Pinglin is one of northern Taiwan’s best known tea villages. It not only has been blessed with abundant natural resources but also has many ancient buildings and homes that serve as quiet memorials to the town’s historical and cultural heritage. Part of that history dates back to the Japanese occupation period when the colonists established a police station for security, tax-collection, and monitoring purposes. Today the station is used as a private residence, but its exterior has mostly remained the same despite having been built more than a century ago. The owner shifted the main door slightly to the left, but the stone bricks, black tiles, and architecture preserve the original Japanese style. The design is simple and unique for today’s world, and it emits a vague feeling of severity common in older police stations. The former police station is located to the side of the Jinxi 1st Bridge, and at the front of the alley leading to it is a sign ing visitors. To reach the station, simply walk down this alley.
