This Little-Known Road in Asia That Might Be the Most Beautiful in the World
In Chishang, a rural town on Taiwan’s east coast, one road has drawn more attention than many city landmarks. Mr. Brown Avenue is little more than a straight stretch through rice country, yet its view of open fields and distant mountains has made it one of the most photographed spots in Taitung County. There are few power lines or streetlights in the way, so very little interrupts the view of the fields swaying in the wind.
Its story became widely known after a famous commercial. A location scout noticed the spot’s charm and picked it for filming. That decision changed the town. Visitors began showing up to see the road, now marked by a statue of the cheerful coffee mascot giving a thumbs-up.
The Famous Tree of Chishang
In 2013, the road gained worldwide attention when EVA Air filmed a campaign featuring actor Takeshi Kaneshiro. Riding a bike in a white shirt, he stopped beneath a tall bishop wood tree and called the place “paradise.” The tree quickly became known as the “Takeshi Kaneshiro Tree,” drawing crowds who wanted to recreate the famous moment.
Typhoon Matmo later toppled the tree in 2014. Locals and arborists worked to save it, and Japanese and Taiwanese specialists restored it the following year. By then, about 2,000 visitors a day were arriving in Chishang, a town of just 8,000 people. What had been a quiet farming road was now a major attraction.
How To See It Yourself
It is easy to reach Chishang. From Kaohsiung, a train ride of just over two hours costs around TWD 458 (about USD 14) and drops you off at Chishang Station, a wooden building that feels more like a welcome center than a stopover. From there, the best way to explore is by renting a bike, which is widely available and allows you to ride through the fields with the mountains in view. Cycling offers the chance to enjoy the scenery at your own pace.
The experience is even better with a Chishang Lunch Box, a well-known meal packed with fluffy local rice, vegetables, and meat. Eating it at a viewpoint while watching the fields spread out in every direction makes the food taste even fresher.
Beyond The Famous Road
Image via Getty Images/TopPhotoImages
Chishang has more to offer than just Mr. Brown Avenue. The Rice Leisure Farming Association promotes the area’s farming traditions, and local restaurants serve fresh regional dishes that highlight the town’s connection to rice culture. A short walk from the station, visitors can find small shops serving silky dou-hua or hearty bowls of beef noodles, which are staples of Taiwanese food culture.
Creativity and art have also found a place in the town. Local museums and community spaces display works inspired by the agricultural setting, while the surrounding backroads lead to grocery stores selling regional produce. Chishang combines its farming roots with opportunities for visitors to explore both culture and cuisine.
Will You Come to Visit?
Travelers who reach Chishang often find the appeal extends beyond a single road. The town moves at a slower pace, and its farmland and open skies offer a kind of quiet that’s hard to find in Taiwan’s larger cities.
Mr. Brown Avenue is part of that calm. The road itself is unadorned, but the setting makes it memorable: rice fields stretching out on both sides, mountains anchoring the distance, and nothing in between to interrupt the view.