Night markets in Taiwan
Night markets in Taiwan (Chinese: 夜市; pinyin: yèshì) operate in urban or suburban areas between sunset and sunrise.
Most night markets operate daily and feature a mixture of individual stalls selling clothing, consumer goods, xiaochi (similar to snacks or fast food), and specialty drinks.
To cater to migrant workers in a rapidly-industrializing society, vendors offered traditional xiaochi and inexpensive versions of banquet food.
[1] In the 1960s, mass-produced goods such as shoes, toys, and garments that were produced in Taiwan started being sold in night markets.
By the 1980s, night markets' increasing popularity attracted a larger variety of vendors, including gift shops, higher-quality garments, and chain restaurants.
Counterfeit items used to be common in night markets, but more stringent enforcement of copyright laws in the 1990s led to their decline.
This has led to both markets and vendors taking steps to improve their environmental friendliness, entertainment quality, and global food offerings.
The Taiwanese Environmental Protection Administration has provided funds to night markets to minimize their ecological impact through reducing plastic use and lowering carbon emissions.
Located near National Taiwan Normal University, known to locals as Shida, this night market's student presence cultivates a casual and trendy atmosphere.
Beyond the usual selection of street food, Shida Night Market is notably more boutique-oriented compared to other popular spots.
The Keelung Miaokou Night Market (基隆廟口夜市; Jīlóng Miào Kǒu Yèshì) was started to serve the needs of the many worshipers who came to the popular Dianji Temple (奠濟宮; Diànjì Gōng) to pray for fortune, good luck, and health, or to seek answers to their problems.
In the past, the owners tended to park their stands on the Lin Sen Road, and a famous traditional Chinese physician, Gao Sai, lives nearby, so Chingcheng Night Market has also been known as Gao Sai Night Market (高賽夜市).
As early as the 1950s, food stalls started to gather in the vacant lot near Dagangpu in Kaohsiung's Sinsing District.
Due to its location a short distance from Kaohsiung Railway Station, in the daytime, it is a thoroughfare, while in the evening, it transforms into a big, open-air shopping arcade.
Dozens of steak houses can be seen clustered here and the key selling point is low prices, targeting family customers.
[6] Situated in northern Kaohsiung, Ruifeng Night Market is known of its large variety of snacks at low prices.
They feature eateries more commonly found in restaurants, such as teppanyaki and conveyor-belt sushi, as well as unique designs such as road signs and a fancy restroom.
Open on evening of Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, it has varieties of local and foreign hawker food, attire, and entertainment, among the market's attraction.
