Taihoku

Taihoku is the name used in Japanese for the capital region of Taiwan during the period of Japanese rule, 1895 to 1945. It referred to the area around what is today Taipei City and northern Taiwan, which served as the political and administrative center of the island under the colonial government.

During the Japanese administration, Taihoku Prefecture (Taihoku-fu) was created, with Taihoku City as its capital. The prefecture covered much of northern Taiwan, including the urban core that later became Taipei and surrounding areas. Administrative and urban planning efforts during this period introduced modern infrastructure, schools, and government offices.

One notable institution established during this era is Taihoku Imperial University, founded in 1928 and today known as National Taiwan University. The university was the first modern higher education institution established by the Japanese administration on Taiwan.

After Japan's defeat in 1945, Taiwan was placed under the Republic of China. The name Taihoku was gradually supplanted by Taipei (the Mandarin Táiběi). In historical and scholarly contexts, Taihoku is used to refer to the colonial-era capital and its institutions.