2022/09/01

The scorching heat has gradually turned into a normal hot season in Hong Kong. It's been hot this year too. Although the heat is still continuing in Hong Kong, is it time to start the tourist season? This time, I would like to introduce Peng Chau Island, a small island with a cute character that is not very touristy.

There was a place I wanted to go to on Pengzhou Island, but since it's not a very touristy place, I couldn't find the opportunity to go. However, this time I finally set foot on the island, and Editor O and I decided to each set our sights on a place we wanted to go. Of course, I am well aware that hiking is the name of the game on the island, but this time I decided to try to explore the center. I discovered Pengzhou Island, which was more interesting than I expected, and had a great time interacting with the people on the island. I hope all readers will visit too.

＜How to get to Pengzhou Island?＞

The only way to get there is by ferry, but if you are coming from Hong Kong Island, you can board from Central Pier (the pier to the left of the Star Ferry Pier). There are high-speed and regular ferries, but even if you take the slower one, the difference is only about 15 minutes. The timetable ishere.(↓ As of August 2022) There is roughly one bus per hour, so it's a good idea to keep the return timetable in mind when you go for a stroll.

The boarding fee is as follows. It takes about 25 minutes by high-speed boat. It takes about 40 minutes by regular boat. But the price is twice as much, so if you're not in a hurry and you can chat with your friends, the regular boat will go by in a flash! If you're not good with boats, it seems that there is less rocking if you sit in the center of the boat on the first floor.

(See below for map credits)

＜Trivia about Peng Chau Island＞

Peng Chau Island is an outlying island of Hong Kong near Discovery Bay, with an area of ​​less than 6300 kmXNUMX and a population of about XNUMX. It is said to be the island with the lowest crime rate in Hong Kong, and is rich in nature, so you can truly relax. Here is an illustrated map of the entire island. First of all, it's a good idea to get this map when you arrive. It is available in cafes and shops on the island.

The map is publishedGreen Peng Chau Association
(For guided tours and trail walks, please contact gpsamail@gmail.com)

It's a small island that can be explored in half a day, but in midsummer it's recommended to take proper precautions against sun and insects, and avoid heatstroke. There are grocery stores and general stores on-site, but there are no more stores as you move away from the center, so if you don't have any with you, it's a good idea to buy some around the station in advance.

The main street just after getting off the ferry. At the end of the road is the Tin Hau Temple. Ping Chau Island prospered as a fishing island. The goddess of the sea is enshrined in the center of the island.

There are no cars on the island, so most people get around by bicycle or tricycle. I often saw locals using tricycles.

The island has a lot of alleyways. It's a small island so you'll probably get your sense of direction quickly, but you might get lost at least once.

<The Island's Almighty God> Lung Mother Temple Mo Temple)

After arriving, the first thing we did was to visit the Dragon Mother Temple, which is rare even in Hong Kong.

This is the Dragon Mother Temple, which enshrines the Dragon Mother, who was born in Manxian County, Wuzhou City, Guangxi Province, and is based on the legend of a woman who raised a dragon. There are only three in Hong Kong, and she is worshiped as an all-purpose deity that grants safety in the home, prosperity of descendants, and the immediate elimination of disasters. Every year on May 8th of the lunar calendar, which is the Dragon Mother's birthday, a festival is held and the whole of Pengzhou is in a celebratory mood. She is a beloved character among the people of the island.

At the entrance are two pairs of gold letters inscribed with the words "The dragon's grace shines for a thousand years, and a mother's virtue is manifested for ten thousand years."

Dragon motifs can be seen in various places throughout the temple.

It is said that washing your hands here will bring you good luck, so be sure to wash your hands before praying.

You can purchase incense and offerings before praying.

There are dragons on the pillars too. The spiral-shaped incense sticks (toko) hanging from the ceiling are purchased together with a wish slip. It is said that your wish will come true when they are all burned out. There is no tray for ashes here, so hot ashes may fall on your head... so be careful.

Actually, it was not open when we visited, so we couldn't see it, but on the mezzanine floor there is a one-meter tall statue of the Mother Dragon and a dragon bed. It is said that if you touch this bed, you will be blessed with children, so many people visit here, touch the bed and leave a coin as an offering.

There is a video from Hong Kong's local newspaper U Magazine that explains how to pray at the shrine and introduces the dragon bed, so I have attached it for your reference.

The seaside is right in front of the Long Mu Temple. Although it is located on the opposite side of the island from the ferry terminal, it is only a short walk away. If you look closely at the back of the temple (photo below), you can see Hong Kong Island to the right and Kowloon to the left, which is a very strange sight.

If you come to Peng Chau Island, there are several restaurants that you should try! This time, we will introduce three of them.

＜Restaurant with long lines＞ Qisen Bingshil

G/F, No.3B Wing On Street
8:00-16:00 (until 16:30 on Saturdays and Sundays, closed on Mondays)
A popular menu item, shrimp toast is one of the must-try dishes when you come to the island. People line up at lunchtime to try the crispy shrimp toast. It's recommended to go at a different time. You can also make a reservation and get takeout!

FB: https://www.facebook.com/KeeSum1970/

Editor O is in charge of the web column "Wan Jie's Hong Kong Home Cooking RecipesThen came the shrimp tuna. It was a dish I really wanted to try. It was HK$49 for four pieces (including a drink). As expected, it was delicious.

Another recommendation from the islanders is iced coffee with red beans, which is rare even in Hong Kong. It's an unexpected combination, but it was so delicious that I highly recommend it! You can't go wrong ordering it!

By the way, here is the recipe for shrimp toast from the web column "Wan Jie's Hong Kong Home Cooking Recipes." Why not try making it at home?
https://hongkonglei.com/wanjehcooking-36/

<Enjoy authentic coffee on Ping Chau Island!>
Nostomania Specialty Coffee

Address: G/F,75 Peng Chau Wing On Street
Business hours: 10:00-18:00 (closed Mondays and Tuesdays) *Closing days may change, so please check social media before going.

This was one of the destinations for Editor O, who loves coffee. We were so excited to find a place that serves such delicious coffee in such a place. The cafe was designed with the image of a nostalgic Japanese coffee shop. The coffee beans are sourced from Colombia and roasted in Ping Chau. After drinking the refreshingly sour coffee, you can refresh your body after walking around the island. This is an authentic cafe that also sells raw beans from the island. There is even a cat manager!

FB: https://www.facebook.com/nostomaniacoffee/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/nostomaniacoffee/

<A teahouse run by a married couple of judokas who moved to P'ing Chau Island>

Teahouse Daruma

Address: No.40 Wing On Street
Business hours: 12:00-19:00 (closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays)

This restaurant, which opened as a takeout specialty store in 2020, has been renovated into a new store this year. You can enjoy a leisurely meal inside the restaurant. There is a wide variety of menu items, including rice bowls, noodles, desserts, tea, and mocktails. The owners, Cedric and Emily, are world championship medalists in judo's "juu no kata." Cedric has visited Japan many times on expeditions and is also an avid tea ceremony enthusiast, and is fluent in Japanese. "The parents of the child I teach in judo introduced us to Peng Chau Island and we moved there. The scenery is beautiful and the people on the island are kind, so we want to continue living here," says Cedric.

Cedric (right) is in charge of food and drinks, while Emily (centre) and Monday (Emily's younger sister) are in charge of desserts.

WEB: https://chayadaruma.company.site/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/Chayadaruma/

You can sit both inside and outside, so when the weather cools down a bit, it's nice to dine outside.

A popular menu item: deep-fried chicken in soy sauce

They also have special sweets to soothe your tiredness after a walk. The "Tiramisu" was a favorite of an Italian customer living on Peng Chau Island.

Our specialty "Hojicha Creme Brulee" uses Kyoto Bikyoen's Hojicha "Hoju."

<Enshrining the Orihime Princess> Shichijie Temple/Sen'e Temple

The Chi Sisters Temple is a temple dedicated to the youngest of the seven sisters, Weaver Princess. The Chi Sisters Temple on Ping Chau Island is a small temple built in 1954, but it is said to bring good luck in finding a partner and having children.
In Hong Kong, there used to be a custom that young women would pray under the moon on the night of Tanabata, placing fruits and women's daily necessities (lipstick, body powder, toothpaste, etc.) to pray for good relationships, family harmony, etc. With the times, this custom has faded away, and now there are only two Chi Si Temples, one in Sai Kung and the other here on Peng Chau Island.
July 7th on the lunar calendar is said to be Orihime's birthday, and Tanabata is celebrated by decorating the shrine with lanterns from the night before, making offerings and gathering together with the women of the island.

＜The last painted porcelain workshop on Ping Chau Island＞ Choki Porcelain Shop

Address: Pingzhou Yongxing Street, 7th basement
Business hours: 12:00-18:00 Holidays: irregular
Phone: 91938044 (Telephone only)

Editor H's destination is the ceramics shop and workshop Choki Porcelain Store. It seems that ceramics used to be one of the specialties of Pengzhou. But now, there is only one Choki Porcelain Store left. The cute and unique painting is popular not only with tourists but also with Hong Kong residents. Painting experiences are held regularly. Reservations are only accepted by phone. Ages 12 and over, maximum of 300 people per class (due to the COVID-XNUMX pandemic), XNUMX hours for HK$XNUMX/person (you will need to pick up or mail your work at a later date) Reservations required.

A small shop and workshop. Painting can be done at the back of the shop.

This is the workshop space in the back

Even now, the owner, Winus, carefully paints each piece. The back of each piece she makes has her own signature. These are precious items that can only be purchased here!

Look at these cute patterns and colors!

This time, Editor H purchased these five items. They were so cute that I ended up buying a lot of them.

<A little famous person on the island> Issei Shinagawa

I decided to visit Peng Chau Island because I heard that there is a somewhat famous Japanese person living there for 20 years. Mr. Shinagawa Issei is a Japanese farmer living in Hong Kong who is well known among those in the know and has appeared in Hong Kong newspapers, on TV, and on YouTube as the "Peng Chau Japanese Farmer."

Shinagawa Issei was born in Jilin Province, China in 1942. He returned to Fukuoka with his mother at the age of three, and then spent over a decade in Kyoto. He was posted to Hong Kong at the age of 30. He initially lived on Hong Kong Island, but moved to Peng Chau Island 20 years ago. He established a "natural farm" and now makes mulberry leaf tea, which is said to be good for your health. He will have lived in Hong Kong for 2022 years in 50.

Shinagawa's interviewhere.

Q-taro, a land turtle, has been living here for the past two years. He always eats mulberry leaves.

Stories Coffee sells drip coffee with a piece of Shinagawa's mulberry leaf in it. Why not try floating a mulberry leaf in your coffee and enjoying the slightly unusual aroma? There are pop-up shops at the art shop "Cinpou" on Peng Chau Island, Central, and Tsim Sha Tsui. Please check the website for more details.
https://www.storiescoffeehk.com/

＜A street like this?!＞ Secret Garden (Leather Factory) Street

The last place I'd like to introduce is Secret Garden Street, which is one of the reasons why Peng Chau Island is a special place. This place is located at the end of a dimly lit alleyway off the main street of the island, so you might miss it if you don't know about it. If you happen to come across it, you're lucky! What is particularly eye-catching about this street is that junk (trash) has been revived as art and is used as a playground, a place to relax, and a photo spot. The space has a slightly hippie feel, but the relaxed and free atmosphere that is typical of an island makes you feel like you're in a foreign country. This is a spot that you should definitely walk through if you come to Peng Chau Island.

Joey, the organizer of Secret Garden, will be playing and singing to get everyone in the mood.

In fact, in the 1930s, there was a Peng Chau Leather Factory (the building on the left in the photo above) on this street, but it was closed and left in ruins for a long time. However, when this building was designated a Grade XNUMX historical building by the government, the islanders worked together to transform this street into an art space and named it the Secret Garden.

A plaque introducing the history of the leather factory

Today, the former cowhide factory resembles an unmanned antique shop.

On Secret Garden Street, there is a spot where you can play with pots and pans as drums.
There are also some unique artworks, such as an installation made from junk and an upside-down pot made into a chime.

The cafe in the corner also has an atmosphere that fits in well with this location.

There are also hiking trails on Ping Chau Island that are fun for families with children. All of the trails can be completed in less than half a day, so it's a good idea to try them out. We took a leisurely hour-long walk along the Family Trail, which runs along the northern side of the island, but this time we encountered a big snake that suddenly appeared from the forest and were bitten by a lot of mosquitoes, so we'll try again when the weather is better and let you know what we think.

Finally, there are several public toilets on the island, so you won't have any problems. We used the public toilet in front of the post office, and it was very clean and well-maintained! (The toilet is on the left in the photo above.)

thank you for reading it until the end.
Well then, everyone, have a great time exploring Pengzhou Island!