It is no news to readers of this newspaper that China’s Qing Dynasty lost the first Sino-Japanese War, signed the Treaty of Shimonoseki and ceded Formosa (Taiwan) and the Pescadores to Japan in perpetuity and with full sovereignty. What readers might not know is how the new immigrants from Japan assimilated themselves into this tropical island or where they lived and did their shopping.
Japanese rule commenced in 1895 and Japanese people started moving to Taiwan. As the Monga (Wanhua) and Twatutia (Dadaocheng) areas of Taipei were already vibrant with trade and economic activities and were inhibited by Taiwanese, the Japanese government decided to establish a Japanese community on a heath just outside the West Gate of the Taipei city walls. Japanese markets selling Japanese food and goods began opening up to meet the needs of the new immigrants.
As Taiwan was Japan’s first overseas colony and would become its model colony and showcase to the world, Japan embarked on many infrastructure projects to facilitate Taiwan’s transformation. One of these projects was the new West Gate Market designed by Japanese architect Juro Kondo. Kondo employed a unique octagonal design for the entrance and a cruciform design for the main structure. This combination was an unprecedented architectural innovation.
Photo: Ethan Zhan, Taipei Times
照片：台北時報詹豐造
The new market was inaugurated on Dec. 20, 1908, with the octagonal building functioning as a dry market, where confectionery, toys, office supplies, cosmetics, shoes and umbrellas could be found, while the cruciform building was a wet market, selling fresh meat and produce. However, to maintain cleanliness, no animal slaughter was permitted inside the market.
Today, the West Gate Market is called the West Gate Red House. Tea and souvenirs are on sale inside. Its south square houses outdoor gay cafes, making it Taiwan’s premier gathering place for gay people.
Ethan Zhan, Taipei Times
本報讀者對以下內容絕不陌生：中日甲午戰爭清廷戰敗，簽署馬關條約，將台灣及澎湖諸島永久割讓給日本。然而，大家可能不見得熟悉的是，來自日本的新移民如何融入這個熱帶島嶼？他們都住哪？去哪裡買東西？
日治時期於西元一八九五年開始，日本人開始遷入台灣。此時，台北的艋舺及大稻埕已是活絡的經貿重鎮，台灣人居住於此，因此日本政府決定在台北城西門外一個荒煙之地安置日本移民。專售日本食品及日常用品的日式市場也為了滿足新移民的需求相應而生。
由於台灣是日本第一個海外殖民地，同時也是日本未來展示給世人看的模範殖民地，日本開始著手一系列的基礎建設，要為台灣改頭換面。其中一個建設，就是日本建築師近藤十郎所設計的新西門市場。近藤以獨特的八角造型設計市場入口，加以十字造型設計市場本體。八角與十字的結合是建築史上從未有過的一大創新。
新市場於西元一九零八年十二月二十日落成。其中，八角樓賣的是乾貨，舉凡菓子、玩具、文具、化妝品、鞋子及雨傘，皆可在裡面找到。十字樓則專售魚肉生鮮等溼貨。但為了維護市場清潔，內部不可宰殺魚肉。
如今，西門市場稱為西門紅樓，裡面賣茶，也賣紀念品，南廣場內露天同志咖啡廳林立，是台灣首屈一指的同志聚集地。
台北時報詹豐造翻譯
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