Ciaotou Sugar Factory, Sugar factory in Kaohsiung
Ciaotou Sugar Factory is a historic sugar processing site in Ciaotou District that operated for over a century. The grounds include 19 preserved structures with colonial-era buildings, a red brick water tower, repair workshops, and machinery displays that show how sugar was refined and transported by rail.
The factory was established during Japanese rule over Taiwan and was the first on the island to use modern machinery for sugar processing. This innovation marked a major advancement for Taiwan's industrial development in the early 20th century.
The name comes from the Japanese colonial period when the factory was called Kio-a-thau. Today you can see colonial-style architecture with arched corridors and wooden structures that reflect how the sugar industry shaped daily life and work in the region.
The site is open during daytime hours and accessible by car, bus, or train. You can walk around freely, find restrooms and parking, and ride the small Wufen train that circles the grounds for views of the entire site.
The grounds include a Pig Exhibition Hall that recalls the livestock farming that once surrounded the sugar factory. Similarly, the Iron Park displays historical farming tools and repair shops that show the infrastructure needed to keep daily operations running.
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