[Taiwan, Zhongshan] Souvenirs You Absolutely Can’t Miss! A Complete Guide to Must-Visit Shops & Supermarkets for Travelers

One of the greatest joys of traveling to Taiwan is, of course, finding delicious and adorable ‘souvenirs’! Among them, the ‘Zhongshan’ area in Taipei is a highly popular district, lined with department stores and upscale Japanese hotels, while its back alleys are bustling with renovated stylish cafes and shops.

This time, we’ve carefully selected souvenir spots that are absolutely recommended for travelers, all centered around the Zhongshan area. From classic casual souvenirs to ‘serious gifts’ you’d want to give to someone special, and even local spots where you can feel the unique vibrant energy of Taiwan, we’ll deliver them along with practical shopping tips.

Zhongshan

📍 Address: No. 16, Nanjing W Rd, Zhongshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan 10491

The ‘Zhongshan Station’ on the MRT is an excellent base for your trip. It’s a key interchange where the Red Line (Tamsui-Xinyi Line) and Green Line (Songshan-Xindian Line) intersect, boasting superb accessibility—just one stop from Taipei Main Station.

The area around the station is densely packed with large department stores like Shin Kong Mitsukoshi and luxury hotels such as The Okura Prestige Taipei. It’s easy to navigate even for first-time visitors to Taiwan, and ticket machines can be switched to Japanese display and audio guidance, making it safe for beginners to use.

Starting from Zhongshan Station, you can smoothly travel to areas like Dihua Street and Shilin Night Market. Furthermore, it’s directly connected to the underground mall mentioned later, making it an incredibly convenient station as a base.

Zhongshan Underground Street

📍 Address: 10491 Zhongshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan

During your trip to Taiwan, the intense summer heat and sudden downpours can be quite troublesome. In such times, the ‘Zhongshan Underground Street,’ stretching straight from Shuanglian Station through Zhongshan Station to Taipei Main Station, becomes a strong ally for travelers.

Don’t dismiss it as just a passageway. This is also a shopping street with a strong local flavor, offering everything from daily necessities to clothes and casual eateries at affordable prices. Particularly, the area from Zhongshan Station towards Shuanglian Station has been renovated as ‘Eslite R79 (Underground Bookstore Street),’ creating a sophisticated space with beautiful wooden bookshelves and general stores.

For an even deeper insight, pay attention to the mirror-lined plaza along the way (near Jazz Square). Here, local young people gather daily, practicing street dance with passion. Music events are also sometimes held here, making it a secretly popular spot where you can genuinely feel the vibrant energy of Taiwan’s youth culture.

Yun Cai Xuan

📍 Address: No. 2, Lane 31, Section 1, Nanjing E Rd, Kangle Village, Zhongshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan 10491

If you’re looking for ‘high-quality and tasteful goods’ in the Zhongshan area, ‘Yun Cai Xuan’ (ユンツァイシュエン), nestled next to Linsen Park (Kangle Park), is an absolute must-visit. Celebrating 20 years since its opening, it’s a Taiwanese general store extremely popular with Japanese travelers.

Inside the store, colorful pouches, wallets, and nylon bags adorned with ‘Hakka floral fabric’ (Hakka Hafu) are displayed shoulder to shoulder. What’s particularly noteworthy is the meticulous craftsmanship. Unlike many overseas souvenirs that might have ‘loose stitching’ or ‘protruding threads,’ there’s absolutely none of that here; the items are so well-finished you might think, ‘Can I use this forever?’

Beyond general goods, their original sweets also boast exceptionally high quality. Particularly popular is the ‘tea popcorn.’ Instead of masking with sweetness, it offers a sophisticated taste where the rich aroma of tea leaves comes first, followed by a subtle bitterness, and finally a modest sweetness. The ‘Oolong Tea Candy’ is also an excellent product that lets you directly experience the rich flavor of tea leaves.

The staff are fluent in Japanese and very kind. You can even sample sweets that catch your eye, ensuring a pleasant shopping experience. While prices might be a bit higher compared to night markets, the quality justifies it, making it a perfect spot for a treat for yourself or a gift for someone special.

Jin Xing Fa Life Department Store, Nanxi Branch

📍 Address: No. 5-1, Nanjing W Rd, Min’an Village, Zhongshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan 104

If you’re eager to buy lots of casual souvenirs or cute, inexpensive local goods unique to Taiwan, ‘Jin Xing Fa Life Department Store’ (Jin Xing Fa), located right next to Zhongshan Station Exit 3, will fulfill your wish! While it’s a mecca for locals shopping for daily necessities, for travelers, it’s ‘the ultimate base for souvenir hunting.’

The three-floor store is truly a treasure trove. The 1st floor is dedicated to food and cosmetics. You’ll find everything from classic pineapple cakes, instant noodles, Taiwanese tea bags, to popular sheet masks (like ‘My Beauty Diary’). If you spot a ‘Buy One Get One Free’ (買一送一) sign, a common sight in Taiwanese supermarkets, don’t hesitate—just buy it!

The 2nd floor is a paradise for stationery lovers. Walls are lined with affordable and adorable stationery items, starting from dozens of NTD (tens of JPY), such as sticky notes depicting Taiwanese delicacies like xiao long bao and bubble milk tea, Hakka-patterned washi tape, and retro notebooks.

The 3rd floor is the daily necessities area. Here, you absolutely must look for the colorful ‘fishing net bags’ used by vendors in Taiwanese markets, or the ‘Taiwanese plastic bags’ with pink stripes often seen at street stalls. It’s more compact and easier to navigate than huge supermarkets like Carrefour, and the ability to pay with an EasyCard (transportation IC card) is a big plus for travelers.

Shennong Life, Yuanshan Expo Park Store

📍 Address: No. 1, Yumen St, Zhongshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan 10491

Just a short ride north on the MRT Red Line from the Zhongshan area, near ‘Yuanshan Station,’ you’ll find ‘Shennong Life’ (MAJI TREATS), with its main store located within MAJI MAJI Square in Huabo Park. It’s lauded as the ‘Taiwanese Dean & DeLuca,’ a high-sense select shop gathering carefully chosen seasonings and foods, along with natural lifestyle goods, all curated by food buyers.

Here, you can discover local specialties rarely seen in supermarkets and ‘serious gifts’ with beautiful package designs. For example, ‘Green Sichuan Peppercorn Oil’ that dramatically elevates the flavor of dishes, ‘Black Sesame Peanut Candy’ (花生糖) with just the right sweetness that you can’t stop eating, and ingredients like daylilies and sweet potato flour that are essential to Taiwanese home cooking – a lineup that will impress even gourmets.

Among their goods, the ‘fishing net bag’ with Shennong Life’s original logo is very popular. While retaining the market’s casual vibe, its high design makes it very stylish to carry even in Japan. Its breathability makes it perfect for storing vegetables or as a hot spring/pool bag.

Overall, the price range is a bit higher, but the space, curated with ‘only good things,’ is exciting just to walk through. You can also enjoy delicious Taiwanese home cooking at the adjoining cafe-restaurant, making it an ideal spot to stop for lunch or a break.

[Column] Smart Shopping Hacks for Taiwan

When shopping in Taiwan, a useful tip to remember is ‘bringing your own eco-bag.’ In most supermarkets and general stores in Taiwan, plastic bags are charged for due to environmental protection. A smart style for Taiwan connoisseurs is to first purchase a ‘fishing net bag’ at Jin Xing Fa Life Department Store or Shennong Life, and then use it extensively as your eco-bag throughout your stay.

Also, the best times for souvenir hunting are ‘morning’ to avoid crowds, or ‘after dusk’ when the sun’s intensity softens. During the hottest parts of the day, a trick to conserve energy is to fully utilize underground malls (like Zhongshan Underground Street) for cool travel, or take a break at a cafe to enjoy cold douhua or bubble milk tea.

All the stores introduced this time are very foreigner-friendly, with kind staff and sometimes even Japanese-language guides. So, make the Zhongshan area your base and discover your own special souvenirs!