Walking through northern Taiwan: A journey to deepen understanding of Taiwan through new encounters
Last year (2025), I participated in the Keelung Peace for the Sea Camp and learned how the port city of Keelung served as a gateway for Taiwan to the outside world, particularly in the past. The 50 years of Japanese colonial rule, experienced during Asia's drive toward modernization, have had a profound impact on the city today, and traces of Japan can still be found throughout the city. The most obvious example is the architecture, from the stately designs of the Imperial Japanese era to wooden Japanese architecture. Japanese curry is still popular, and seafood curry udon is apparently a Keelung specialty. Chikuwa, or chikuwa fish cake, is also known as "chikura" and is still sold at the port. There are countless connections to between Keelung and Japan, Histrically, Keelung had a Japanese district, as well as Ryukyuan and Korean villages. Most of these people left after the war, but of course, some remained for various reasons, and their descendants still live in Keelun...