Luodong

Luodong (羅東) is a small city in central Yilan widely known for its bustling night market, the largest in the county, as well as its historic role in the lumber industry. Named after a Kavalan Indigenous word meaning “monkey”, the area was settled by Han Chinese migrants beginning in 1804 and developed into a crucial economic center during the Japanese colonial era. Major infrastructure from this period includes the Luodong County Office (1929), Luodong Shinto Shrine (1937), and remnants of the forestry railway system that once transported timber from Taipingshan. Luodong’s prosperity attracted significant investment in entertainment infrastructure, resulting in at least a dozen historic theaters operating across the township throughout the mid-20th century.