- Contact Person: Mr. Huang Ja-yi, Information Department
- Telephone: 559329
- Publication Date: 18:02, May 29, 2026
The 17th Taiwan-Japan Tourism Summit Forum was held on May 28th and 29th. On the 29th, the Miaoli County Government arranged for the Japanese delegation to visit Yuanli Township where guests were welcomed and amazed by a large "Taiwan-Japan Friendship in Miaoli" painted rice paddy, leaving a profound impression on the Japanese visitors. Chung Tung-chin, the County Magistrate, stated that he hoped to deepen Taiwan-Japan tourism cooperation through this forum and visit so that more Japanese friends could appreciate Miaoli's cultural charm, rural scenery, and the slow-paced nature of its tourism.
Activities included a site visit to Yuanli Township in Miaoli. The host, Magistrate Chung, welcomed the guests from Japanese tourism-related organizations and the travel industry. The Japanese guests first visited the painted rice paddy, and then sampled local cherry tomatoes and cucumbers at the Love Orchard of the Yuanli Township Farmers' Association and farmers' direct sales stations, enjoying the sparkling watermelon drinks of Houlong and pomelo sparkling drinks of Xihu.
Lin Yen-fu, Director of the Culture and Tourism Bureau of the Miaoli County Government, highlighted that ever since May 2025, when the county government announced Miaoli's official succession to host the 17th Taiwan-Japan Tourism Summit in Tottori Prefecture, Japan, it has been considering how to welcome guests from Japan in a way that uniquely reflects Miaoli and emotionally resonates with them. Therefore, the county government planned the painted "Taiwan-Japan Friendship in Miaoli" rice paddy in Yuanli Township as it symbolizes the deep-rooted friendship between Taiwan and Japan in Miaoli. To mark the occasion, the Yuanli Township Farmers' Association was specially commissioned to assist in the planning and design of this painted rice paddy and the rice seeds were planted on March 20, 2026. The arrangement of different colored rice seeds have grown into words and images of "Taiwan-Japan Friendship in Miaoli."
Magistrate Chung Tung-chin expressed his delight that the forum was held in Miaoli this year, and thanked the Tourism Administration for its strong support. He noted the technique used to create the painted rice paddy in Yuanli that day, which was originally learned in Japan, demonstrating the close friendship between the two nations. Miaoli also boasts fantastic hot springs and cultural landmarks from the Japanese colonial period, such as the Longteng Broken Bridge and Tongxiao Shrine, not to mention the sites that have connections with Japan, like Sanyi wood carvings, Yuanli rush culture, and railway bicycles. All of these cultural landmarks formed part of the itinerary for the trip so the representatives of the Japanese travel industry could experience a wonderful visit to Miaoli.
In the evening, Magistrate Chung Tung-chin welcomed the Japanese guests at The Grand Royal Hotel in Toufen City. Tourism vendors had set up booths in the venue to introduce the unique features of Miaoli's local businesses and to welcome the Japanese guests to experience local culture. The host staged two captivating Hakka dance performances by Huifeng Dance Studio for the evening's festivities.
The Magistrate explained the cultural customs of Hakka to Japanese guests during the event, such as oil-paper umbrellas and tea picking, hoping they could enjoy a fulfilling trip. His only regret was that, due to the planned tour itinerary, they did not have the opportunity to sample Hakka cuisine, but warmly expressed his hope that the Japanese guests would have the chance in the future.