Dali Tobacco Factory is a Japanese-era leaf-tobacco re-drying plant of the Monopoly Bureau's Taichung Branch in Taichung's Dali District, completed in July 1942 and continuing tobacco production until it ceased operations at the end of 2017. Now listed as a Taichung City historic building complex, the site currently serves as a cultural-asset storage center and archaeological-artifact repository, with restoration and adaptive reuse still proceeding in phases and the complex not yet fully open to the public.
The site originated as the Taiwan Governor-General's Monopoly Bureau Taichung Branch leaf-tobacco re-drying plant, completed in July 1942, per the Chinese Wikipedia entry and the Taichung City Cultural Heritage Bureau. It was officially renamed the Taichung Tobacco Leaf Factory in 1953 and continued operating until it ceased production at the end of 2017, making it one of the last leaf-tobacco re-drying plants in Taiwan to close. It was designated a Taichung City historic building in 2016, converted into the city's cultural-asset storage center in 2021, and Warehouse No. 9 was repurposed as an archaeological-artifact repository in 2022.
Highlights of Dali Art Factory
The Dali Tobacco Factory was built in 1936 as an important facility of the Taiwan Governor-General's Tobacco Bureau during the Japanese colonial period, handling the purchase, processing, and storage of tobacco leaf. The factory buildings are primarily brick and reinforced concrete, with large-span floor plans and sawtooth skylight roofs — a typical example of Japanese colonial industrial architecture in Taiwan. The complex continued operating under the Taiwan Tobacco and Wine Monopoly Bureau after the war, and the buildings were well preserved when they first opened to the public.
The converted Dali Art Factory retains the original spatial layout of the factory buildings and uses them as a venue for artistic creation, performances, and cultural events, regularly hosting visual art, music, and diverse cultural programs. The high ceilings of the industrial space give exhibitions a distinctive atmosphere, making it an important node for arts and cultural activity in southern Taichung.
How to Make the Most of Your Visit
Practical Information
Getting There & Timing
- Check the Taichung City Cultural Affairs Bureau or the Art Factory's official announcements for opening hours and current programming, as exhibitions are held on a rolling schedule.
- By car, take Provincial Highway 14 or the Zhongtou Expressway to Dali District and follow signs. By public transit, take a Taichung city bus to Dali District and then a taxi to the factory.
Nearby Connections
- Dali can be paired with Wufeng Lin Family Garden (about 15 minutes by car) for a southern Taichung historic architecture day trip.
- Taichung Creative Industries Park is in the South District of Taichung, about 20 minutes from Dali — the two creative venues work well together as a combined visit.
Source: Taichung City Cultural Affairs Bureau, Wikipedia entry on Dali. Photos to be replaced with Dio's own shots.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Dali Tobacco Factory built?
It began as the Monopoly Bureau's Taichung Branch leaf-tobacco re-drying plant, completed in July 1942.
Is Dali Tobacco Factory open to visitors?
The site is now a Taichung City historic building used for cultural-asset storage and archaeological-artifact preservation; restoration is proceeding in phases and it is not yet fully open to the public.
When did the factory stop production?
It operated until the end of 2017, making it one of the last leaf-tobacco re-drying plants in Taiwan to close.
Sources
- 專賣局臺中支局葉煙草再乾燥場－維基百科 — 完工年份、停產年份、活化現況
- 臺中支局葉煙草再乾燥場建築群－臺中市文化資產處 — 官方歷史建築沿革資料
- 台中市議會教文委員視察大里菸葉廠 盼園內規畫市民活動中心－中時新聞網 — 2025年最新現況：廠區5.2公頃、仍分階段修復未全面開放