Tasting the Best Rice from Taiwan’s Top Rice Region, Chishang Township: A Dining & Cultural Experience at the ‘Rice Original Homeland Museum’

“Taiwan also has delicious rice, you know.”

This is what a friend living in Taitung told me when I was planning a trip to eastern Taiwan. Indeed, as visitors from rice-growing regions, we tend to associate Taiwan primarily with noodle dishes. However, it turns out that Taiwan also has rice-producing regions worthy of pride.

This time, in early November during the peak harvest season, I visited Taiwan’s premier rice-growing region, “Chishang Township,” to savor its top brand, “Chishang Rice.”

About Chishang Township and Chishang Rice

Chishang Township in Taitung County is located in the East Rift Valley between the Central Mountain Range to the west and the Coastal Mountain Range to the east. The blessed natural environment—pure, mineral-rich water, unpolluted clear air, and significant temperature differences between day and night—creates the perfect soil for growing rice of the highest quality.

Its quality is well-established, having won the Grand Prix at Taiwan’s National Rice Quality Competition numerous times. Records show that during the Japanese colonial period, it was even presented to the Japanese Imperial Family. Today, local government and agricultural cooperatives continue to focus on maintaining quality, making it known as Taiwan’s representative premium rice brand.

Discovering the Rice Country Heritage Museum

The place I visited this time was the “Rice Country Heritage Museum” (稻米原鄉館) in Chishang Township. This facility, renovated from a former rice warehouse, serves as both a restaurant and a cultural experience center. Not only can you taste Hakka cuisine made with Chishang rice and local ingredients, but there’s also an exhibition space where you can learn about the region’s lifestyle and history.

Lunchtime Overlooking Golden Rice Fields

I visited in the early afternoon of early November. Luckily, terrace seating was available, so we chose to dine outdoors. While reservations are typically recommended, perhaps because it was the weekend right after a typhoon, we were guided to our seats smoothly.

The view from the terrace was breathtaking. Spread out before us were golden rice fields ready for harvest and the famous Brown Boulevard. While the landscape shows different faces depending on the season—from vibrant green fields to post-harvest scenery—the radiance during this time is exceptional. The sight of rice ears swaying in the occasional pleasant breeze was like waves of gold.

A Lovely Lunch Course Wrapped in Furoshiki

Here, you can choose between the regular Hakka cuisine lunch course and a vegetarian option. The meal we ordered was brought to us wrapped in a charming furoshiki, making us feel like we were on a picnic. Interestingly, while Taitung County has many indigenous residents, the Chishang area is home to many Hakka people who migrated from Fujian and Jiangdong Provinces in China. As a result, Hakka cuisine is a signature local specialty of this region.

Opening the furoshiki revealed a bowl-like dish filled with colorful foods. Various side dishes, such as braised pork belly and stir-fried bamboo shoots using seasonal ingredients, surrounded the white, glossy Chishang rice.

The braised pork belly was particularly impressive. Made with Taiwanese pork, its moist texture and deep flavor were exquisite.

Above all, I was surprised by the deliciousness of the star attraction, Chishang rice. With absolutely no off-flavors, a natural sweetness spreads in your mouth. From my perspective as someone from a rice-producing region, it might seem slightly more moist and sticky, but this is likely due to differences in preferred cooking methods. Most importantly, savoring it while gazing at the golden rice fields spread out before us was an unparalleled luxury.

The portion was quite generous—even an adult would struggle to finish it. The soup also contained plenty of seasonal vegetables, providing a healthy satisfaction.

Enjoying Culture and Shopping

The first floor of the restaurant serves as an exhibition and retail space where you can learn about the production methods and history of Chishang rice. Particularly impressive was the photo exhibition showing the evolution of rice farming in this region. I could sense the changing agricultural methods over time and the unchanging dedication of the farmers.

The retail corner sells Chishang rice, of course, as well as processed products like seasonings and rice crackers. While we couldn’t bring back a large bag of rice, the small 300g packs were perfect souvenirs for my parents. I’m looking forward to comparing it with the rice we eat at home.

Conclusion

The experience at the Rice Country Heritage Museum taught me a new aspect of Taiwanese food culture: the rice cultivation tradition that has continued since the Japanese colonial period, the natural environment that supports it, and the people of the region who inherit and further develop these traditions in the modern era.

The Rice Country Heritage Museum, where you can enjoy delicious food, breathtaking views, and learning all at once, is truly a valuable spot to experience Taiwanese food culture. This time I visited just for the day, but next time I would like to thoroughly enjoy the landscapes of Chishang Township from morning until dusk.

In the next article, I’ll bring you an experience report introducing another side of Taitung’s Chishang as a unique tourist destination. Stay tuned!

The “Route 66” of the East Asia? Exploring Taiwan’s Largest Rice Paddy Area by Electric Buggy – A Local’s Guide to the Bolognese Avenue Experience