Experience Taichung’s most romantic start to spring! In addition to the 2026 Central Taiwan Lantern Festival, whose Moomin characters have attracted widespread attention across Taiwan, the 2026 Houli Taian Cherry Blossom Festival, guided by the Taichung City Government Tourism and Travel Bureau and organized by the Houli District Office, will also debut on February 27 at Taian Police Station in Houli District. Yaezakura and Yoshino cherry blossoms in full bloom add color to the scenery of Houli’s Old Mountain Line Railway, creating one of the season’s most representative cherry blossom viewing events. Visitors can enjoy cherry blossom viewing in Houli during the day and then visit the Central Taiwan Lantern Festival at Taichung Central Park in the evening, enjoying a vibrant combination of cherry blossoms and lantern displays.
Director T'ung i Lai of the Houli District Office said that Tai an Police Station is widely acclaimed as the most beautiful police station in Taiwan and is a nationally renowned signature destination for cherry blossom viewing. Each cherry blossom season, pink blossoms bloom along the road, creating an extended sea of flowers. During the event period, in addition to the spectacular cherry blossoms, nearby flower viewing spots are also worth visiting, including the WELE Cherry Blossom Park at Central Taiwan Science Park, where yaezakura and green calyx cherry blossoms are currently in season, as well as ORANGE LIFE, another popular check in spot featuring yaezakura and Yoshino cherry blossoms. Together, these locations form a spring only flower viewing map for Houli and are ideal for planning a one to two day in depth trip to experience local specialty foods, agricultural specialty products, heritage trails, leisure parks, and wineries, whether traveling as a family, with friends, or as a couple.
Tourism and Travel Bureau Director Mei-Hsiu Chen explained that, to enhance the quality of cherry blossom viewing and the recreational environment, the city government has upgraded the Taian Railway Cultural Area in Houli and surrounding facilities, including landscaping and greening, improvements to public facilities, and traffic flow planning, to strengthen overall tourism service capacity and create a safe, comfortable, and friendly tourism environment so that visitors can enjoy the flowers with peace of mind and stroll at ease. In addition, Taichung offers a wide range of cherry blossom viewing destinations. Besides Taian Police Station and the WELE Cherry Blossom Park in Central Taiwan Science Park, Fushoushan Farm, Wuling Farm, Dasyueshan National Forest Recreation Area, Basianshan National Forest Recreation Area, and the Xinshe District Office are also well known cherry blossom spots in Taichung’s mountain region. In the city area, the Pingchang Sakura Festival near Wenchang Elementary School in Beitun District allows visitors to enjoy the blossoms of nearly 30 yaezakura and Fuji cherry trees around early March. For those who prefer pale pink Yoshino cherry blossoms, the Shalu Cherry Blossom Tunnel in the coastal area is expected to be in bloom in late March. With cherry blossoms to enjoy in the mountains, along the coast, in Beitun, and in the urban area, Taichung is a destination that visitors from across Taiwan are invited to return to time and again.
The Taichung City Government Tourism and Travel Bureau added that, in response to the expected crowds for cherry blossom viewing, traffic control measures will be implemented during the Houli Taian Cherry Blossom Festival from February 27 to March 8. Visitors are advised to make greater use of public transportation by taking the train to Tai’an Railway Station and then walking to the venue, which will not only help reduce traffic congestion but also allow visitors to enjoy a leisurely cherry blossom stroll under the warm spring sunshine. For visitors who attend the Houli cherry blossom festival before the Lantern Festival on March 3, it is recommended to also stop by the 2026 Central Taiwan Lantern Festival at Taichung Central Park and experience the European fairytale village atmosphere created by the Moomin characters, Nordic auroras, and romantic snowy scenery. Enjoy a sea of pink cherry blossoms during the day and immerse yourself in dazzling lantern light art at night, experiencing Taichung’s dual spring charm from the cherry blossom season to the lantern festival in one trip. For more information on the Houli Taian Cherry Blossom Festival, please visit the Taichung Tourism webpage ( https://travel.taichung.gov.tw/zh-tw/event/activitydetail/10105 ). For the latest updates on the lantern festival and additional travel information, please also visit the Taichung Tourism webpage ( https://travel.taichung.gov.tw/zh-tw/event/activitydetail/9975 ).