TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Shuili Township in Nantou, once a bustling hub for Taiwan’s logging industry, is reviving its heritage through the newly launched Recycle Bento program, blending tourism with local flavors.
Nicknamed “Little Taipei” during its prosperous heyday, Shuili thrived when logs floated down from the mountains to be processed and sold, per CNA. But after the industry collapsed, businesses shuttered, residents moved away, and traces of its past — from old rail lines to weathered sawmills — remained.
Recycle Bento, unveiled by the Nantou County Government and local businesses, is inspired by the hearty meals lumberjacks once carried into the forest. Served in metal lunchboxes, it includes rice, braised pork, dried radish omelet, and seasonal vegetables, with wrappers printed with stories of the town’s history.
Local shop owner Tung Yu-an (董于安), whose family once ran a Hakka restaurant serving loggers, sees the bento as a tribute to a generation that built their lives in the forest.
“As a kid, my sister and I would help out in the restaurant,” Tung recalled, describing a town that never seemed to sleep. His parents were always busy managing the business, but his father hoped the next generation would pursue careers beyond the kitchen.
Tung worked in the nonprofit sector, but after his father fell ill and tourism in Shuili declined, he returned to help revive the family restaurant — a move that initially met with silence from his parents for a year.
To win their approval, Tung entered Hakka cuisine competitions, winning awards that boosted the restaurant’s reputation. Refreshed decor and a streamlined menu soon drew more customers, and his parents began to embrace the changes.
Nantou County Magistrate Hsu Shu-hua (許淑華) said the project promotes local produce while serving as a cultural ambassador for Shuili. She hopes the bento will draw more travelers to explore Jiji Line railway and nearby Sun Moon Lake.
The county plans to market the bento alongside guided tours, souvenir sales, and seasonal festivals, with the hope it could become a model for towns seeking to revive their economies through a mix of nostalgia and tourism.
