Alishan is a forested area of Taiwan (now a National Park) that was developed by the Japanese, who used it for timber exports. To facilitate this they built a railway from Chiayi through to Alishan, which had continued to exist primarily as a tourist attraction (though also as public transport between Chiayi and Alishan) up until a few years ago, when a typhoon sadly destroyed most of the railway. It is supposedly being rebuilt, but the Taiwanese I spoke to said they are not holding their breath. The only section currently in operation is just a couple of kilometres long, in Alishan National Park itself, so experiencing the railway requires a two-hour shuttle bus journey from Chiayi. You are advised to go as early as possible as it usually rains in the area after midday, so
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