Pine Garden (松園別館) - Spectral Codex

Built in 1942 and originally named the Hualien Military Command Center (花蓮港廳兵事部). In the post-war era it underwent a variety of different uses including a period of time as a US Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG) Hostel, one of several leisure facilities for US troops in Taiwan. It was semi-abandoned and in a very dilapidated state in the 2000s, leading to rumors of haunting, mostly related to old stories from the war. This reputation seems to have dissipated since the structure was renovated and opened to the public. The compound also housed a hōanden (花蓮港陸軍兵事部奉安所), where the imperial portraits were enshrined on July 28, 1942 by military affairs department chief Kawasaki Akitoku (川崎明德), but this was presumably removed in the post-war era.

There is a small admission fee to enter the grounds, which feature a café and several gift shops.

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Heritage Status

  • Historic Building (歷史建築)

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I am a web application developer, photojournalist, urban explorer, and history enthusiast passionate about the open web and documenting my experiences on this planet. This project was founded in the early 2010s and has evolved into a sort of personal Wikipedia of places that interest me (and often the photographs I’ve taken there). I’m originally from Toronto, Canada, but spend most of my time residing in Taiwan.