Loyal biscuit fans from Japan start fund raiser for fire-ravaged company

2026-08-25

A legion of devoted Japanese biscuit enjoyers is trying to help out a local biscuit making company in Nantou that was devastated by a fire last week. The Japanese cracker enthusiasts launched a fund-raiser, afraid that the flavors they so much enjoy would not be available after the blaze. Company representatives say they are extremely grateful for the passion for their products, but clarified that there is no need to make donations. Let’s hear more.

Mr. Wu
Jih Hsiang Food Products
We haven’t done an inventory check on how much stock is on the market, but we’ll definitely be short on some items eventually. We’re extremely grateful for the help offered, but after a discussion with the board, we decided to turn down the offer from our loyal friends in Japan who love our products. We have a new factory under construction and we plan to adjust our production lines over the next six months.

The fire happened in peak biscuit buying season in Taiwan, with orders pouring in for Ghost Month offerings and for Mid-Autumn Festival gift exchanges. If you want to get a hold on any of the goods from this Nantou company, you better act fast, as the only inventory left is already in the retail market, and it’s hard to tell how long their products will still be in stock. With people desperate to snap up classics such as the bamboo shoot biscuits, the maker urged foodie fans to be patient and wait for the new factory to be finished.

#biscuit #cracker #bambooshoot #factory #company #nantou #japanese

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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南投老字號餅乾工廠大火! 日本人發起募款.業者謝絕

2026-08-25

南投竹山老字號餅乾工廠"日香食品"，20日發生火警，上千坪廠房被火舌吞噬，許多人都覺得相當可惜，還有日本網友擔心吃不到這味，在網路上發起募款活動，業者也火速出面回應，感謝各位好意，但目前不需要捐款，民眾別輕易轉帳!

[[業者吳先生]]
“在市面上還有多少庫存，我們目前沒去做明確的盤點，當然後續一定會有一些貨源的短缺。我們非常的感謝，那經過股東會議討論之後，我們是婉拒日本一些熱愛我們食品，或者是熱愛我們產品的一些朋友們。我們目前是有新廠房在興建，後續可能會在這半年之間，會做生產線調整。”

中元普渡，再加上中秋送禮旺季將近，民眾購買需求提升，不過現在都只剩在市面上流通，或各商家庫存，買完就暫時沒有了，日香食品業者也表示，沒有做任何形式的募款，等工廠重建好，大家來買冬筍餅，就是最好的支持。

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民視台灣台（152頻道）週一至週五晚上9:30
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Fire spreads through famous temple on mountain near Taipei Zoo

On Monday, a fire quickly spread through Zhinan Temple in Taipei, a landmark religious site located on the mountain bordering Taipei Zoo. From the outside, the damage to the exterior may look severe, but, structurally, the building is in good shape, meaning the temple’s 60th anniversary likely won’t be its last.

The flames have spread across the main hall of the temple. Staff members are doing everything they can with fire extinguishers, but they’re no match for the roaring inferno.

As the fire continues to rage, first responders arrive at the scene. They get the hoses ready and douse the temple with water, trying to salvage as much of the historic building as they can. To find the cause of the fire, they use a drone with a thermal imaging camera; they’re doing everything they can to put out this fire.

The next morning, the main hall has been burnt to a crisp: tables, chairs, religious art figurines… so many items have been reduced to ashes. Compared to its impressive appearance in the past, in its current state the renowned temple must be a difficult image to stomach for worshippers.

On Aug. 24 at a little after 8 pm, Zhinan Temple’s fire alarm rang. The flames are believed to have started inside the Taipei temple’s main hall, and then the blaze quickly spread towards the building’s exterior. The temple is located in Wenshan District’s mountains, making it difficult to access water. Another problematic aspect is the building’s large amount of wood, which was a reason the flames spread so quickly. Not being put out until after midnight, the fire destroyed 1,500 square meters.

Yeh Chun-hsing
First responder
Because the structure was built with an immense amount of wood, and then the flames deeper inside continued to spread inwards. So that’s why there was a situation in which the flames multiplied so quickly.

Built in 1966, the 6-story Lingxiao Hall was celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. The temple’s burnt hall is the first Jade Emperor hall in Taiwan to use modern building materials like reinforced concrete. It may appear as if Zhinan Temple’s highest hall on the mountain has been destroyed by the flames, but structurally the fire has caused little damage.

Hsu Mao-chin
Civil engineer
Only some pillars in the stairwell were affected, as well as a small amount of cracks in the cement finish, but this won’t affect the safety of our building’s structure.

Early in the morning Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an arrived at the site of Zhinan Temple, one of his city’s landmark temples. Chiang promised that the city government will set up a project in order to help the temple be restored and rebuilt. As for what caused the fire, an investigation is still on-going.

#Taipei #Maokong #temple #Zhinan #onfire #elfuego #fire #ChiangWan-an

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2026-08-25

President Lai visits flood-stricken areas in Southern Taiwan

2026-08-25

Public picks up slack from cancelled Presidential Office gift box orders

Budget cuts from opposition party politicians have left the Presidential Office so cash-strapped that it ended up cancelling an order of 15,000 gift boxes that would’ve been full of tasty Mid-Autumn Festival treats. The cancelation was devastating news to the 37 sheltered workshops that were set to benefit from this big order. But, where there’s a will there’s a way, as members of the public have stepped up by placing gift box orders with disadvantaged groups.

With the Mid-Autumn Festival occurring on Sept. 25 this year, many people and companies are gearing up for the holiday by buying gift boxes with mooncakes and other tasty treats.

A company famed for its biscuit gift boxes, Yu Jan Shin, recently received an apologetic message from a client. It said “We are deeply sorry to inform you that our company has decided to cancel its original order with you to instead place an order with a sheltered workshop.” It turns out, that the Presidential Office had originally ordered 15,000 Mid-Autumn Festival gift boxes made by 37 sheltered workshops in Taiwan. However, this big order was ultimately cancelled due to the Presidential Office’s state affairs budget being slashed. That’s why everyday citizens and companies have stepped in to pick up the gift box orders from disadvantaged groups instead of regular shops.

Member of public
Upset at budget cut
The budget shouldn’t have been cut. To be honest, life is really quite difficult for disadvantaged groups; and then when you cancel orders you had placed with regular businesses, then that makes things difficult for them as well.

Member of public
Wouldn’t change plans
I wouldn’t cancel my order, because say if I were to first place an order with a store, then I wouldn’t go ahead and cancel my original order.

Member of public
Would change plans
Let the politicians play politics. At the end of the day, disadvantaged groups need support. I would cancel my original order. If I needed to place an order this year, then I would buy directly from disadvantaged groups.

Yu Jan Shin publicly voiced support for people who had cancelled orders with them, saying that they are fully behind people who have switched to sheltered workshops to help disadvantaged groups. The Presidential Office’s original order would’ve accounted for around half of these disadvantaged groups’ sales, meaning these groups wouldn’t have been able to offset this suddenly cancelled order.

Yan Chiu-wen
St. Coletta Catholic Training Center for Special Needs
In all honesty, after the Presidential Office cancelled their order, it truly gave us a lot of pressure when it comes to this year’s operations. Each order recognizes and is an important show of support for people with mental or physical disabilities.

Sheltered workshops employ disabled people who want to work but would struggle to find gainful employment. The cancelled order from the Presidential Office may’ve been a temporary blow, yet all these sudden orders from everyday people show that society wants to support disadvantaged groups.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#charity #shelteredworkshop #budget #budgetcuts #PresidentialOffice

2026-08-25

Flu-related medical visits hit 10-year high for August

2026-08-25

Thousands of lights illuminate Keelung’s Ghost Month nights

Bright lights and dazzling fireworks lit up the night sky in Keelung on Monday evening, to mark the start of one of the most famous Ghost Month events in Taiwan. The festivities kicked off with the lighting of the main altar at Zhongzheng Park, which elicited gasps of awe from worshippers. Over the next few days, parades will take to the streets, mass offerings will be held and water lanterns will be set off at sea, that is if the weather permits.

The countdown reaches zero, marking the start of one of Keelung’s most important Ghost Month festival rituals: the lighting of the main altar.

Thousands of lanterns lit up Zhongzheng Park with a festive glow on Monday evening, as fireworks sparkled in the night sky.

The festival is in its 172nd edition. The light ceremony symbolizes the linking of the world of the living and the dead. Wandering spirits are given this grand welcome to help themselves to offerings, as well as bring good weather and peace to Taiwan.

Before the illumination ceremony, worshippers were treated to spectacular performances. Also in attendance were Mayor George Hsieh and other city officials, who joined this year’s hosts in a purification ritual before switching the display on.

George Hsieh
Keelung Mayor
Everyone involved has put their heart into this, to preserve and pass down Taiwan’s and Keelung’s most important Ghost Month festival, now in its 172nd year.

The grand light-up ceremony went ahead without a hitch, but with a typhoon approaching Taiwan, other events such as parades, the water lanterns ceremony or the mass offering rite could be affected. For now, everything is set to proceed as planned.

Liu Wei-hsun
Liu-Tang-Du clan association
We’re sure Laoda Gong will protect us, so that everything goes ahead smoothly. We shouldn’t worry too much, there’s no need. We’ll ramp up safety measures and everything should be fine.

Chiang Ting-mei
Keelung Culture and Tourism Bureau
We’ll have the parade move a little faster, so that it can be all over a little quicker. If the waves are too big, we’ll burn the lanterns on shore, instead of setting them on the sea, to prevent any accidents.

The bright lights coming from the festive altar light up Keelung’s evening now, keeping the tradition alive for its 172nd year, and attracting hordes of tourists undeterred by the weather.

#culture #festival #tradition #keelung #festive #ritual

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

2026-08-25

Bowling ball driller serves niche market nonstop for 30 years

Bowling is more than just a sport—there’s also significant expertise behind the ball itself! There’s a pro shop in Taoyuan that specializes in selling bowling balls and providing precise drilling services. The owner has worked nonstop for 30 years, drilling custom holes based on each customer’s hand shape and bowling style to improve their game. Now he’s passing his knowledge along to the next generation to keep the art alive.

Lin Yen-jung measures a customer’s hand circumference and finger span before drilling holes to create a fully customized bowling ball. Once a bowling coach, Lin went to the US to earn a professional ball drilling license. By this point, he’s amassed over 30 years of experience.

Lin Yen-jung
Bowling ball driller
The build and hand shape of people in Asia is entirely different than in the West. We make specific adjustments tailored to the hand shape of each individual customer.

- This one is from Japan’s ABS Mercury series. It has a built-in core. It’s the world’s first ball with an shifting centerofgravity.

Alongside drilling services, the shop also sells imported bowling balls. Every ball’s material, core, weight, and surface finish are meticulously engineered. The materials vary in hardness to increase friction. Those with a core can accelerate spin, while those without need flat weight blocks. Weights range from 6 to 16 pounds. This pro shop in Taoyuan has been around for over 30 years. The owner’s three children are all expert bowlers who also know how to drill.

Lin Han-yu
Lin Yen-jung’s son
Having a steady job to put food on the table and give me financial stability allows me to keep supporting this sport while also working.

Lin Han-wei
Lin Yen-jung’s son
Ever since we were little, whenever my dad got too busy, he’d call me or my brother to come help. So naturally, all three of us picked up the skill.

The sport of bowling has drastically shrunk from its peak in the 1980s when there were over 600 bowling alleys, to fewer than 50 today. But thanks to the internet and word-of-mouth recommendations, business is booming for the Lin family.

Lin Yen-jung
Bowling ball driller
We used this ebb and period of decline to refine our techniques, ensuring that customers stay with us because of our service and expertise while also continuing to find new clients.

Now, Lin is preparing to retire and hand the reins over to his children. The family will remain a staple in the bowling community, while also hoping to bring more people into the sport.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#bowling #bowlingballdriller #Taoyuan #familybusiness #sports #craftsmanship

2026-08-25