Taichung Fifth Market

About Taichung Fifth Market

Taichung Fifth Market is in the West District. It opened in 1937 and has about 120 stalls selling food, groceries, clothing, medicine, flowers and more. Locals do their daily shopping here, and it is a good place for visitors to see everyday Taichung life.

Food is the main reason many people come, whether for breakfast, lunch or an afternoon snack. Long-running favorites include A-Bin Braised Pork Belly Rice, Wei Xiang Tangyuan House, A-Yi Iced Black Tea and Taikong Iced Black Tea. There are also many inexpensive snacks such as pork congee, scrambled egg lunch boxes, mochi, savory porridge, steamed buns and ready-made dishes. For drinks, try the market's iced black tea, almond tea, tofu pudding or tangyuan, all good on a hot day.

The grocery stalls are interesting too. Some sell everyday items such as cleaning supplies, stationery, hardware and kitchenware, and others sell local products such as tea, dried goods, candy and cookies, good for gifts or for yourself. The fruit and vegetables are fresh and seasonal, such as tangerines, cabbage and radish. A few stalls sell seafood such as squid, oysters and fish balls.

The market is also close to culture. Next to it are the Taichung Literature Museum and the National Comics Museum. The Taichung Literature Museum was a Japanese-era police dormitory complex and is now a museum of Taichung's literary history, with literary works and artifacts and regular events and exhibitions. The National Comics Museum is in the former Taichung Prison officials' residences and covers the history of Taiwanese comics, with comic works, related materials and regular events and exhibitions. Both are worth a visit.

Taichung Fifth Market is lively and varied, with plenty of goods and food as well as culture and history. Locals and visitors alike can find something they like here and get a feel for local Taichung life.