Dihua Street, an 800-meter street located in the Dadaocheng area of Datong District, Taipei, is the liveliest sundry market for Chinese New Year grocery shopping. Dihua Street used to be the major trading center of Chinese herbs and medicines, dried goods, fabrics, and tea as it located near the Dadaocheng port. The street has then become a market place for Chinese New Year's groceries, where residents flock to the street to buy necessities for the festivities while tourists visit for the traditional decorations, atmosphere, and architecture.
It’s one of the most local and cultural experience to see bags and bags of good, piles of foods and candies on tables that look like little mountains, to hear the vendors shouting aloud to attract people’s attention, to try free samples from each stall, and to enjoy the New Year atmosphere.
The street used to be relatively quiet during most times of the year besides the Chinese New Year period, but recently more and more new shops, cafes, restaurants and art studios have been opened in the neighborhood, adding new elements while preserving its traditional features and attracting more visitors even on days other than the holidays.