Dahu Strawberry Culture Museum

When Dahu is mentioned, the first thing people think of is strawberries. Their vibrant red color and sweet taste bring a delightful sweetness, filling those who enjoy them with a sense of sweet happiness. Strawberries are Dahu's main cash crop. From November to April each year is the peak strawberry season. This 'golden period' for strawberries always attracts countless tourists who come to experience the joy of picking strawberries. As a result, Dahu Township has created many strawberry-related products, leading to the birth of the Strawberry Culture Museum. The first floor of the museum is a sales area, offering various strawberry souvenirs and agricultural products. The second and third floors introduce strawberry ecology and the history of Dahu strawberry development. The fourth floor is a restaurant that incorporates strawberries into dishes, providing unique strawberry cuisine. The fifth floor is a sky garden with strawberry-shaped pavilions and flowerbeds, where visitors can enjoy the beautiful surrounding scenery. The adjacent leisure winery develops and produces its own strawberry fruit wine, strawberry ice cream, strawberry cakes, and more, offering visitors a brand new culinary experience and captivating the hearts of many foodies. Strawberry Short Story: In Taiwan, Dahu is practically synonymous with strawberries and is widely known as the 'Home of Strawberries.' However, the earliest place to cultivate strawberries in Taiwan was not Dahu, but Yangmingshan. As early as 1934 (ROC year 23), the Japanese began test-planting strawberries on Yangmingshan, but due to their poor antibacterial properties, they were not widely cultivated. In 1957 (ROC year 46), Dahu resident Lai Yun-tian visited a relative's house, became very interested in this new crop, and the following year bought seedlings with other farmers to plant in Dahu. This marked the beginning of Dahu's history of strawberry cultivation. Dahu's basin topography and significant day-night temperature differences make it highly suitable for strawberry growth, and through the farmers' efforts, its reputation gradually grew. In 1979 (ROC year 68), the 'Haruka' (Spring Fragrance) variety was introduced from Japan. Because it could be harvested as early as December, combined with high yield, large fruit size, and excellent quality, it was deeply loved by farmers. The area dedicated to strawberry cultivation expanded year by year, and a few years later, the first open-for-picking strawberry tourist farm was established. From then on, Dahu became famous overnight, becoming a prime example of the integration of agriculture, culture, and tourism.