Renowned internationally and boasting a history of over 150 years, Japan’s Oshima Landscape, led by President Kensuke Oshima, recently made a special visit to Taichung’s landmark urban oasis, Yongquan Park (Xingquan Lake, Imperial Sugar Factory). This park was the sole public project designated for their visit in Taiwan, underscoring its international significance and professional recognition. The Taichung City Government attached great importance to this cross-border landscaping exchange, with Senior Specialist Xu Shou-quan of the Construction Bureau attending on behalf of Director Chen Da-tian. Xu, together with Zhang Zhi-da, Chairman of the Taichung City Seedling Industry Association, warmly welcomed the international guests and showcased Taichung’s outstanding achievements in the integration of historical and cultural preservation with natural ecology.
Director Chen Da-tian of the Construction Bureau noted that the city government is actively promoting the Melody Project, dedicated to creating urban parks that “breathe, conserve water, and embody cultural heritage.” Yongquan Park stands as a concrete realization of this vision. The recent special visit by the internationally renowned Oshima Landscape, a Japanese firm with over 150 years of history, has received high praise, bringing great honor to both the city government and Taichung’s residents.
Director Chen explained that the visit took place on the evening of October 8, led by Wu Jing-yi, founder of Shang Dian Landscape and the designer of Yongquan Park, who guided the Oshima Landscape team through the site. The Japanese team expressed great admiration for the park’s design, which skillfully integrates the historical context of the sugar factory while combining ecological flood retention with recreational and landscape functions. During the visit, the international guests also noticed more than a dozen local photography enthusiasts lined up with long lenses, capturing the sunset over Xingquan Lake and migratory birds at play. They were impressed, noting that Yongquan Park has truly become a part of daily life for citizens, exemplifying a harmonious coexistence between people and nature in the urban environment.
As night fell and the park’s lights illuminated the grounds, the interplay of reflections on the lake and the city’s nightscape left a deep impression on the guests. President Kensuke Oshima highly praised Yongquan Park for its integration of cultural, ecological, and urban flood-retention functions, noting that its philosophy resonates with Japan’s concept of resilient cities, fully reflecting a design approach that respects nature and coexists with the environment.
Director Chen emphasized that the opportunity to engage with a leading Japanese landscape design firm is truly rare. In recent years, the city government has actively revitalized idle spaces and restored historical landscapes, transforming former sites into vibrant public green spaces, with Yongquan Park serving as an exemplary model. It is hoped that this cross-border professional exchange will open more opportunities for Taiwan–Japan collaboration in landscape design and urban sustainability, showcasing Taichung’s excellence in green urban development and public space creation to the world.