Visiting Rongjin Gorgeous Time In Taipei (蓉錦時光)
Rongjin Gorgeous Time in Taipei is a small cluster of restored Japanese-style houses with cafés, restaurants, and boutiques.
It sits at the southern end of Yongkang Street (永康街), which is one of the must-visit places in Taipei. So you can easily visit both areas in one day: start with food and shopping on Yongkang, then walk over here for a quiet break (and enjoy more food!).
I first visited Rongjin Gorgeous Time with my best friend Vivian in the summer of 2025, and it quickly became one of my favorite places to spend a relaxing afternoon.
In this post, you’ll find a quick history, how to get there, what to eat and drink, and tips for planning your visit.
Hi, I’m Grace, born and raised in Taiwan and now living in the United States. I return to Taipei every year to visit family, and I enjoy discovering new places each time I’m back. I hope my experiences and tips help you plan a fun trip to Taipei.
Rongjin Gorgeous Time (蓉錦時光)
Here is everything you need to know about this place.
How To Get To Rongjin Gorgeous Time
See this place on Google Maps.
If you’d like to get there by MRT, you can take the Red Line to either Dongmen Station or Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. it takes about 10 minutes from each station.
If you’re already exploring Yongkang Street (永康街), just keep walking south toward Jinhua Street (金華街). When you reach Jinhua Street, turn right and walk for a few minutes, you’ll see Rongjin Gorgeous Time right in front of you.
By the way, I have a standalone post about Yongkang Street, if you are interested in learning more about the place.
A Glimpse of History
You might be wondering why these Japanese-style wooden houses sit in the middle of Taipei.
That’s because Taiwan was under Japanese rule from 1895 to 1945, after the Treaty of Shimonoseki.
During those fifty years, the Japanese government built railways, schools, offices, and residential neighborhoods across the island. Therefore, you can still see traces of Japanese influence in Taiwan’s architecture today.
The buildings at Rongjin were the officials’ dormitories for Taihoku Prison (臺北刑務所官舍), built in the early 1900s. The prison followed modern planning ideas of the time, and these nearby wooden houses provided staff housing.
After World War II, the area continued as housing. By the 1990s, many structures had fallen into disrepair. Local groups stepped in to save the remaining houses and the century-old banyan trees. Part of the site was listed as a historic area, and the city restored several of the houses, completing the work in 2021.
In 2022, the space reopened as Rongjin Gorgeous Time (蓉錦時光生活園區), keeping the historic look while welcoming cafés, small shops, and open courtyards.
If you enjoy seeing history woven into daily life, take a moment to read the outdoor panels or stop by the visitor center.
Rongjin Visitor Center
Start your visit here.
The Rongjin Visitor Center is a small, quiet space inside one of the wooden houses, and it gives you a quick picture of what you are looking at before you walk around.
Inside, you’ll see:
- A short timeline that explains how the area went from Taihoku Prison officials’ dormitories to the Huaguang Community and then to today’s garden-style park.
- Historic photos and before-and-after images of the buildings and courtyards.
- A simple site map showing each house and what it’s used for now.
- Notes about the old banyan trees and why they are protected.
What to Eat and Drink
You can see all the shops and restaurants listed on their official website here. And I will also list several of the popular ones:
京町 山本屋 (Yamamotoya)
See this place on Google Maps.
I came here with my best friend Vivian for afternoon tea this past summer, and we absolutely loved it!
We’d already had lunch, so we stopped by just for dessert, but the meal menu looked so good that we promised ourselves to come back next time.
We shared a matcha set with traditional Japanese sweets, and that pudding cake (in the photo below) was massive and so good. It paired perfectly with the ice cream. Vivian ordered the matcha shaved ice with red beans, and of course, I forgot to take a picture.
Everything was beautifully presented, and the cozy wooden interior made us feel like we were sitting in a little teahouse in Kyoto.
Taihu Gyoza Bar (台虎居餃屋)
See this place on Google Maps.
If you want something casual with good drinks, Taihu Brewing is a Taiwanese brewery that’s been making great beer since 2014.
They like to keep things fun and try new concepts, and here at Rongjin they created a Japanese-style izakaya built around one idea: dumplings with beer.
Jin Jin Ding (金錦町)
See this place on Google Maps.
The name Jin Jin Ding combines Jinhua Street (金華街) and Kinmachi (錦町), the area’s old Japanese name. The idea is to connect the past and present through handmade desserts that feel warm and personal.
When you step inside, you’ll find a cozy space with sliding wooden doors, old-style windows, and shelves filled with beautifully packaged treats. It feels a little like stepping into a modern Japanese gift shop.
Their most popular item is the gold-leaf honey cake （金箔蜂蜜蛋糕）, made with natural honey and no added oil. It’s soft, rich, and not too sweet.
You can also try their pineapple cakes with edible gold flakes, amber sugar candies, and seasonal gift boxes. Everything looks so pretty that it’s hard to leave without taking something home!
Final Thoughts
If you love local history, cozy cafés, or simply discovering a different side of Taipei, Rongjin Gorgeous Time is worth adding to your list.
It is a place that makes you slow down and appreciate the quieter side of Taipei. I love how it keeps the charm of the old Japanese houses while adding cafés, shops, and open spaces that invite you to linger.
It’s an easy place to visit, walk over after exploring Yongkang Street, grab a coffee or dessert, and enjoy the peaceful setting.
