The Chinese year of the dragon begins in a few days and all over the Chinese world, people are flocking to new year markets. The dragon is considered the most auspicious sign of the Chinese zodiac and shoppers are out early to ensure they have everything they need to see in the new year. In Taiwan, the Dihua St market is one of the best known and most loved. In the days and weeks leading up to the festival, the streets in the area are packed with people lining up to buy traditional foods such as dried mushroom and dried day lily, grab themselves a few bags of dried fruit or colorful candy, and purchase lucky red envelopes and couplets. Most vendors offer samples of their goods are the curious to taste test, and a trip to the market makes for a colorful and fun trip for tourists.

Once a good supply of dried goods and snack food has been purchased it’s time to stock up on fresh food. One of Taipei’s more popular new year markets for this is Nanmen Market. The tight, crowded aisles are packed with shoppers buying traditional sausages, cakes, seafood, meats and more.