Ximending

the walled city of Taipei, and the area outside the West Gate (Ximen) became their favorite spot to relax and hang out. Taipei's very first movie theater, Tokio-tei, opened here in 1896, and the area was officially named "Ximending" in 1922.

In the early days, movies were the main attraction, with most theaters clustered around Emei Street, Chengdu Road, and Xining South Road—making this area the heart of Ximending. After the Nationalist government moved to Taiwan in 1949, money poured into the neighborhood. Department stores and all kinds of entertainment venues popped up alongside the theaters. Once the Chunghwa Bazaar was built, Ximending solidified its status as Taiwan's ultimate hub for shopping and entertainment.

By the 1990s, though, Taipei’s nightlife and shopping scene began shifting toward the East District. With the demolition of the Chunghwa Bazaar and major road construction, Ximending fell quiet for a while. But things turned around when the MRT Bannan Line opened. The city government revamped Chunghwa Road into Taipei's very own Champs-Élysées, and new plazas and event spaces started springing up everywhere. Today, weekend crowds flock here for arts, sports, and live music, bringing the buzz and business right back to the West District.