Former Sanhe Bank, Kaohsiung

The Former Sanhe Bank stands as a historical witness to the city’s once-thriving financial district during the Japanese colonial period. Originally established in 1921 as a branch of Sanjushi-Ginko Bank, the building later became part of Sanwa Bank in 1933 following a merger aimed at consolidating Japan’s banking industry. After Taiwan was handed over to the Republic of China in 1945, the bank branch was absorbed into the Bank of Taiwan. The building later served as a local police station until 1990, after which it remained unused. In 2003, it was officially designated a historic site.

Architecturally, the Former Sanhe Bank is notable for its reinforced concrete frame and khaki face-brick exterior with a stucco-washed finish. The ceiling features traditional mud plaster with bamboo reinforcements, a construction style representative of early 20th-century techniques. Its relatively modest but dignified façade reflects the pragmatic elegance of Japanese-era financial institutions. Despite periods of inactivity, the structure has remained a visual anchor in the area and a testament to the layered history of urban development in Kaohsiung.

Positioned in what was once known as the "First Financial Street of Kaohsiung," near the old railway stop and port, the Former Sanhe Bank is part of a broader effort to preserve and revitalize the city’s historical core. For visitors interested in Kaohsiung's colonial past and urban transformation, the site offers a meaningful glimpse into the city's evolving economic and civic identity.