Taiwan was occupied by Japan for 50 years and 6 months. During that time they carried out massive modernization and building campaigns, and by 1945 the western half of the Taipei basin (between the Danshui River and Xinsheng Road, which was a canal at that time) was urbanized.
Many housing developments were completed; much of the residential housing was wooden houses with tile roofs, one or two stories in height.
Unfortunately, not many of these houses remain in the city, and those that are left (dwindling in number as the years pass) are mostly in disrepair. Some are so far gone that they are condemned. It's a real pity, because they would be beautiful if they were restored to original condition.