September 15–18, 2024 / Taipei, Taiwan
This time, I entered Taiwan from Sendai, and stayed in Taipei for a few days on the way to Kuala Lumpur and Bali.
I didn’t make any big plans.
I spent my time quietly, working in cafes and coworking spaces.
Arrival and Hotels
I flew from Sendai to Taiwan and arrived at night.
The trip went as usual, without any issues.
For the first night, I stayed at a hotel near LinSen North Road, where I often stay.
Since I’m familiar with the place, I felt comfortable and settled in easily.
From the second night, I moved to a hotel near Taipei Main Station.
The location was convenient, but the room had a slightly confined feeling, almost like a small private space.
The air conditioning wasn’t very strong either, which felt a bit uncomfortable at first.
But after a while, I got used to it.
Working in Cafes in Taipei — Louisa Coffee and MWD
The next day, I went out around noon.
The first place I visited was MWD, a fast-food style cafe.
I ordered a hamburger and a latte and worked there for a while.
At some point, the staff started cleaning, and I felt a bit out of place, so I left earlier than expected.
It seemed like the place closes relatively early in the afternoon.
After that, I moved to Louisa Coffee (Chengzhong Circle branch).
This Louisa Coffee had a nice atmosphere,
with slightly elevated seating and a good view,
making it a comfortable place to work.
It’s the kind of place I’d come back to,
and it left a strong impression during this stay.
A young student sitting next to me asked to borrow a pen,
and we had a brief interaction.
I feel that people here are a bit more open than in Japan.
That’s something I really like about Taiwan.
After finishing my work, I went back to the hotel
and continued working there, spending the rest of the day in the room.
Louisa Coffee (Chengzhong Circle Branch)
Time at a Coworking Cafe in Taipei — The Singularity
On another day, after having a light meal at a food court near Taipei Main Station,
I went to a coworking cafe I had been interested in.
The Singularity Co-Working Cafe
It cost 250 TWD for three hours,
with free coffee and tea, and access to a monitor.
It was a calm and comfortable environment to work in.
I had a short conversation with a German man sitting in front of me.
He was studying mathematics and Chinese,
and we talked about how language might be similar to math in some ways.
We also talked a bit about AI and how it might affect work.
I enjoy these kinds of small interactions with people from other countries.
We exchanged contact information,
and I told him I would reach out if I ever visit Germany.
The Singularity Co-Working Cafe
A good place if you want to focus on your work.
Night Market and a Quiet Evening
Later, I took a short walk in a nearby park,
and then went to Ningxia Night Market.
The street was under construction,
so it wasn’t as crowded as usual.
I had dumplings and noodles,
and then walked a bit faster than usual back to the hotel.
Taipei feels like a place where this kind of pace of life works well.
Tomorrow, I’ll head to Kuala Lumpur.
Update
After writing this article, MeowSnap was released on November 13, 2025.
It’s a small app that lets you quietly keep track of the cats you meet while traveling on a map.
