Xitou Monster Village In Taiwan (妖怪村) - Is It Worth Visiting In 2026?

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One of the quirkiest places to visit in Taiwan has to be Xitou Monster Village in Nantou.

Although the name sounds scary, it’s actually a Japanese folklore village with cute demons, torii gates and lanterns throughout.

It’s an easy day trip from Taichung and is very popular with tourists as it often goes viral on social media. But is it worth visiting?

As a lover of all things spooky, I knew I had to visit this place on my adventures through Taiwan and find out for myself.

Here is a complete visitor guide for the quirky Xitou Monster Village in Taiwan, and whether it’s worth it.

What is Xitou Monster Village?

I have to admit, it is very hard to describe Xitou Monster Village.

Many call it a trip to Japan without leaving Taiwan, as it’s a place filled with Japanese architecture, lanterns and torii gates.

But it’s also a quirky tourist attraction with statues of monsters from folklore, wandering eyes, sharp claws and demon masks found all over.

Whatever the case, one thing is for sure: it’s a whimsical, spooky paradise that you must visit – at least once!

The story behind Xitou Monster Village

Xitou Monster Village was established in 2011. Before the monster theme, it was simply a regular resort for domestic tourists in Nantou.

To boost business, a local sausage vendor installed a Japanese tengu (long-nosed goblin) mask outside his shop.

The gimmick went viral on social media, and the popularity started a trend. Later, the entire village was transformed into a folklore-monster attraction.

The decor is based on a legend about a man called Matsubayashi who was saved from a monster in the forest by two animals, Kuma and Badu.

He was also friends with a Japanese man called Mr Kubota during the colonial era, and so the monster village is also a memorial to their friendship.

Kuma and Badu have now been immortalised as cute monster mascots, and traditional Japanese architectural elements are found throughout.

This dark fantasy village is now famous and attracts more than 200,000 visitors every month. You definitely should be one of them.

How to visit Xitou Monster Village in Taiwan

You’ll find Xitou Monster Village in the Nantou region of Taiwan near Sun Link Sea Forest.

You can even visit both places in one day if you start early enough.

It’s very easy to visit Xitou by car or public transport. The journey will take around 90 minutes to two hours by direct bus from Taichung.

You can take the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle (Xitou Line 6883) from Taichung Gancheng Bus Station, Taichung Train Station or Taichung HSR Station.

You can use your EasyCard onboard and the journey will cost around NT$175 one way. Make sure to top it up before you go.

Once you arrive at Xitou bus station, the Monster Village can be accessed in around five minutes on foot.

From Xitou, you can take another bus to Sun Link Sea. You can then take a bus from Shanlinxi all the way back to Taichung.

It’s easy to do yourself and makes for a very exhausting yet rewarding day trip in Taiwan. Just keep an eye on the bus times as services stop early.

Taichung to Xitou Monster Village Taiwan

Why not book a guided tour?

If you would rather take the effort out of planning a trip to Xitou Monster Village, you can book a guided tour that makes a stop here.

The guided tours usually start from Taichung to visit Sun Link Sea and make a stop at the monster village on the way there or on the journey back.

Here are some options for you:

Tours & Tickets

BOOK YOUR ACTIVITIES HERE

Is one day enough?

Most people visit Xitou Monster Village as part of a day trip from Taichung to Sun Link Sea.

As you only need an hour or so in this village, there should be more than enough time to visit by bus if you set out early enough.

However, I highly recommend staying overnight if you have the time and budget.

This way, you can explore this spooky village without the crowds and see the lanterns switch on at night.

You can also arrive at attractions like Sun Link Sea a lot earlier to avoid the endless buses of tour groups.

Stay in the M Village Hotel

As I knew I wanted to visit a few places in this region, I decided to spend the night in Xitou Monster Village and use it as a base.

It was more affordable (and more fun) to stay here than in Shanlinxi Resort, and it meant I could explore this spooky village without the crowds.

The M Village Hotel, or Monster Hotel, is such a fun place to stay, and every room is colourful with oodles of monster-themed decor.

You’ll find all sorts of quirky characters on artwork around the room and even on the hotel coffee mugs, sink cups and toiletries.

My room had two double beds, a bathroom and amenities like a kettle and safe. I also had a beautiful view of the trees beyond. It was so peaceful.

I loved waking up in the morning to their huge buffet breakfast served in the Monster restaurant. It had a wide range of Asian and Western choices.

I used Trip.com to book my stay, and you can get some great deals if you book early enough.

Click here to book your stay at M Village Hotel

Things to do in Xitou Monster Village

Xitou Monster Village is such an awesome attraction, but it’s not a huge place. You can walk through the entire village in around 15 minutes.

However, I recommend staying for a couple of hours to explore all the quirky displays, monster hotel, bakery and street stalls.

There is more than enough to keep you occupied for a spell, and a fair number of photo opportunities to find.

Here are all the things to do in Xitou Monster Village in Taiwan.

1. Explore the monster village

One of the best things to do in Xitou is wander around this monster village without a plan.

Although it’s called a ‘monster village’, it’s by no means scary. It’s more of a cute Japanese theme park.

You’ll find quirky characters from folklore, sacred torii gates, lanterns, demon statues, and stages.

It doesn’t take long to explore fully, but there is a wealth of photo opportunities to find throughout.

There’s also a bubble tea shop, a mini arcade, a monster trail, and a wealth of stalls to browse selling souvenirs, ice cream and snacks.

2. Sun Ling Ding Shopping Street

You’ll find many souvenir stalls and boutiques dotted around Xitou Monster Village in Sun Ling Ding Shopping Street.

Many of these sell monster-themed souvenirs to take home, such as trinkets, figurines, magnets and keychains.

There are also boutiques selling monster masks, as well as plush toys and handicrafts.

In line with the Japanese theme, you can even rent a kimono to take some photos around the village. Very kawaii.

3. Monster Village stamp

If you are collecting stamps on your adventures through Taiwan, you’ll be happy to know that the monster village has its own stamp station.

You can find it in the shop opposite the reception of the M Village Hotel.

This boutique sells the official Monster Village souvenirs to take home. They are based on the village mascots of Asha, Badu, Kuma and Buru.

I bought some of their trinkets while getting my book stamped. They had so many cute things to purchase. If only I had more room in my suitcase.

4. Try Biting Cat Bread from Kubota Bakery

One of the best things to do in Xitou Monster Village is to visit the famous Kubota Bakery.

It’s famous for its Biting Cat Bread or Nettle Bread, which is a bread roll with a stinging nettle on the top (don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt you when cooked).

This soft bun is filled with a creamy ham filling that is really rich and tasty. You must try one.

But it’s important to know that the bakery makes a limited quantity per day and only serves them at certain times of the day.

Kubota Bakery Xitou Monster Village — *Kubota Bakery*

You can line up to buy one at 10.30 am and 2.30 pm, and lines can get very long as they are so popular.

I tried to get this bread three times while I was here, as I didn’t get the timing right. It kept selling out by the time I arrived.

Finally, I waited in the queue a little bit before 10.30 am on my last day and got my hands on one in just a couple of minutes.

They also sell eyeball chocolates and witch finger cookies by the box if you dare to try.

Biting Cat Bread Kubota Bakery Xitou Monster Village

5. Watch parades and performances

In the centre of the shopping area, you’ll find some stages that have been set up.

Throughout the day, you’ll find free performances that take place in the village.

Most often, these are buskers who play lively tunes, but they sometimes have theatrical shows too.

As this is a monster village, on special occasions, they host plays and parades where people dress up as demons from folklore.

6. Torii Gates

If you’re looking for more photo opportunities in the village, you can visit the colourful row of torii gates by the M Village Hotel.

These don’t go very far, but you can capture some lovely photos as a souvenir.

You can also wander around the hotel for more photo opportunities, including the quirky cabin area behind the village.

You’ll find all sorts of monsters and skeletons hiding in the trees. It’s quite bizarre, but I loved wandering around and seeing what I could find.

7. Buy tasty street food

There aren’t many sit-down restaurants in Xitou Monster Village, save for the restaurant that’s part of the M Village Hotel.

Some of the hotel packages include a half-board option where breakfast and dinner are included in the room rate.

If you don’t fancy this, or are staying elsewhere, you can check out some of the tasty street food stalls in the village.

I ate at 避煞專家, which translates to ‘Expert in avoiding evil spirits’, which was one of the only food stalls that stayed open late.

It serves up a range of fried rice dishes, clam soup, Taiwanese pizza and scallion pancakes.

It was absolutely delicious. But, they don’t have any drinks. So, make sure to buy some at the convenience store before you sit down.

8. Explore the monster village at night

Beyond beating the crowds, another reason why I recommend staying overnight is to see the village light up at night.

Xitou Monster Village is filled with gorgeous lanterns that give this place a magical glow after dusk.

I also loved that the giant Torii Gate by my hotel had lanterns with giant monster eyes!

This area is often prone to being misty in the evenings, and the fog really added to the spooky vibes.

9. Xitou Nature Education Area

Once you’ve exhausted the attractions in Xitou Monster Village, I highly recommend visiting the Xitou Nature Education Area nearby.

It’s a beautiful bamboo forest park with walking trails to suspension bridges, ginkgo gardens, forest sky-walks, giant trees and viewpoints galore.

It does cost NT$220 per person, but it’s a massive park with plenty to keep you occupied for a few hours.

Just make sure to come prepared with good footwear, as the steep hills in this park are no joke. There are shuttle buses if you need them.

10. Day trip to Sun Link Sea

Most tourists travel towards Xitou in Taiwan to visit Sun Link Sea (Shanlinxi), a gorgeous forest and recreation area.

It’s famous for its collection of cascading waterfalls, but it’s also a popular place to admire perennial flowers, cherry blossoms and autumn foliage.

The most recognisable waterfall is Songlong Waterfall. It’s a cascade that crashes into a lagoon over the lip of a cave, and you can walk behind it!

Although there wasn’t any water on my visit, I still loved exploring this magical forest. It was so peaceful compared to Sun Moon Lake.

You can easily take a bus to Sun Link Sea from Xitou at the bus station. Just note that as the journey starts in Taichung, seating can be limited.

At busy times, you’ll be given a number from the bus station. You then board in turn, making it fair. Once the seats are full, you wait for the next bus.