Pingtung Sugar Refinery

In April 1907, Taiwan Seito Kaisha acquired Daito Sugar Manufacturing Co., Ltd., designating it as Taiwan Seito Kaisha's Akō Branch Factory. It was chosen to be established in Guilai Village, Akō Prefecture. In November, the factory construction was completed and inaugurated, beginning sugar production operations. After World War II, in 1950, it was reorganized as the Pingtung Sugar Refinery under the Taiwan Sugar Corporation, a name it retains to this day. During the sugar industry's heyday, 75% of our country's foreign exchange came from sugar production, with the Pingtung Sugar Refinery being the largest producer. The Akō Sugar Refinery became the headquarters of Taiwan Seito Kaisha during the Japanese colonial period, following the Qiaotou Sugar Refinery. The construction of the sugar refinery witnessed the rise of Pingtung City and made Pingtung the core of the Pingtung Plain. The Pingtung Sugar Refinery was historically an important hub for sugar production in Pingtung. Now, it serves as a sugar refinery cultural museum. The indoor exhibition hall displays numerous old photographs of sugar refineries from various regions and provides an introduction to the history of the sugar industry. Outdoors, several retired half-gauge trains, once used for transporting sugarcane, are showcased for visitors to photograph and enjoy. Across the way, there's also an ice cream area selling traditional ice pops and ice cream, which are perfect treats to beat the summer heat.