Taiwan Food Atlas

Guangfu Sugar Factory (Hualien Tourist Sugar Refinery)

A Japanese-era sugar refinery transformed into a cultural park — Japanese wooden dormitories alongside iconic ice cream
📍 Hualien · Guangfu Township · Dajin Road🎨 Cultural Park🔖 Sugar Industry History · Japanese Dormitories · Ice Cream

Guangfu Sugar Factory is a Japanese-era sugar refinery turned tourism park in Guangfu Township, Hualien County, also known as the Hualien Tourist Sugar Refinery. Its predecessor, the Yamato Plant of the Hualien Port Sugar Refinery, was established in 1921, renamed Hualien Sugar Factory in 1952, and converted into a tourist attraction immediately after sugar production ceased in 2002. The park preserves a cluster of Japanese-style wooden staff dormitories and is known for Taisug popsicles and other ice treats.

The predecessor of Guangfu Sugar Factory, the Yamato Plant of the Hualien Port Sugar Refinery, was established in 1921 in the Mataian area of what was then Fenglin District, Hualien Port Prefecture — now Guangfu Township — and became an important sugarcane production base in eastern Taiwan (per Wikipedia). The factory was renamed Hualien Sugar Factory in 1952, expanded in 1975 to a daily crushing capacity of 2,600 metric tons, and retired its narrow-gauge sugar railway in 1997. Sugar production ceased in 2002 due to prolonged low sugar prices and high production costs, and the site was immediately converted into the Hualien Tourist Sugar Refinery, now managed by the Taiwan Sugar Corporation's Hualien Division.

Highlights of Guangfu Sugar Factory

The Taiwanese sugar industry flourished during the Japanese colonial era, and Guangfu Sugar Factory (originally the Yamato Sugar Factory) was an important base for sugarcane production in eastern Taiwan. The factory once had a narrow-gauge railway (五分仔鐵路, literally "five-point railway") for transporting cane, and the factory buildings and dormitories were laid out according to the sugar production process, forming a self-sufficient, community-scale industrial settlement. The surviving Japanese employee dormitories are mostly single-story wooden structures; some have been converted into accommodation, retaining the raised floors, verandas, and wooden plank walls typical of Japanese dormitory architecture.

The park is best known for Taisug ice cream, with its popsicles and ice cream cones becoming a mandatory dessert stop on Rift Valley itineraries. The shaded grounds around the dormitory cluster provide welcome relief from the sun, making this an ideal spot to rest during a journey. The agricultural display area introduces sugarcane cultivation and the development of Taiwan's sugar industry, offering some educational value for understanding the modernization of Taiwanese agriculture.

Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Visit

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Taisug Ice Cream Is a MustPopsicles and ice cream cones are the park's signature, with a wide range of flavors at accessible prices. Eating ice cream in the shade of the dormitory grove is one of the most relaxing moments of a Rift Valley trip.
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Stroll Among the Japanese DormitoriesThe wooden dormitory cluster preserves the atmosphere of an old industrial community. Walk slowly between the buildings and look for architectural clues — differences in dormitory scale and finish that reflect the hierarchy of roles in the original factory.
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Rent a Bicycle to Explore the Factory GroundsThe factory grounds are spacious. Renting a bicycle to ride around the park and surrounding roads gives you a sense of the openness of the Rift Valley plain. Check the condition of the bikes on site.
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Try Staying in a Japanese DormitorySome Japanese dormitories have been converted into accommodation. Staying the night gives you a full immersive experience of the wooden building's spatial atmosphere. Book in advance and confirm whether accommodations are currently open.

Practical Information

Getting There & Time

  • Located on Dajin Road in Guangfu Township. About a 10-minute walk from Taiwan Railways Guangfu Station; approximately a 45–50-minute drive from Hualien City.
  • The park is open all day. Ice cream sales hours vary by season. Accommodations require advance booking — contact the Taisug Tourism Division.
  • Allow 1 to 1.5 hours for a walk-through. Additional time if dining or staying overnight.

Nearby Connections

  • About 20–30 minutes north by car from Guangfu Sugar Factory, Liyu Lake in Shoufeng Township makes a natural pairing of natural scenery and industrial heritage in the mid-Rift Valley.
  • About 20 minutes south is Mataian Wetland — combining the sugar factory with the wetland makes for a satisfying Guangfu Township half-day itinerary.

Sources: Taiwan Sugar Corporation Tourism Division. Photos pending replacement with Dio's own photography.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Guangfu Sugar Factory established?

Its predecessor, the Yamato Plant of the Hualien Port Sugar Refinery, was founded in 1921 in the Mataian area of present-day Guangfu Township.

When did Guangfu Sugar Factory stop producing sugar?

Sugar production ended in 2002 due to prolonged low sugar prices and high production costs.

What happened to the factory after production ended?

It was immediately converted into the Hualien Tourist Sugar Refinery, now managed by the Taiwan Sugar Corporation's Hualien Division, preserving its Japanese-style dormitories and selling Taisug ice treats.

Sources

🗺️ View on the map ← All Hualien attractions