Sprawling east of New Taipei City, Shenkeng District is a former agricultural and mining town that now attracts visitors to its tofu restaurants. The area was originally inhabited by the Pingpu people before the arrival of Han Chinese farmers and coal miners, with the name “Shenkeng” translating as “deep pit”.
Things to do in Shenkeng District
In the heart of the district is Shenkeng Old Street, which is lined with heritage-listed buildings occupied by tofu restaurants. The tofu made in Shenkeng has a distinctive flavour and the town has been dubbed the “Tofu Capital” of Taiwan. It is particularly famed for its “stinky tofu” and selling fermented tofu and tofu ice cream.
An extensive network of hiking trails lead through the surrounding mountains, with several used by anti-Japanese guerrilla fighters during the colonial era. Directly south of Shenkeng is Paozilun Waterfall, which plunges around 20 metres into a lushly vegetated gully. Also nearby is the Zhennangong Stone Mazu Ancient Road, which offers magnificent views across the region.
For a longer trek, you can explore the Tamsui- Kavalan Trails, an extensive network of routes that traverse the central mountains of northern Taiwan. Once used by Indigenous peoples to communicate with one another, they were later expanded by the Han Chinese for commercial trade. In addition to their spectacular scenery and historic towns, the routes take in ancient temples honouring the Earth God.
Getting around Shenkeng District
Shenkeng District is around 40 minutes’ drive from the centre of New Taipei City and just over an hour from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, which has flights to destinations across the globe. Regular buses connect to Shenkeng District while taxis are available from nearby Muzha Station. The centre of Shenkeng is ideally explored on foot.