The Historical Hayashi Department Store (台南林百貨) @ Tainan City in Taiwan

One of the online search results for "Tainan attractions" was Hayashi Department Store (台南林百貨), which left me scratching my head as I don't understand why a department store was a "must visit"; is there nothing else to do in this ancient Taiwanese city!? 

I still decided to check it out and I am glad I did; the building right in front dazzled me with its raw, modernist architecture that was carefully restored in 2013 after being classified as a heritage site in 1998!

Built in 1931, and opened in 1932 as the Hayashi Department Store by Japanese businessman Mr Hayashi Houichi; it is the largest department store in Southern Taiwan at that time, and second largest in the whole of Taiwan. 

Although the name was retained after reopening, the department store is now managed by a Tainan enterprise "Koche Fashion Company Limited", with a theme for each of the six floors, selling items that would make you shop for hours! 

First floor - Lobby of Tainan. Second floor - Design  of Tainan. Third floor - Fashion of Tainan. Fourth floor - Culture of Tainan. Fifth floor - Delicacies of Tainan. Sixth floor - View of Tainan. 

Of course I didn't manage to check out everything as I arrived a bit too late at almost 6pm! It's a good thing though as there were so many creative souvenirs that caught my eye and my hungry stomach dictated that all shopping can wait until I had my fill at the night market we would be visiting later on. 

Two key interests at Hayashi Department Store; one of which would be the elevator; aside from being the first lift in the whole of Tainan, it featured a authentic old-style dial that's still working, indicating the floor that the lift was at. 

Operated by elevator girls, the original lift can take up to twelve persons but the new one can only take up to five persons, in order to "preserve the original lift structure"! 

Do note that the the lift only served the first and fifth floor. For the rest of the floors, the staircase would be essential. It did mention that the elderly and those physical challenges can contact information counter; I am guessing special arrangement can be made.

Interior of the lift with mosaic tiles.

And 1932, signifying the year the store opened. 

Fifth floor - Delicacies of Tainan; nope, didn't even explore this floor as my objective was to have food at the largest night market in Tainan later, the Garden Night Market. 

Sixth floor would be more fun.

Where the second key interest at Hayashi was.

Climbing up the stairs. 

The elevator can't help.

Loving the sixth floor with an exposed roof and bun-like structures acting like seats for visitors! In a way, I am glad I arrived at sunset, as it would have been hot in the early afternoon. 

View on top, including sights of this impressive building with monolithic columns that housed the Land Bank of Taiwan. Similar to Hayashi Department Store, it was built in the 1930s, when Taiwan was a colony of Japan. 

There's a store selling exclusive Hayashi Department Store souvenirs that we spent so much time at but trust me; there were many beautiful trinkets that I would so love to buy back to Singapore! Pricey they were though. 

You could also send postcards back home via this traditional red post box! 

Second key interest at Hayashi Department Store; the Shintoist Suehiro Shrine that had been at the same place since 1933! Who would build a Japanese shrine on top of a building!? It's like the Er Ger Fong Temple (二哥豐廟) in Bangkok! 

I haven't really studied much about Shintoism and according to Google search, "stones are revered as sacred objects (iwakura) that can house powerful deities (kami) or ancestral spirits". Now, the latter part does sound a bit like the spirit houses in Thailand.

The throwing of coins was likely a Chinese thing though. Somewhat like a a stone version of a wishing well. According to the information panel on site, the shrine was dedicated to the patron god of the store. 

Access to the lift shaft. I was wondering why the sign said temporarily close since I doubt it should be accessible. Turned out you can peek through the glass to check out the inner workings of the almost century old shaft.

Purposely built poles and glass piqued my curiosity as area looked so out of place, as if the construction and repair were forsaken halfway through the restoration.

Turned out the building and it surroundings were subjects of  biggest air raid in Tainan, on 1st March 1945. Most of the marks from the damaged walls and bullet holes were repaired, except for this small stretch here. 

Final look of the last remnants of sunset. 

And then walking down the retro staircase to check out all the items available for sale on each level. Do mind the "height"! It was a pretty quick look for us on each level as our tummies were already growling for night market delicacies.

Exiting Hayashi Department Store and faced with the triangular building housning the Land Bank of Taiwan, which was "constructed with columns in ancient Greek architecture and a mixture of Japanese and American architectural styles." 

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Address

No. 63, Section 2, Zhongyi Rd, 

West Central District, Tainan City, Taiwan

Map

As above.

Click HERE for 11 Days, 10 Nights Taiwan Trip: Summarised Itinerary for Chiayi Alishan (嘉义阿里山) - Kaohsiung (高雄) - Tainan (台南) - Taichung (臺中)