Temple Street 廟街
Temple Street entrance
Taking exit A from Jordan Station and walking along Jordan Road towards Austin Station (the seaside) you will see Temple Street after about two blocks. This section of Temple Street runs from Jordan Road to Kansu Street (Yau Ma Tei) has become a shopping district. It is a pedestrian area. Or, you can get there from Yau Ma Tei Station exit C.
The beginning of Temple Street is a big archway and snack carts are on the both sides of the street, with rows of colorful lanterns hanging on them. The snack carts sell fish balls, fruit juice, and other street snacks.
Going forward, there are small stalls with tourist souvenirs: T-shirts, bags, backpacks, patches, etc. There are CD stores on both sides of the street, which is a bit like the Ladies’ Market in Mong Kok.
Evolution of Temple Street
Temple Street represents nightlife, but in fact, it is not similar to Ladies’ Market in Mong Kok. On the contrary, Temple Street should be considered a men’s market. It is most famous for its clay pot rice and street snacks such as fish and skewers of grilled meat. The goods sold include antiques, jade, small electronic products, mostly men’s toys, etc.
Street performances include singing, vending, various performances, and fortune-telling. In the 1980s and 1990s, Temple Street boasted over 200 stalls, representing the culture of Kowloon’s Yau Tsim Mong District. Some even called it a “nightclub for the common people,” a place bursting with entertainment.
There have been films featuring Temple Street, often depicting it as a complex and unsafe area with numerous crime scenes and sex workers. However, it is actually quite safe.
After the pandemic, the government renovated it and it has become a tourist attraction. The lanterns and archway make the Temple Street full of fun.
Temple Street also features periodic events. For example, this month’s B. Duck exhibit is being held in collaboration with Macau Street.
The B. Duck exhibit will be located near the beginning of the Temple Street near Jordan.
Fortune-tellers are concentrated at the end of the street, near Kansu Street. These stalls, along with other jade vendors, open after dusk. Therefore, if you go to Temple Street at night, the atmosphere should be better.
Tin Hau Temple and the Old Yau Ma Tei Police Station
Near Yau Ma Tei, you’ll find Tin Hau Temple built in 1865 and moved there in 1876, a historic temple, and the Old Yau Ma Tei Police Station built in 1873 which was the first police station in Kowloon, a popular tourist attraction, with many taking photos in front of the station. It was built with Edwardian architectural style and now as Grade II historic buildings in Hong Kong.
