Nanjing Sugar Factory Leisure Plaza

In the early post-WWII period, sugar was one of Taiwan's main industries and a primary export. Due to the climate and soil in the Chiayi area being highly suitable for growing sugarcane, Nanjing Sugar Factory, one of the three major sugar factories at the time, was established in Shuishang Township, Chiayi County. It was built in Meiji 41 (1908) by Toyo Sugar Co., Ltd. of Japan. It had one sugar production plant, capable of pressing 3,200 metric tons of sugarcane daily and producing 20,000 metric tons of premium sugar annually. With the booming development of the sugar industry, Shuishang Township once flourished. Unfortunately, after the decline of the sugar industry, its glory faded. As sugar production lost its market competitiveness, Nanjing Sugar Factory actively transformed. Currently, its operations are developing in a diversified direction. In addition to mechanizing its original "sugarcane processing" and "pig farming" businesses with professional management, it has also developed various new ventures. Among these, its orchid business has established an excellent reputation internationally. The sugar factory park features a modern leisure market selling products from Taiwan Sugar Corporation. The factory's ice pops come in diverse flavors, are delicious and affordable, often attracting throngs of tourists and making the market always bustling. Next to the market, there are also a flower exhibition and sales area, and a children's recreational play area, offering visitors a variety of choices. The sugar factory's leisure plaza also displays old locomotives, retired tanks, and fighter jets, and has a barbecue area for public recreation, with a "Childhood Tunnel" nearby for children to explore. Nanjing Sugar Factory, conveniently located opposite Nanjing Train Station, offers not only ice cream and popsicles but also a great opportunity to experience its historical transformation, with shady trees, old buildings, and sugarcane trolleys, all contributing to a unique nostalgic ambiance.