Let’s Find Special Souvenirs in Taipei — From Indie Bookstores to Type Workshops

Let’s Find Special Souvenirs in Taipei — From Indie Bookstores to Type Workshops, a Hunt for One-of-a-Kind Keepsakes

Want to remember your trip to Taipei in a more distinctive, vivid way? Here are some spots in the city, from independent bookstores to letterpress workshops, where you can score one-of-a-kind souvenirs.

Words & Photos Parc Jinmyoung

Moom Bookshop

Exploring Taipei’s Latest Art Scene
This art-focused bookstore offers a look at the newest trends in Taipei’s art world. Centered on photo books from Asia, including Japan and Korea, it sells a wide range of publications, from new releases by independent publishers around the world to magazines and classic works. It also regularly hosts events that let you experience art in a more immersive way, such as retrospectives of contemporary photographers, collaborative exhibitions with publishers from around the globe, and art-themed talk concerts. The stylish interior, with walls filled floor to ceiling with inspiring books, is impressive too. One small drawback is that locally published Taiwanese titles are hard to spot. If you’re looking for books that suit your taste, ask a staff member, who will be happy to help. It’s a five-minute walk from Zhongxiao Fuxing Station, a major transportation hub.

Hours:  Daily 12:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.

Instagram:    @moom.cat

Website:    moom.cat/en

Ming Li Staionery

For Memories of Taiwan, Day After Day
On the streets west of Taipei Main Station, you’ll find stationery shops, housewares stores, hardware stores and more lined up one after another. Think of it as something like Seoul’s Namdaemun Market. At Ming Li Stationery, you can pick up souvenirs that symbolize Taiwan. During traditional holidays such as the New Year and Lunar New Year in particular, you’ll find colorful plaques inscribed with New Year wishes in four-character idioms such as ‘may all go well’ and ‘may fortune smile on you.’ Among them, we recommend the daily tear-off calendars, brimming with retro charm. Tearing off one page each day, you’ll be reminded of your trip to Taiwan, which makes for a truly unique souvenir.

Hours: Mon–Sat 9:30 a.m.–8:00 p.m., Sun 11:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.

aletterpress (一間印刷行)

A Metal Type Workshop
Tucked into a quiet residential neighborhood, aletterpress is both a workshop and a shop where you can experience the charm and warmth of letterpress printing, something digital typesetting can never replace. It makes household goods and crafts using metal type. Its signature items include portable letterpress printers, papermaking tools and movable-type printing, all made with Taiwanese type-casting artisans. The shop also runs workshops, such as making handmade paper cards and turning type blocks into accessories. Simply wandering slowly through the store in search of the type you like is plenty of fun. You can also pick up charming keepsakes such as cute calendars and greeting cards printed with metal type on handmade paper.

Hours: Tue–Sat 10:30 a.m.–6:00 p.m.

Instagram:    @aletterpress

Website:    aletterpress.com