A HIGEDAN Vibe in Taipei
After the Rejoice Asia Tour in 2024, the Official Hige Dandism staged at the Taipei Arena as part of their Asia Tour two years later. A limited pop-up shop was held at the Uni-President Department Store Taipei (統一時代百貨台北店) from August 21 to August 31, featuring Taipei-exclusive city-limited products, such as LED magnets, original T-shirts, and posters.
The Japanese pop-rock band was formed in 2012 in Shimane, with Fujihara Satoshi (藤原聡) as the lead vocalist and keyboardist; Ozasa Daisuke (小笹大輔) as the guitarist; Narazaki Makoto (楢﨑誠) as the bassist; as well as Matsuura Masaki (松浦匡希) as the drummer. Its band name, Official髭男dism, indicates their willingness to make pop-rock music even when they grew old.
Higedan is famous for creating J-pop or J-rock chart-toppers, writing theme songs for major animation and Japanese drama, such as “Subtitle” for “silent”, “I Love…” for “An Incurable Case of Love”, and “Pretender” for “The Confidence Man JP: The Movie”. “Pretender” has become their record-breaking streaming hit and its MV was filmed on locations in Taipei.
Yearning for more cultural events? Huashan 1914 Creative Park (華山1914文化創意產業園區) used to be a private winery plant during Japanese rule, before its production moved away in 1987 due to industrial pollution and rising costs. In the late 1990s, the abandoned site was saved by several artist and theater groups, and eventually renovated as a prominent cultural and arts hub.
As the Chiikawa The Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island was available in cinemas, there were Chiikawa installations and booths in the Creative Park. One could explore other IPs such as Bugcat Capoo and Snoopy. It kept raining when I visited the Park. Therefore I spent my time in the independent aesthetic bookstores Bleu&Book (青鳥書店) as if a hipster. Drinking coffee while diving into the world of literature.
Known as “blacksmith street (打鐵街)”, Chifeng Street (赤峰街) is another idea alternatives for hipsters. It used to be an area selling automotive parts and hardware. As the economic structure has transformed, this area is dotted with hipster cafes, art museums and specialty restaurants, which adds artistic ambience to this old street and ancient houses, little by little.
How about an ecotherapy in the Yangmingshan (陽明山)? Just 40 minutes away from the hustle and bustle, this national park is celebrated as the backyard of Taipei. From the Qingtiangang (擎天崗) which opens 24 hours a day, to the Lengshuikeng Trail (冷水坑步道), with Milk Lake (牛奶湖), Jingshan Suspension Bridge (菁山吊橋), Lengshuikeng (冷水坑) via Lengqing Trail.
Lying at an elevation of 770 m, Qingtiangang offers you expansive views of grasslands and observation of anti-airbore pillboxes. In fact, it was a lava plateau formed when lava flowed northward from Mt. Zhugao (竹篙山) , and its relatively level terrain made it an important pasture area for cattle during the Japanese occupation. Get ready for this 2.4 km adventure?
Having the traditional street food in Ningxia Night Market (寧夏夜市) or Raohe Night Market (饒河夜市) will be a perfect ending for the journey in Taipei. Bon appétit.
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