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In 1913, the "Tōa Tai Sangyō (Dongtai) Share Company Limited" established the "Hualien Harbor Sugar Refinery" (also known as the "Liyutai Sugar Factory") in Shoufeng Township, Hualien County. In 1916, another factory named "Yamato Factory" was set up in Guangfu Township to further expand the sugar processing capacity. During the end of World War II, both sugar factories suffered extensive damage from Allied air raids. After the end of the war, the Taiwan Sugar Corporation took over the factories and decided to demolish the severely damaged Shoufeng factory while restoring the Yamato factory and renaming it as the Hualien Sugar Factory, making it the center of sugar production in eastern Taiwan. Although the factory is located in Guangfu Township, it is commonly referred to as the "Guangfu Sugar Factory"; however, its official name is actually the "Hualien Sugar Factory." Over decades, the Hualien Sugar Factory has undergone multiple expansions and modernizations, significantly increasing both the production volume and quality of its sugar. To supply the sugar factory with sufficient raw materials, large expanses of sugarcane fields spread from Xincheng Township in the north to Fuli Township in the south, forming a distinct landscape within the Hualien-Altay (Hualien-Taitung) longitudinal valley region. In addition to producing sugar, the factory is also well-known for its wide variety of ice sticks and ice cream available at the factory’s ice department, which is equally popular among both local residents and visiting tourists. It has become a shared fond memory for many to "consume ice cream at the sugar factory." In 2002, under the combined impact of a prolonged slump in international sugar prices and Taiwan’s accession to the WTO, the Taiwan Sugar Corporation decided to cease the 80-year-long sugar production operation at the Hualien Sugar Factory. Instead, it shifted the factory's focus to tourism and leisure development. Based on its existing ice product foundation, the sugar factory planned to reposition itself as a Sugar Industry Cultural Park, offering guided tours and interpretation services to visitors. This development includes preserving the Japanese-style employee residential compound, establishing creative workshops, promoting organic rice and leisure agriculture, collaborating with cycling routes, surrounding tourist attractions, and integrating with the "Da-Nong Da-Fu Flat Forest Park" to create a comprehensive, belt-like tourism route and destination that attracts tourists. The factory’s original veranda-style single employee dormitories, after renovation, have become creative workshops that now serve as platforms for community art exchanges and educational courses, offering DIY craft classes and artisanal product sales to visitors. Additionally, within the factory premises, there is a sales farm that offers handmade citronella essential oils and citronella soap gift sets. These products are grown using organic farming methods, and their manufacturing process is free from any artificial fragrances, making them ideal souvenirs for visitors. They can be purchased at the creative workshops within the factory. Adjacent to the Hualien Sugar Factory is a row of well-preserved Japanese-style buildings, representing one of the few surviving clusters of Japanese-made wooden structures in Taiwan. These cedarwood houses were originally built during the Japanese colonial period as employee barracks and remain in excellent condition, exuding a nostalgic charm that reflects past decades. In line with Hualien County's "Smokestack-Free Tourism Industry Development Policy," and following restoration and reconstruction, the Japanese-style hotel at the Hualien Sugar Mill officially began operating on January 24, 2011, having obtained a general hotel license and offering visitors diverse accommodation options. The Taiwan Sugar Corporation Hualien Hotel offers two types of rooms: Washitsu-style Wooden Cottages (Double Rooms) and Family Wooden Cottages (Triple Rooms). Each cottage features a private parking space and courtyard. The accommodations use wooden flooring, tatami mats (Japanese floor coverings), and wood-panel sliding doors, creating an authentic Japanese atmosphere. Family Triple Rooms are equipped with traditional handcrafted cedarwood bath tubs and ladles, allowing visitors to effortlessly experience the joy of cedarwood soaking rituals. This setting invites guests to experience the serene beauty of Japanese culture and helps individuals from the city escape the stresses of urban life. The Hualien Sugar Mill Hotel warmly welcomes all visitors to stay and enjoy the elegance and charm of Japanese-style wooden cottages.