Sanfong Central Street: Kaohsiung’s Traditional Goods Market

Sanfong Central Street is a covered traditional market street where Kaohsiung locals go to purchase bulk dried foods (乾貨) like dried fruits, nuts, seafoods, candies, medicinal herbs, and tea.

Similar to Dihua Street in Taipei, the market gets particularly packed in the weeks leading up to Lunar New Year, as locals stock up on festival foods.

In this article, I’m going to introduce how to visit Sanfong Central Street, including stops at Sanfong Temple and Sanmin Market for lunch or dinner nearby.

Rather than introduce specific shops on Sanfong Central Street, many of which sell a similar range of products, I’m going to introduce a variety of traditional foods you’re likely to see in the market, to help make sense of what you’re seeing.

Welcome to Sanfong Central Street

Sanfong Central Street (三鳳中街, also spelled Sanfeng Central Street or Sanfong Jhong Street) takes its name from Sanfong Temple nearby, which is known for its canopy of red lanterns.

The san (三 or “three”) in the name comes from Sankuaicuo (三塊厝), the original name of the neighborhood, which is today called Sanmin district (三民區).

The fong (鳳 or “phoenix”) comes from Fengbitou Mountain (鳳鼻頭山), a hill in the city.

The 300-meter covered wholesale shopping lane has origins going back to the Qing Dynasty, when it was called Sankuaicuo Street (三塊厝街).

Before Kaohsiung railway station existed, goods were transported to/from the city center by canals and riverways. The shopping street was near one of these canals and became a hub for trading sundries, TCM (traditional Chinese medicines), and agricultural produce.

Over time, Sanfong Central Street developed a reputation as THE place to go for Lunar New Year’s goods (年貨 or nian huo), hence locals sometimes call it Nian Huo Street (年貨大街).  

It is often affectionately compared to the similar Dihua Street in Taipei, as in the common local saying “北迪化，南中街”, which means something like, “Dihua in the North, Sanfong in the South.”

With the rise of major supermarket chains in the 1990s, Sanfong lost a lot of traffic. To try to win it back, in the year 2000 the market underwent revitalization.

At that time they installed better pavement, a phoenix patterned sign at the eastern entrance, and most notably, a green-painted metal and glass canopy so that people could have protection from the rain while shopping.

Since then, further changes have included a more unified look to the shopfronts, resulting in the rather iconic look of Sanfong Central Street today.

While you aren’t likely to buy much there (unless you happen to live in Kaohsiung and cook traditional Taiwanese meals at home), taking a stroll down Sanfong Central Street offers a glimpse into everyday life in Taiwan.

In classic Taiwanese style, many of the shops are stuffed to the gills with products, as you can see in these photos.

Getting There

Sanfong Central Street runs east to west parallel to (and just north of) Jianguo 3^rd road (建國三路), a major artery in central Kaohsiung.

The eastern entrance is next to this shop (which calls itself the “first store on Sanfong Central Street”, while the western entrance is here, at the intersection with a major road north-to-south road, Zhonghua 3^rd (中華三路).

The easiest way to get to Sanfong Central Street is to walk there. Visit Sanfong Temple and Sanmin Market (for a traditional meal) either before or after – they are just 2-3 minutes away on foot.

Sanfong Central Street is a 15-minute walk from Kaohsiung Station (MRT and where trains arrive in the city) or 18-minute walk from Formosa Boulevard MRT (known for Dome of Light and Liuhe Night Market).  

Many visitors stay in hotels near these two stations (see my recommended hotels in Kaohsiung). If you stay in one of the many hotels west of the stations, you’ll be even closer to the market.

If you prefer a shorter walk, you can ride a local train from Kaohsiung Station one stop to Sankuaicuo Station (1 minute, swipe EasyCard), from where it’s a five-minute walk to the market.

You could also ride the local train from Zuoying Station (the train station here near Lotus Pond, 10 minutes) from Xinzhuoying Station (connected to Zuoying HSR station, 12 minutes) or from Tainan (1 hour) to Sankuaicuo Station. Search the local train times here.

Coming from Yanchengpu area (including Pier 2 Art Center or Cijin Island), ride the Orange Line to Cianjin Station. It’s a 15-minute walk from exit 4.

Another fun option is to ride a YouBike to Sanfong Central Street. My YouBike guide includes info about how to lock your bike while you explore the street.

When to Visit Sanfong Central Street

Sanfong Central Street is open every day of the week, but Sundays and Mondays are much quieter and some shops take a break.

I shot most of the photos in this article on a Sunday, which is why it doesn’t look very busy.

The market is officially open from 9:30 AM to 9:30 PM, but some shops open or close a little earlier than those times.

When I visited after dark one evening, the market had a totally different vibe than in the daytime. After dark is also a good time to see the red lanterns lit up at Sanfong Temple nearby (usually around 6-10 PM).

Foods You’ll See on Sanfong Central Street

As I mentioned in the intro, I don’t have any specific shops to recommend on Sanfong Central Street. Most shops sell a wide array of items, with much overlap between them.

Instead, I decided to use this space to introduce some of the repeat items you’ll see, so you know what it is you’re looking at while exploring the street.

Aiyu Figs

Aiyu (愛玉 or ài yù) is a kind of wild creeping fig. What you see in the photo are matured figs that have burst, exposing the mass of seeds inside.

When rubbed in cold water, these seeds turn into a citrusy jelly that is light and extremely refreshing – one of my personal favorites in summer. Usually fresh lemon juice and honey are added for a touch of sourness and sweetness.

The jelly may be served in a bowl or cup, sometimes with basil seeds, grass jelly, or tapioca pearls added.

You can find aiyu jelly drinks or desserts on many of Taiwan’s “old streets” (like Taiping Old Street and Fenqihu Old Street) and in night markets across the country.

Traditional Sore Throat Tea & Lozenges

In the above photo, you can see whole dried monk fruits (羅漢果 or luóhàn guǒ). These melon-like fruits have been roasted and then dried.

After purchasing, you would boil one in hot water (one fruit for 1-1.5 litre hot water) to make a very sweet (but calorie-free) herbal tea that can soothe a sore throat.

The jars behind with red lids are sore throat lozenges called 八仙潤喉果 (bāxiān rùnhóu guǒ). The chewy, herbal candies are typically made from dried loquat (枇杷) flavored with licorice root (甘草), fritillaria (川貝), monk fruit, and other herbal ingredients.

Taiwanese love chewing these for sore throats and other medicinal benefits, and I often buy them for myself of my family members in Canada.

Dried Beans, Nuts, Fruits, Seeds, and Grains

You’ll see all kinds of dried beans, nuts, fruits, seeds, and grains in Sanfong Central Market.

Taiwanese use green beans (綠豆 or lǜ dòu), red beans (紅豆 or hóng dòu), lotus seeds (蓮子 or lián zǐ), peanuts (花生 or huā shēng), barley (薏仁 or yì rén), gingko nuts (白果 or bái guǒ), and many other things in sweet dessert soups or breakfast porridges.

Pro tip: Bulk items in Taiwan are typically priced by the jin (斤), a traditional unit of measurement that is equivalent to 600 grams (in China, they now round a 斤 down to 500 grams). Tealeaves (which we’ll get to below) are priced in the same way.

Dried Seafoods

You’ll see (and smell) tons of dried seafoods on Sanfong Central Street. Each one has different culinary uses. Here’s a quick list:

• Dried squid (魷魚乾 or yóu yú gān): Taiwanese children (including mine) and adults alike eat this stuff like candy. It’s usually peeled into thin strips, which makes it easier to chew.
• Dried shrimps (蝦米 or xiā mǐ): added to fried rice, white radish cakes, or soups to impart a strong seafood flavor – many Westerners living in struggle with these. One variation is sakura shrimp (櫻花蝦 or yīng huā xiā), a specialty of Donggang, Pingtung (not far from Kaohsiung).
• Dried scallops (乾貝 or gān bèi) Boiled, salted, then sun-dried scallops are umami-rich and added to congee, stir fries, or soups, including the Lunar New Year dish Buddha Jumps Over the Wall (佛跳牆 or fó tiào qiáng). They are delicious but not cheap!

• Mullet roe cakes (烏魚子 or wū yú zǐ): these bright orange patties of salted and dried mullet roe (“Taiwanese caviar”) are another Lunar New Year delicacy. Think caramel texture but with intense fishy taste – personally I can’t… They are sliced thin and usually served with raw scallion, garlic, or radish.
• Dried sea cucumber (海參 or hǎi shēn): the name means “sea ginseng”, suggesting it is a prized delicacy.

Ginseng

Ginseng is plant tuber and common medicinal ingredient in East Asia. Locals in Taiwan use it in soups, herbal teas, or may even be chewed directly for its health benefits.

In my photo above, the middle container is Korean-grown American ginseng (韓國洋參片 or hánguó yángshēn piàn). The American type of ginseng is thought to have cooling properties, so it is used to reduce heat, increase yin energy, and support lung function.

The container on the right of the first photo is Korean red (panax) ginseng (韓國切參 or hánguó qiēshēn), the type more commonly grown in and associated with Korea. This type has an opposite, warming and energizing function, increasing yang energy.

The images above and below show whole pieces of panax ginseng.

Pro Tip #2: To actually taste some Chinese herb-infused foods, visit 天草噶薩爾 (here). Their cute afternoon tea sets include shrimp dumplings, sausages with camphor fungus powder (牛樟芝), and milk tea sprinkled with the same medicinal powder. It’s just outside the western entrance of the market (closed Mondays).

Crystal Algae

On my visit, I saw several different types of crystal algae (水晶藻 or shuǐ jīng zǎo). These are different types of seaweed, kelp, and other algaes that have been shredded into thin strands and preserved with salt.

The term “crystal” refers to their translucent and crunchy texture once rehydrated and dressed. They may be served as a cold appetizer with garlic, black vinegar, and sesame oil, in seaweed salads, or in bento boxes.

These seaweeds are super healthy, but for newbies, the ocean flavor can take some getting used to.

The above photo is another kind of seaweed I saw on Sanfong Central Street, called coral grass (珊瑚草 or shān hú cǎo).

This one is red in color and dried (but not salted). It’s typically used to make jelly-like desserts.

Salted Dried Bamboo and Mustard Greens

Similar to the above, bamboo can also be heavily salted/cured (筍乾 or sǔn gān) to preserve it – note the salt crusting in the above photo.

We buy this often and know that it’s very important to soak it in water for several hours (ideally overnight), otherwise it’s way too salty.

Despite the strong smell, when cooked properly, usually in braised pork (a meaty gravy usually put on rice) or meat-based soups, this bamboo is freakin’ delicious.

My kids whole family can’t get enough of it. Ever since we moved from Taiwan to Canada, my wife brings some back every time we visit, even though it stinks up our suitcase.

Mustard greens (芥菜 or jiè cài) are prepared in a very similar way, after which they are called 梅乾菜 or méi gān cài. These are also sometimes added to braised pork, soups, or steamed bun (包子) filling.

Wood Ear Mushrooms

Wood ear mushrooms (木耳 or mù ěr) are an edible jelly fungus which grow on (and feed off) decaying branches.

There are two kinds: the regular black wood ear mushrooms (黑木耳 hēi mù ěr, or simply 木耳) and a white version (白木耳 or bái mù ěr). Both are commonly used in Taiwanese cuisine but also have medicinal properties.

Both are sold dried on Sanfong Central Street. The black ones are earthier in flavor and have a chewier, more rubbery texture.

They are typically rehydrated by soaking or boiling in water then cut into thin slices and added to Taiwanese soups, stir-fried dishes, or served cold with black vinegar (黑木耳涼拌 – I love this as an appetizer!)

White wood ear mushrooms have a more neutral flavor and slippery, crunchy texture. They are more commonly used in traditional dessert soups or sweet iced drinks – I’m also a fan of these.

From a TCM viewpoint, the black ones are considered good for the skin and lungs, while the white ones help with circulation and digestion.

Dried Mushrooms

Readers should be familiar with these, but I still mention it because you’ll see A LOT of them on Sanfong Central Street.

Shitake mushrooms (香菇 or xiāng gū) are the “standard” mushroom in Taiwan and you’ll see a lot of dried ones here.

But you may also see some less common ones like lion’s mane mushroom (猴頭菇 or hóu tóu gū), bamboo fungu (竹笙 or zhú shēng), and tea tree mushroom (茶樹菇 or chá shù gū).

Goji Berries and Jujubes

Goji berries (枸杞 or gǒu qǐ) and Chinese red dates or jujubes (紅棗 or hóng zǎo) are two very common ingredients in Taiwanese cuisine and TCM.

Goji berries, the small, red, raisin-like berries in the above photo, have been used for over 2000 years in Chinese culture. They are thought to improve vision, fatigue, and boost longevity.

Jujubes may also be added to herbal soups and teas. They add flavor but can also be eaten (watch for the seed inside). They add a healthy sweetness and are thought to boost immunity, calm the mind, and tonify the blood.

When my wife gave birth in Taiwan and then underwent the prescribed month-long period of recovery and rest (坐月子 or zuò yuè zi), I remember many of the “recovery meals” she ate (both at the hospital and back at home) contained these two ingredients.

We pretty much always have a bag of each of these in our fridge at home, too.

Dried/Smoked Longans

Dried longans (龍眼乾 or lóng yǎn gān, also called 桂圓 or guì yuán) are made by smoking the fruits over wood fire or charcoal with the shells still on.

In doing so, the flesh inside shrivels up and becomes firm, black, and has a distinct smoky-sweet flavor.

My kids love opening these by putting them on a table and pounding them with their fist, which makes a fun popping noise.

We eat them directly by chewing the flesh off the seed or my wife boils them in sweet but healthful congee, often with goji berries and jujubes – a simplified version of eight treasures soup (八寶粥 or bā bǎo zhōu).

In traditional Taiwanese ice cream shops, smoked longan is a fairly common flavor. You can also find a traditional herbal iced tea made with them (try here in Shida Night Market).

In TCM, they are thought to be good for anxiety, insomnia, blood circulation, and qi (energy).

Bird’s Nest

Bird’s nest (燕窩 or yàn wō) is a traditional delicacy in Taiwanese and East Asian culture. These are the saliva-based nests of cave dwelling swiftlets.

When cooked, they turn into a jelly which is thought to be good for the skin, immune system, and postpartum recovery.

These are mostly imported from Southeast Asia and do have some ethical concerns, but you’ll see them at Sanfong Central Street, while Dihua Street in Taipei especially has a lot (not to mention some either even more concerning products).

Dried Daylily Buds

Buds of the daylily (金針花 or jīn zhēn huā) flower are also a culinary and medicinal ingredient in Taiwan.

It’s common so see these edible buds in soups in Taiwan, often with pork ribs, wood ear mushrooms, and/or white radish. They may also appear in hot pot, luwei (滷味 or braised foods), and Buddha’s Delight (羅漢齋), a vegetarian New Year’s dish.

In TCM, they are believed to soothe the liver, improve urination, and calm the spirit.

At Sixty-Stone Mountain in southern Hualien county, you can see hillsides covered in daylilies from August to September. See my Taiwan flower season guide for more info.

Flower and Herbal Teas

In this photo, you can see a variety of flower teas (花茶) and other non-caffeinated teas. These include:

• Chrysanthemum tea (菊茶 or jú chá): rich in vitamins, cooling effect, detoxifies liver, good for sore throat or infections. There are several different types of chrysanthemum tea pictured here.
• Mulberry leaf tea (桑葉茶 or sāng yè chá): lowers blood sugar, supports liver health, soothes sore throat.
• Hundred-herb hawthorn tea (佰草山楂茶 or bǎi cǎo shānzhā chá): herbal tea blend with hawthorn, which is aids digestion and fat metabolism.
• Gnotwood root and goji berry tea (何首烏枸杞茶 or hé shǒu wū gǒu qǐ chá): Supports longevity, fertility, eye function, and hair growth.
• Licorice, wheat, and jujube tea (甘麥大棗茶 or gān mài dàzǎo chá): Classic TCM formula for reducing stress and nourishing the heart.
• Black soybean tea (黑豆茶 or hēi dòu chá): supports kidney health, hair vitality, and female hormone balance
• Chamomile tea (西洋甘菊茶 or xī yáng gān jú chá): Reduces stress, bloating, and good for sleep.
• Slimming tea (消の茶 or xiāo de chá): Supports digestion and slimming, with Japanese-Chinese name.

Tealeaves

Personally, I’d rather go to a traditional tea shop to buy tealeaves, especially for classic Taiwanese teas like Alishan High Mountain Tea, Iron Goddess, Baozhong, or Oriental Beauty.

There are a few stalls on Sanfong Central Streets selling teas, but they specialize more in flavored, less common, and imported teas.

For example, in the above photo, some of the teas include wulong green tea (烏龍綠茶), Assam black tea (阿薩姆紅茶), and jasmine green tea (茉香綠茶), none of which are classic Taiwanese teas.

At another store (see above photo), they sell little pods of puer tea (普洱茶 or pǔ ěr chá), which are from China. Each pod can make one pot with many brews. And I did see at least one shop (image below) selling a few high mountains oolongs, but not the kind of selection you’d get in a local tea shop.

For a more typical teashop in Kaohsiung with the full range of classic Taiwanese teas, try here or here nearby. Also see my recommended places to buy tea in Taipei.

Pro Tip #3: Prefer coffee? This little café just south of Sanfong Central Street roasts their own beans, while this one down an alley to the north has a few cats and dogs inside.

Traditional Candies & Toys

Just like in my Canadian family home at Christmas, Taiwanese like to have a bowl of candies for the kids on a coffee table around Lunar New Year. Many businesses also like to keep a bowl of such candies at their till for customers to enjoy.

These candies can of course be purchased in bulk on Sanfong Central Street.

Typical candy flavors in Taiwan might include black sugar (黑糖 or suān méi), sour plum (酸梅 or hēi táng), and guava (芭樂 or bā là).

There are also chewy, caramel-like candies called milk candy (牛奶糖 or niú nǎi táng) – a classic Taiwanese sweet from old times, as well as jelly desserts (果凍 or guǒ dòng) – my daughter’s favorite.

I also saw some toys for kids, which may be given as little gifts at LNY, including these fun boxes where kids can punch a hole in each image square to find a little toy inside (like Taiwan’s version of an advent calendar!)

Other Things to Do around Sanfong Central Street

When visiting Sanfong Central Street, it only makes sense to visit these other attractions nearby.

Sanfong Temple

Just a couple blocks from Sanfong Central Street is Sanfong Temple (三鳳宮, here), the temple after which the market is named.

Sanfong Temple has a long history, but nowadays draws the social media stars for its highly photogenic canopy of red lanterns. See my Sanfong Temple guide to learn all about it.

Sanmin Market

Just west of Sanfong Temple is Sanmin Market (三民市場, here). It includes an indoor daytime market selling meat, produce, and household goods, as well as a two-block stretch of food stalls outside.

Come here to get lunch before or after you Sanfong Central Street visit, or in the evening when it becomes the small and very local Sanmin Street Night Market (三民街市場).

See my Sanmin Market guide (coming soon) and my other favorite markets across Taiwan.

Sanfong Central Street’s Drop-Off Area

Here’s my final pro tip for visiting Sanfong Central Street. Before leaving, take a stroll down Jianguo 3rd road (建國三路), the main road running parallel and just south of the market.

All the shops on the south side of the market have a front door facing this major roadway, hence it is where they receive and sent out shipments.

Here I got to observe the logistical side of the market, with towering stacks of products and delivery people dropping off or picking up goods. Here are some photos taken on this street to finish off the article. Thanks for reading!