KAOHSIUNG, TAIWAN – Gushan Fish Market, once praised as the most beautiful fish market in Taiwan, has been rebranded and reopened as the “Shin Hama Cho Ocean Kitchen 新濱町海洋廚房.” The new name references the market’s address during the Japanese colonial period: “Shin Hama Cho Ni-chome 10 Banchi” (新濱町二丁目10番地). But despite renovations and new management, the venue hasn’t been able to yet overcome several serious challenges. The first is related to parking, and the other is access for ferry passengers.
The Gushan Fish Market’s once iconic entrance sign is now gone, and the mayor and other officials were on site to reopen the fish market as the rebranded “Shin Hama Cho Ocean Kitchen” on the 22nd of March. It now features retro trains and a renovated market but the underlying issues many have complained about remain: namely, it’s not convenient for ferry passengers to get to the terminal, and there still isn’t sufficient parking.
The government agency overseeing the site, the Kaohsiung Maritime Bureau (海洋局) said it strongly recommended visitors access the venue via public transportation, but noted there are over 600 parking spaces available in the surrounding Hamasen neighborhood, Pier-2 Art Center, and Sizihwan Bay areas.
Regarding ferry passenger access through the “Shin Hama Cho Ocean Kitchen,” the Maritime Bureau says it’s tried to put up clear signage to guide passengers, and that the ferry waiting hall is separate from the market’s commercial area, but many locals continue to report dissatisfaction with the layout of the former fish market. The Maritime Bureau says there are now 15 restaurants, specializing in both Taiwanese and Japanese cuisine, operating within the “Shin Hama Cho Ocean Kitchen.” The Gushan Fish Market originally opened to considerable fanfare in October 2022 but quickly faced business struggles and declining visitor numbers. It closed for “renovations” on September 4, 2023, reopening on December 15, 2023. However, business did not improve. The Kaohsiung Maritime Bureau announced a new public tender for market operations on June 19, 2024, and after evaluation, awarded the contract to Han-Lai International Property Management and Consultant Co., Ltd. (漢來國際物業管理顧問公司) on August 9, 2024, who subsequently subcontracted operations to You Shen Co.
(cover photo via Kaohsiung City Government)
