Pre-Symposium Technical tour:
Alishan Post-Typhoon Morakot Reconstruction Study Tour

Date:　October 12–13

Place:   Chiayi, Taiwan

Tour Fee:

* US$220 per person (Single occupancy)
* US$400 per two participants (Double occupancy, shared room)

**Tour Fee Includes:
All meals, local transportation in Chiayi and Alishan, admission fees, travel insurance, and one night’s accommodation.

**Not Included:
Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) round-trip transportation between Taipei and Chiayi (approximately US$70).

Because mountain roads can only accommodate small shuttle buses, participation is limited to 20 participants.

From Devastation to Resilience

In August 2009, Typhoon Morakot struck central and southern Taiwan with an unprecedented more than 3,000 mm (118 inches) of rainfall in just three days, causing one of the worst natural disasters in Taiwan’s history.

In the Alishan region, nearly all 27 bridges and river protection works were destroyed. Massive landslides buried villages, damaged homes, and severed transportation links for almost two months. Local agriculture and tourism—the economic lifelines of the Tsou Indigenous communities—were also devastated.

Over the following five years, the Taiwanese government, working closely with local communities, NGOs, and the private sector, carried out an internationally recognized reconstruction program. Rather than simply restoring damaged infrastructure, the rebuilding effort embraced the principles of Build Back Better, integrating climate change adaptation, sustainable development, ecological restoration, and disaster risk reduction into every aspect of reconstruction.

Today, Alishan has become one of Taiwan’s leading examples of disaster resilience, where resilient infrastructure, Indigenous culture, environmental conservation, and sustainable tourism coexist in harmony.

Highlights of the Study Tour

Participants will have the opportunity to:

* Learn how Taiwan successfully rebuilt communities after one of its most destructive natural disasters.
* Explore practical applications of Build Back Better, sustainable development, and disaster resilience.
* Visit reconstruction projects and resilient infrastructure in the Alishan region.
* Experience the unique culture and traditions of the Tsou Indigenous people.
* Enjoy authentic Indigenous cuisine prepared with local ingredients.
* Discover the spectacular beauty of the Alishan forests, including its world-famous ancient giant cypress trees.

If you are interested in joining this tour, please contact the SSMS 2026 Organizing Committee by September 30, 2026.

Email: ssms@kochi-tech.ac.jp

Post-Symposim Technical Tour: 

Date:　October 16

Place:  Danjiang Bridge, New Taipei City

Tour Fee: US$100 per person

The schedule will be announced soon.