In the midst of storied medicine and herb and tea shops on the historic commercial Dihua Street, Kuo’s Astral Bookshop is a destination for physical stories. Once upon a time, the building was Kuo Yi Mei Store, trading dry goods during the Japanese colonial era. A century and a couple generations later, the founder’s grandson, who built a career as a book publisher, transformed his family building into a bookstore. Since opening in 2022, it’s quickly become an obligatory stop on the bustling blocks of Dihua Street.

True to the original architecture, the multi-level space offers an intimate way to peruse books, and many little nooks for reading. The inventory is mostly Chinese language, with Taiwanese books on the ground floor, and global literature on the 2nd floor. There’s a family reading room with childrens books, and on the upper level, there’s a showroom with design books and a rotating exhibition space spotlighting local publishers and makers. Even if you don’t read Chinese, it’s worth stopping by to appreciate the historic space, grab a coffee in their café across the courtyard, and check out some of their Dadaocheng or Taiwan prints or notebooks as a souvenir.