Day 3
March 16, Sunday

We started the day early with breakfast at 豆漿燒餅店 Soy milk biscuit shop, they serve classic Taiwanese-style breakfast. We arrived around 7:45am, with a few locals already easing into their morning. When we asked the staff for their bestsellers, they recommended the soybean soup, though they warned it might be an acquired taste. Coming from the Philippines, where we have taho (soy pudding with syrup and tapioca pearls), it didn’t feel unfamiliar. This one was savoury, with sesame oil blending beautifully into the warm soup. I loved tearing off pieces of the fried bread (youtiao) and dipping them in. Perfect start to a cold morning.

After breakfast, I had a few spots marked to visit, but we ended up wandering random streets instead. It was drizzling, but the shaded sidewalks helped. The cold weather made walking pleasant, so we just kept going. We stopped by Lungshan Temple, then continued to Bopiliao Historical Block.

Just as we were about to grab a cab to 228 Peace Memorial Park, we noticed a long queue of older locals in a narrow alley. Curious, we followed the line and discovered they were waiting to eat at Taiwan Ancient Taste Authentic Ah Wei Curry Rice (台灣古早味 正宗阿偉咖哩飯). If locals line up, it’s usually a good sign, so we joined in. Most of the dishes were vegetables, but each one was packed with flavour. It truly felt like a hidden gem, the kind you’d easily miss if you weren’t paying attention.

The rest of the morning was spent exploring streets and coming across little landmarks. We headed back to Ximen for our 11am tattoo sessions at FTW Classic Tattooing with Irene Wang, who did our mini tatts. We wrapped up around noon. On the way to our inn, we spotted Don Don Donki and grabbed some goodies to take home, then went back to freshen up because the main event of the day was about to happen.

At around 2pm, we headed out again and took the metro from Ximen to Taipei Arena. We even got on the wrong train at one point. The metro was packed, but everything was still orderly. We finally arrived at the arena around 3pm, and a lot of concertgoers were already there. Most had lined up early to get their hands on Kenshi Yonezu merchandise. Oh, and I met Gel! We first connected on Reddit while talking about Kenshi’s Taipei concert, then exchanged IG handles since we were both going the same day. It was so nice to finally meet her. She even lined up and did a pasabuy for me for any remaining t-shirt. I’ll take whatever I can get. Hah!

The concert kicked off at 5pm, and honestly, I wish all concerts started that early. Photos weren’t allowed inside the dome, and if they caught you, you’d be escorted out. I wasn’t about to risk that. I can only hope my memory holds on to this night for years to come. It was our first time experiencing a concert in another country, and we were impressed by how disciplined the crowd was. Back home, Philippine audiences are wild and loud, so this felt completely different. Both have their charm. Part of me missed the energy of loud cheers, but it was also nice to enjoy the performance without people singing over the artist. Definitely a mix of feelings.

Kenshi Yonezu was so close to us. We were right at the side of the stage and damn, what an incredible artist. He sang 24 songs with barely any breaks, and I later learned he performed two different songs for Day 2. What I was really waiting for, though, was Lemon. It was the very first song I ever heard from him in the Japanese drama Unnatural, and it’s what turned me into a fan and sent me straight down the Kenshi rabbit hole… or should I say donut hole (a nod to his Stray Sheep era).

The lighting, the stage visuals, the backup dancers, the band, his voice — the whole production was perfect. His voice live was so unique and beautiful. I could gush about it forever because this has now taken the top spot as my favorite concert, and I don’t even have photos to prove it. (I’ll just grab some from the official event organisers.) I can’t wait to see him perform live again, and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for updates on his next tour.

The concert ended just before 7pm. Since the metro was right next to the arena, getting back to our place was easy. But we couldn’t resist one last stroll around Ximen, grabbing whatever street food caught our eye. Eventually, we headed back to the inn to pack because our flight home was early the next morning. And just like that, our three-day Taipei trip was over. It felt short, but we packed so much in. Still, there are plenty of corners left unexplored and dishes left untasted. ’Til next time, Taiwan. 🇹🇼

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