You can actually smell the aroma of camphor when you eat in this area.
Nanmen Park is now a museum operated by the National Taiwan Museum. In the park, there’s another historic building called the White Palace Performance Hall. It’s a warehouse built with Qilian stones in 1902. After their meal, diners can explore their surroundings and revisit the story of Taiwan’s camphor boom.