Taiwan Food Atlas

Chiayi Park & Shooting Sun Tower

Historic Relics Hidden in a Century-Old Urban Park, with a Tower-Top Panorama of the Chiayi Plain
📍 Chiayi · East District · Park Street📷 Landmark🔖 Japanese Colonial Relics · Confucius Temple · 62-Meter Observation Tower

Chiayi's most important urban park preserves a Japanese colonial-era torii gate, a Confucius Temple, and remnants of the old Zhuluo County city wall — historical layers that quietly narrate the city's story amid green trees. The 62-meter Shooting Sun Tower's rooftop observation deck offers a bird's-eye view of the Chiayi city grid and the Chiayi Plain, making it the most accessible high vantage point for understanding this city.

Highlights of Chiayi Park & Shooting Sun Tower

Chiayi Park was established during the Japanese colonial era and is the oldest urban park in Chiayi city. The grounds preserve several precious historical structures: a colonial-era torii gate, the remnant of a Shinto shrine; a Confucius Temple carrying on the Qing-dynasty tradition of civil education; and surviving sections of the Zhuluo County city wall — physical evidence of Qing-era urban fortifications in Taiwan. The coexistence of historical layers from different eras makes the park a three-dimensional condensation of Chiayi's urban history.

The Shooting Sun Tower takes its design concept from the Tsou indigenous people's myth of shooting down the sun. At 62 meters tall, the tower's top floor features a 360-degree wraparound observation deck; on clear days you can look straight down onto the street grid of Chiayi city and out across the Chiayi Plain. The tower's exterior incorporates indigenous motif elements, and the interior houses a display area introducing Chiayi's local culture. The park's trail network is well-maintained, pleasant for a morning walk or an evening stroll.

How to Make the Most of Your Visit

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Ride to the top of the Shooting Sun TowerTake the elevator to the observation deck on the top floor. On a clear day you get a crisp view over Chiayi's city streets and the distant mountain ranges — the most easily accessible urban high point in Chiayi.
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Visit the historic sites in sequenceMove in order through the Japanese colonial torii gate, the Confucius Temple, and the city wall remnants to feel how the urban memory of Qing-dynasty, Japanese colonial, and postwar Chiayi is layered on top of itself.
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Morning walk in the parkThe park is shaded by mature trees; local residents exercise here in the early morning, the air is fresh, and it makes a relaxing warm-up before the day's sightseeing.
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Photograph the tower at duskWhen the afternoon sun angles in from the west, the Shooting Sun Tower is lit at a flattering angle that pairs well with the park's tree canopy — the most photographically rewarding time of day.

Practical Information

Getting There & Hours

  • Located on Park Street, about a 15–20-minute walk from Chiayi Train Station; city buses serve the Chiayi Park stop.
  • The park is open year-round. Shooting Sun Tower hours and admission fees follow official announcements; check before you go.

Nearby Connections

  • The Chiayi City Art Museum is nearby and walkable from the park — combine both for a half-day Chiayi cultural itinerary.
  • Chiayi Chenghuang Temple is about a 20-minute walk from the park; link the temple, park, and art museum for an urban cultural walking route.

Source: Tourism information from the Chiayi City Government and local historical records. Photos to be replaced with Dio's own shots.

🗺️ View on the map ← All Chiayi attractions