New Taipei Travel: Cherry Blossom at Wuji TianYuan Temple

Travel Date: 2019/ 01/27

Taiwanese people have a strong love for flowers, and each season brings different blossoms that attract numerous tourists. During my nearly two years in Taiwan, I have visited various flower farms and witnessed beautiful cherry blossoms in Nantou last year. I have always dreamed of seeing the cherry blossoms in Alishan and Yangmingshan, which are renowned for their beauty. Perhaps next year, as I will be moving to South Taiwan in a few months.

Wuji TianYuan Temple (天元宮)

One popular place to see cherry blossoms in the north of Taiwan is Wuji TianYuan Temple. Even though it's the end of January and only 20% of the cherry blossoms are in bloom, we still visited the temple. All of the cherry blossoms are in the garden behind the temple, unfortunately not in front. Wuji Tianyuan Temple is a Taoist Temple located in Tamsui, New Taipei. Its construction began in 1972, and the basic structure was completed in less than 60 days. The temple was fully finished in 1985.

The most popular part of Wuji Tianyuan Temple is the Jen-Yuan Tiantan, which was built in 1992. It is a unique structure in Taiwan and is named Tiantan because its outline resembles the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. The temple stands 200 meters high, and the diameter of the circular building is 108 meters. Each of the five floors is dedicated to different Taoist gods. The temple is open all year round, but the highest influx of visitors occurs during the sakura blossom season.

The temple gained fame because of its cherry blossoms, which were planted in the 1970s by hundreds of volunteers. The main variety of trees planted here is the Yoshino Sakura, native to Japan. Visitors can see two different types of cherry blossoms with pink and white flowers, as well as Taiwanese cherries with a deep pink color.

The blooming season for Japanese sakura is short, lasting only about a month. However, from January to April, you can witness the blooming of Taiwanese cherry blossoms. The popularity of sakura in Taiwan dates back to the Japanese occupation when Japanese people brought different varieties of cherry trees and planted them across Taiwan.

During the cherry blossom season, traffic is controlled, and vehicles are prohibited from entering the area. Shuttle buses are available from parking areas to transport visitors to the temple. Currently, there are still plenty of parking spaces available, and there are very few people visiting the temple.

 

 

 

Address: 

251新北市淡水區北新路三段36號淡水無極天元宮