- Jiufen has two anchor tea houses: A-Mei Teahouse at No. 20 Shixia Lane off Shuqi Road, open 9:00 to 21:30 daily per its official site, and Jioufen Teahouse at 142 Jishan Street, a registered historic building where tea service started in 1991.
- Budget around NT$350 per person for a tea set at A-Mei (price reported in February 2026); at Jioufen Teahouse the tea price already includes the water fee.
- Arrive at opening time on a weekday: the lanes fill by late morning, and the lantern-lit evening hour is the busiest of the day.
- From Taipei, bus 1062 (NT$94 each way, Zhongxiao Fuxing MRT exit 2) or bus 965 (NT$90, from Banqiao, Ximen or Beimen) runs straight to the old street.
Jiufen is a former gold-mining town on the hills of Ruifang District in New Taipei City, 60 to 120 minutes from central Taipei by bus. Workers building the Taipei to Keelung railway found gold flakes in 1890, a rich placer district was found in the hills in 1893, and the mine closed in 1971. The town emptied, then revived after Hou Hsiao-hsien set his 1989 film A City of Sadness here. Today its steep stone stairway, Shuqi Road, and its covered market lane, Jishan Street, draw a steady stream of day-trippers, and the tea houses are the best reason to stay longer than a snack stop.
This guide covers the tea houses worth your time, what a sitting costs, how the gongfu-style service works, and how to time a visit so you get a window seat instead of a queue. Prices and hours were checked against official venue pages and recent visitor reports in October 2026; confirm on the day, because Jiufen hours shift with holidays and weather.
Jiufen Tea Houses at a Glance
Two tea houses carry most of the reputation, and they suit different moods. A-Mei is the photogenic one, all red lanterns and stacked wooden balconies on the Shuqi Road stairs. Jioufen Teahouse is the calm one, a century-old residence on Jishan Street with charcoal-heated kettles and a pottery studio downstairs. A third, the City of Sadness restaurant and tea house at the corner of Shuqi and Qingbian Roads, trades on its film connection.
| Tea house | Address | Hours (verified Oct 2026) | Best for | Price notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A-Mei Teahouse (阿妹茶樓) | No. 20 Shixia Lane, off Shuqi Road | 9:00 to 21:30 daily (official site) | Lantern views, the classic Jiufen photo, rooftop seating | Tea set NT$350 per person (visitor report, February 2026) |
| Jioufen Teahouse (九份茶坊) | 142 Jishan Street | 11:00 to 20:00 (official site); a Taipei city voucher page lists 10:30 to 21:00 | Quiet gongfu tea, charcoal stoves, ceramics and gallery | Tea price includes the water fee |
| City of Sadness (悲情城市) | 35 Shuqi Road, corner of Qingbian Road | Check locally | Fans of the 1989 film | Check locally |
A-Mei Teahouse: What to Expect
A-Mei Teahouse stands on the Shuqi Road stairway at No. 20 Shixia Lane. According to New Taipei City’s tourism office, the building was originally a blacksmith shop run by Amei’s grandfather, who made tools for local miners. As visitors returned to Jiufen, Amei converted the forge into a tea house, which the tourism office describes as the first of its kind in town. The teahouse’s own site puts it plainly: a miners’ forge where the hammering gave way to tea.
The building is split into sections. The tourism office lists an east wing for tea, a west wing that runs as a bar with handmade snacks, a basement for small group gatherings and an open-air tea area on the roof. The views run down the hillside toward the coast, and on humid days the valley below fills with low cloud.
The official menu lists nine teas. Expect Taiwanese classics such as Jade Oolong (翠玉茶), Dong Ding Oolong (凍頂烏龍茶) and Oriental Beauty (東方美人茶), the honeyed, bug-bitten summer oolong of northern Taiwan. A visitor who arrived at the 9:00 opening in February 2026 paid NT$350 per person for a tea set with sesame crackers, sweet plum, green bean cake and mochi. A staff member demonstrated how to warm the cups and pour the first infusions before leaving the table to brew alone.
One honest note: A-Mei is popular for its looks as much as its tea. The same visitor was seated on the first-floor balcony and not offered the higher floors, where the views are better. If a specific floor matters to you, ask before you sit down. And on the Spirited Away question, Jiufen became famous in Japan for resembling the town in the 2001 Studio Ghibli film, but Hayao Miyazaki has denied that Jiufen was the model.
Jioufen Teahouse: The Quiet Alternative
Jioufen Teahouse sits at 142 Jishan Street, the covered market lane, a few doors from the taro-ball stalls. Its own site calls the building the Old Residence of Wong Shan-Ying and notes it is registered as the sixth historic building of New Taipei City. Artist Hung Chi-sheng restored it into a cultural space and began serving tea here in 1991. A Taipei city tourism listing describes it as Jiufen’s first art-focused tea house, later joined by the Jiufen Art Gallery, a pottery workshop and a second branch, Shui Xin Yue Teahouse.
The atmosphere is the opposite of the lantern crowd outside. Iron kettles steam over a charcoal stove, a detail an English-language Taiwan guide points out because most tea houses now use gas. Antique Taiwanese furniture fills the rooms, and a back balcony looks over the hills in clear weather. Downstairs, a showroom sells tea, cups, teapots and vases, and you can see the kiln and studio space.
The tea list leans toward Taiwanese oolong. A city voucher package for the house pairs Lishan high-mountain oolong with oolong cookies, preserved tea plums and seasonal dried fruit, and the house snack list also includes charcoal peanuts and aged dried radish. The price you pay for tea already includes the water fee, so there is no separate per-person charge to work out.
How Tea Service Works in Jiufen
Both houses serve tea gongfu-style: a small pot, small cups and many short infusions rather than one large mug. You choose a tea, the staff bring a kettle, a teapot, a pitcher and cups, and someone shows you the first round. After that you brew it yourself, topping up the kettle as you go. This is the same method covered in our gongfu cha guide for beginners, and Jiufen is an easy place to practise it with a view.
A few practical habits help:
- Rinse and warm the cups and pot with the first pour of hot water.
- Keep early infusions short, then lengthen them as the rolled oolong leaves open.
- Ask for more hot water rather than letting the kettle run dry.
- If you find a tea you like, Jioufen Teahouse’s downstairs showroom sells leaf to take home.
Booking and Timing Your Visit
Neither tea house’s official site asks for an advance booking for a standard sitting. Taiwanderers reported no queue at A-Mei at opening time in February 2026, and staff let them in a few minutes early. Booking platforms sell A-Mei and Jioufen Teahouse vouchers, which can help on busy weekends, but read the terms: the Taipei city voucher for Jioufen Teahouse must be used on the day it is redeemed and cannot be split.
Timing matters more than booking. Wikivoyage notes that buses fill on busy days and do not always keep to the timetable at peak hours, and most shops in the historic district open around 11:00 and close around 18:00. That leaves a useful pattern:
- Early morning (9:00 to 11:00): A-Mei is open and the lanes are quiet. This is the best window for a balcony seat.
- Midday (11:00 to 15:00): Jishan Street shops and snack stalls are open, and Jioufen Teahouse opens. Crowds peak on weekends.
- Dusk: the lanterns on Shuqi Road come on. This is the iconic view and the busiest hour.
Costs and What Is Included
A tea house visit is not a cheap stop by Taiwan standards, but it is the longest and most comfortable sit you will get in Jiufen. Here is a realistic budget for one person on a day trip from Taipei, using fares and prices verified in 2026.
| Item | Cost (NT$) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bus 1062 Taipei to Jiufen, return | 180 to 188 | NT$94 each way from Zhongxiao Fuxing MRT exit 2 |
| Or bus 965, return | 180 | NT$90 each way from Banqiao, Ximen or Beimen |
| Or train Taipei to Ruifang plus local bus, return | 176 to 268 | Train NT$73 to 114 each way, then NT$15 to 20 by bus |
| A-Mei tea set | 350 | Per person, February 2026 report; includes tea snacks |
| Jioufen Teahouse tea | Ask at the counter | Water fee included in the tea price |
If you are sharing a pot, check each house’s per-person policy when you order, since the official sites do not publish one.
How to Get to Jiufen
Jiufen is well served by public transport, and on weekends only public buses and private cars may enter Jiufen and Jinguashi; tour buses and vans must park in outer lots served by shuttles.
Bus 1062 (direct)
Board at Zhongxiao Fuxing MRT exit 2, about 50 metres south on Fuxing South Road. The fare is NT$94 each way, buses leave roughly every 30 minutes, and the trip takes one to two hours depending on traffic.
Bus 965 (direct, from west Taipei)
The New Taipei City Government’s Taiwan Tourist Shuttle route 965 picks up at Banqiao, Wanhua, Ximen and Beimen. Get off at J11 Jiufen Old Street; the old street is a three-minute walk. The fare is NT$90 and the trip runs about 65 to 90 minutes.
Train plus local bus
Take a northbound train from Taipei to Ruifang (about 35 to 70 minutes, NT$73 to 114 depending on train type). From Ruifang, buses 788, 827, 856, 965 and 1062 continue up the hill in 10 to 15 minutes for NT$15 to 20. Wikivoyage warns against unlicensed ride-share drivers at Ruifang, who charge NT$200 or more per person.
Tips for First-Timers
- Bring an umbrella. Low cloud and drizzle roll over the hillside, and wet stone stairs get slippery.
- Wear shoes with grip. Shuqi Road is a long flight of steep steps, and A-Mei is partway down it.
- Carry cash and an EasyCard. Buses accept EasyCard; small stalls may prefer cash.
- Pair tea with the old street, not instead of it. Grandma Lai’s taro balls at 143 Jishan Street are next door to Jioufen Teahouse.
- Plan your return early. The last bus 1062 departure from Taipei was 17:10 when last checked, and return buses fill at dusk.
Best Time to Go
The best time is a weekday morning, at any time of year. A 9:00 arrival at A-Mei gets you a quiet balcony and soft light over the valley, and you can move to Jioufen Teahouse when it opens later in the morning. If you want the lantern view, stay for dusk and expect crowds on the stairs.
Low cloud and drizzle are part of the town’s character, and some visitors prefer it that way: the tea is warmer and the view over a sea of cloud, which A-Mei’s own site advertises, is easier to see on a misty day. Holidays and weekends are the hardest days to find a seat.
Alternatives and Similar Experiences
If you want tea fields rather than tea rooms, look south of Taipei instead. Pinglin, south-east of Taipei, is the home of Baozhong oolong, covered in our Pinglin tea district guide. For high-mountain oolong at altitude, Lishan and Alishan are overnight trips. To stay in the city, Taipei has its own quiet tea houses, covered in the related guides below.
Related Guides
- Taiwan Tea Travel Guide
- Secret Tea Houses of Taipei
- Taiwan Tea Road Trip: A 7-Day Itinerary
- Lishan High Mountain Tea Guide
Official sources: A-Mei Teahouse official site, Jioufen Teahouse official site, New Taipei City Tourism: Amei Teahouse and Taiwan Tourist Shuttle 965 (New Taipei City Government).
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the best tea house in Jiufen?
A-Mei Teahouse is the best choice for views and the classic lantern scene, while Jioufen Teahouse at 142 Jishan Street is better for a quiet, traditional sitting. A-Mei is a converted miners’ forge on the Shuqi Road stairs; Jioufen Teahouse is a registered historic residence with charcoal-heated kettles and a pottery studio. An easy plan is to try one in the morning and the other after lunch.
How much does A-Mei Teahouse cost?
A tea set at A-Mei Teahouse cost NT$350 per person in February 2026, according to a recent visitor report. The set included oolong tea brewed gongfu-style plus snacks such as sesame crackers, sweet plum, green bean cake and mochi. The official website does not publish prices, so confirm at the counter, especially if you want to sit on an upper floor or the roof.
What are A-Mei Teahouse’s opening hours?
A-Mei Teahouse’s official website lists opening hours of 9:00 to 21:30, seven days a week. Some third-party listings show later closing times on weekends, so treat 21:30 as the safe planning time. For a quiet balcony seat, arrive close to the 9:00 opening on a weekday; by late morning the Shuqi Road stairs fill with day-trippers.
Do I need to book a Jiufen tea house in advance?
You do not need to book a standard tea sitting at A-Mei or Jioufen Teahouse in advance; neither official site asks for a reservation, and a February 2026 visitor walked into A-Mei at opening time with no queue. Vouchers sold on booking platforms can save time on weekends and holidays, but they usually must be used on the day of redemption and cannot be split.
How do I get from Taipei to the Jiufen tea houses?
The simplest route is bus 1062 from Zhongxiao Fuxing MRT exit 2, which costs NT$94 each way and takes one to two hours. Bus 965 runs from Banqiao, Ximen and Beimen for NT$90 and stops at J11 Jiufen Old Street. Alternatively, take a train to Ruifang, then a 10 to 15 minute local bus up the hill.