Jiufen's rise as a destination is tied to its history as a gold-mining town during the Japanese colonial period in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. When the mines declined, the hillside settlement quieted for decades before drawing renewed attention through its distinctive architecture and atmosphere. The teahouses that now line the old street steps have become gathering places where visitors slow down, order tea, and watch the mountain light shift above the harbor far below.

The lanterns glow most vividly in the hour after sunset, when the sky holds just enough blue to contrast the red and gold — arriving at dusk gives you both the twilight view and the full warmth of the lit scene.