Xitou Monster Village is a Japanese monster-folklore-themed village in the mountains of Nantou, in front of Xitou Nature Education Area. Here you can find lots of restaurants, hotels, and Japanese monster-themed structures. It is almost like a trip to Japan without leaving Taiwan.
🛥️ Planning your trip to Nantou? ⛰️
Here are some top travel tips for you:
- Best time to visit: Winter or Autumn when it is less rainy
- How to get there: Taiwan Railway and Inter-City Bus
- Best place to stay: Kirin Villa or Jenq Yang Hotspring Hotel
- Book tours and activities in Nantou on Klook
- Stay connected with a local SIM
- Rent a car to explore distant sights
Historical Background:
The Xitou experimental forest was set up during the Japanese occupation of Taiwan under the University of Tokyo. After the ROC took control of Taiwan, the area was changed to a nature reserve. In 2016, the thousand-year-old pine tree that once sat in the park fell over after heavy rain, and its seeds were used to plant more trees.
Monster Village (妖怪村) is a themed attraction in Nantou, Taiwan, that was established in 2009. It has mascots such as Kuma, Badu, and the mountain monsters Asha and Buru. Kuma (枯麻) and Badu (八豆) are the official mascots of Nantou’s Monster Village (妖怪村). Their names come from animals the founder encountered when young — a little Formosan black bear (Kuma) and a young clouded leopard (Badu). They represent playful, friendly “monsters” tied to Taiwan’s wildlife.
The mountain monsters Asha (阿傻) and Buru (布魯) are additional characters created for the village. Unlike Kuma and Badu (who are based on real animals), Asha and Buru are more whimsical, folkloric-style mascots that personify the “yōkai” theme — strange but charming spirits/creatures from the mountains.
Together, these four characters form the symbolic faces of the village, used in branding, events (like the annual Mountain God Festival), and merchandise, blending Taiwanese nature with Japanese-style monster folklore.
Every Lunar New Year, it hosts a Mountain God Festival, and its general manager is Lin Chih-ying. The mascots “Badu” and “Kuma” were inspired by a young clouded leopard and a black bear that the founder encountered in his youth. After later changes in the management team, the original designer, Tseng Chun-lin, decided to reclaim the rights to use his trademark and product designs.
Price:
220 NT per person. You can book tickets for a discount on Klook here.
100 NT for parking.
Hours:
Roughly 10 AM to 8 PM every day
Cherry Blossom Season:
Cherry Blossoms can be seen in the park from February to late March. Check out our full guide to Cherry Blossom Season in Taiwan here.
How to get to Xitou Monster Village:
As always, we recommend renting a scooter as the best way to see Taiwan. However, you can also see a great deal of Nantou by taking the train to Taichung and then switching to an inter-city bus or local bus. Getting around in a car is also a convenient option, as there is plenty of parking pretty much everywhere in this less crowded county.
By Car/Scooter Rental: Take County Road 151 toward Lugu and Xitou. Xitou Nature Area is at the very end of the road. Looking for scooter rental in Nantou? Search Klook here or KKday here to search for options. You can also check out our scooter rental guide here.
If you are looking for car rentals, you can also search Qeeq here, Klook here, KKday here. You can also check out our car rental guide here.
By Bus: There are many direct buses to Xitou from Taichung (also Caotun and Nantou). You can book tickets to travel to Nantou via inter-city bus on Klook here.
By Train: You can book tickets to Taichung via high-speed rail (HSR) on Klook here or KKDay here, or book tickets via the normal train (TRA) on Klook here, then switch to a bus to Nantou.
Bicycle Rental: Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan’s landscapes if you have the time and energy. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can search on KKday here and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here.
Tours:
There are many tours and activities available in Nantou such as river Tracing, paragliding, Shanlinxi Forest Recreation Area 杉林溪, Cona’s Chocolate Castle, Shuiyuan Suspension Bridge, JOJOZOO Park, and Aowanda Forest Recreation Area.
You can find more tours of Nantou on Klook here or KKday here.
Where to Stay:
We have stayed at and recommend Jenq Yang Hotspring Hotel (you can book on Agoda here, Booking.com here, Trip.com here, or Klook here), a hot spring hotel near the mystical Lushan hot spring, and Maple Leaf Holiday Villa (you can book on Agoda here, Booking.com here, Trip.com here, or Klook here), a lodge with a great view and within walking distance of Cingjing Farm. I also have stayed at and recommend Kirin Villa (you can book on Agoda here), a mountain resort in Puli near Sun Moon Lake.
Looking for a hotel? Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here. We recommend booking through Agoda here, which provides the best quality accommodation on the islands.
Map:
Our Journey:
We have been to Monster Village three times. It is an interesting part of Taiwan that seems to try and transport people to Japan, without having to pay for a plane ride. My wife told me that back in 2009, when it first opened, it was very popular (it was when I visited in 2011), especially with school groups, but since then it has gradually declined.
The main audience for this village is Taiwanese people. But I’m sure lots of other foreigners find this place interesting, otherwise why would you be reading this?
Monster Village in 2011, three years after opening.
Monster Village in 2025. You can see the scars on the place. It is hard to upkeep painted wood in a warm and humid climate. Monster Village has definitely aged.
Monster Post Office near the giant nose man. The official site calls it just “長鼻天狗” (“Long-nosed Tengu”). The long nose is part of the traditional look of a Tengu—signifying its mystique, supernatural nature, or power in folklore.
In some stories, Tengu are said to have high status among yokai (妖怪), guardians of mountains or forests, or teachers of martial arts, etc. The nose is often exaggerated for a dramatic/fantasy effect.
Moldy Torri Gate that was once red.
Cartoon inside one of the gift shops.
Another fruit stand is nearby.
View further up the street.
Mushrooms for sale.
There were lots of people here when we visited in 2011.
An anatomically correct soup container.
Devil statue.
A fortune-telling machine from Spirited Away.
A throwing dart that my friend actually bought.
MacBook keychain.
The most popular place to eat here, besides the Family Mart, was this fried chicken stall.
There were some more restaurants here.
A Rechao (stir-fry) restaurant.
The M Village Hotel.
More rest and eating areas.
Street performers.
Another view of the monster village.
Cat-themed house.
Monster eyes.
Beautiful Sky at sunset.
Another view of the sky here.
While you are at Monster Village, you might as well visit Xitou Forest Area, which is a one-minute walk away.
Xitou, officially known as Xitou Nature Education Area (溪頭自然教育園區) is a forested nature park in Nantou County, Taiwan. The park includes a forest skywalk, bamboo forests, forest experiments, and over 70 species of birds.. It is a great day trip for nature lovers and hikers, and a unique way to enjoy Taiwan’s ecology.
Check out our full blog on Xitou here.
Check out our full guide to Nantou County here.
Check out our guide to Taiwan here.
