Autumn and winter are also great times to visit Kinmen. The iconic wind-lion god statues are waiting for you to explore.

Text and photos byMika’s Foodie Adventure Journal

What’s the best season to visit Kinmen? Many would say summer, but personally, I think autumn and winter are perfect too. It’s not as scorching hot, and the weather is much cooler. Plus, Kinmen isn’t really about water activities—it’s known for its military heritage, local delicacies, rich history, culture, and natural ecology. So visiting in autumn or winter lets you go on a cultural deep-dive—seek out wind-lion god statues, go birdwatching, and explore hidden gems.

For this two-day, one-night trip to Kinmen, we flew with Uni Air. Ah, what a lovely day for traveling.

Our first stop was the De Yue Lou (Moon-Viewing Tower) in the Shui Tou tribal area of Kinmen.

It’s a Western-style building with Baroque architecture. This place is full of classic charm, with many deeply meaningful architectural designs that carry profound historical and cultural significance.

The architecture of De Yue Lou is truly worth savoring slowly.

But the real highlight right next to De Yue Lou is the Wind-Lion God Cultural Museum.

Mao Zedong Milk Tea—now that’s pretty creative. Making fun of Mao Zedong is probably something you can only get away with here.

Last time I didn’t have coffee, so this time I’m trying their Mao Zedong Milk Tea.

The architecture in Kinmen is really unique—most buildings are Western-style mansions, and they’re very well preserved.

The museum displays all kinds of wind-lion god statues, from cute ones to solemn ones. Wuzhou Ceramics is considered the pioneer of Kinmen’s wind-lion god statues, and most of them are created by Wuzhou Ceramics.

Once at the Wind-Lion God Cultural Museum, we headed straight up to the second floor to start painting our own wind-lion god statues.

Let’s start with a drink first... Since we’re here, might as well try their signature Mao Zedong Milk Tea.

Honestly, it tastes like a milk-based liquor, made with Kinmen’s locally produced kaoliang liquor. The flavor is quite boozy and mild—I’m not a big fan, since kaoliang isn’t really my thing.

Kaoliang Tea Eggs
The aroma is super strong—you can smell these kaoliang tea eggs from outside. They’re also one of their signature items, but I was too full, so I had to pass.

Alright, fed and hydrated, now it’s time to get serious with the painting. The white ceramic wind-lion god bottle is already beautiful on its own, but painting it makes it a one-of-a-kind souvenir. We used acrylic paints—they’re more long-lasting and less prone to fading, so your keepsake can stay vibrant for a long time.

Everyone was super focused!! And because the schedule wasn’t rushed, people had time to paint slowly, and laughing at each other’s creations became part of the fun.

Everyone’s creations lined up—they’re so cute, each with its own unique style.

After painting the wind-lion god statues, it’s time to check out the factory where they’re made. Wuzhou Ceramics is the pioneer of Kinmen’s wind-lion god statues, and most of them come from here.

So this place has all kinds of wind-lion god statues in various styles from around Kinmen.

Of course, it also houses a large collection of wind-lion god artworks, making it the best place to buy souvenirs with the most variety.

The owner told us stories about the legends and history of the wind-lion gods, which we found fascinating. The souvenirs here are adorable, especially the chibi-style “Stone brave” (Shi Gan Dang)—so cute you won’t want to put it down.

The wind-lion gods come in all sorts of expressions—stern, cute, ornate, plain... You can see all the different facets of these statues here, and it’s almost impossible not to buy something.

Actually, the one I wanted to buy the most was this Totoro Shi Gan Dang, but unfortunately, it’s not for sale.

The chibi-style deities are super adorable too!!!

After visiting the factory, we headed to the legendary “Kinmen’s best thief-catching wind-lion god.” It’s located on the left front side of Fuyou Temple at No. 33, Dongzhou Village, Jinning Township, Kinmen County, north of the settlement.

What a unique appearance, right?
There are two legends:
1. Originally, to the left front of Fuyou Temple, there was a wind-lion god statue made of mortar and magnets, with its mouth wide open but no teeth, and its tail also damaged (the villagers remade it with cement in 1995). Legend has it that people from other villages who committed murder tried to dispose of the bodies by throwing them into the well near the Dongzhou Wind-Lion God, in an attempt to frame the Dongzhou Village. Unexpectedly, the wind-lion god asked the deity from Fuyou Temple to dispatch soldiers to help, making the bodies weigh as much as a thousand pounds so they couldn't be moved to Dongzhou. This led to the case being solved, the murderers were punished by the authorities, and in anger, the villagers knocked out the wind-lion god’s teeth.
2. The former speaker Mr. Chen Shuimu once said: A villager lost a cow and, after searching everywhere without success, sought help from the wind-lion god. Sure enough, the missing cow returned on its own the next day.

Because of these legends, it has become the best thief-catching wind-lion god in all of Kinmen.

Next, let me introduce to you the ‘largest wind-lion god in all of Kinmen’, located in Anqi Village, Jinning Township, Kinmen County.

Compared to a person, the enormity of this wind-lion god becomes obvious. It is said that in the treeless past, villagers suffered under the northeast monsoon winds and believed only a large wind-lion god could block the wind, hence the establishment of the largest wind-lion god in Kinmen. Legend says it twice blocked pirate raids, and also during a time when plague almost wiped out Shan Zao Village, the wind-lion god stopped the epidemic, keeping all the villagers safe and sound.

If there's the largest in Kinmen, then there must be the smallest too. Let’s take a look at the ‘smallest wall-mounted wind-lion god in all of Kinmen’, which is located in Qionglin Village, Jinhu Township, Kinmen County.

It’s only slightly bigger than a lighter. And because it’s been around for so long, the wind-lion god’s facial features have been eroded and blurred by the wind.

Another wind-lion god in Qionglin looks a bit mischievous and rogue-like, haha.

Next, let me introduce the ‘skirt-wearing male wind-lion god’ located in Guan’ao Village, Jinsha Township, Kinmen County.

Just from this angle, it’s not hard to see why he wears a skirt. It’s because the male features of this wind-lion god are too obvious, so the residents covered them up, hahaha.

The county government specially held the ‘Winter Tour Kinmen Wind-Lion God Culture Festival Press Conference’ to let everyone understand the importance of the wind-lion god to Kinmen culture. It was held at the scenic [Wenyuan Temple] in Houshuitou Village, Jinsha Township — a place with beautiful scenery.

There’s also a very beautiful lotus pond here.

The flowers are in full bloom.

★Sep 20 – Oct 20: Wind-lion god sketching, photography, and painting exhibitions. Location: Cultural Park History & Folklore Museum.
◎Sep 20 – Oct 19: Take the battery car to search for wind-lion gods. Runs every Saturday and Sunday (Sep 20, 21, 27, 28, Oct 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19) from 13:30–17:30 (last departure at 16:30), every half hour, with additional services if crowded. Boarding location is Jinsha Bus Station. The tour lasts about 1.5 hours. Route: Jinsha Bus Station (start) → Yongyuan Temple (Wind-Lion God 1) → Chen Family Ancestral Hall (Wind-Lion God 2) → Huishan Temple (Wind-Lion God 3, 4) → Yangsha Road Intersection [behind Yangzhai New Street] (Wind-Lion God 5) → Yangzhai Old Street → end of Yangzhai Old Street → Jinsha Bus Station.
★Sep 28, Oct 5: Cultural park, salt field, and old street cultural tours. Time: 09:00–17:00.
Location: Kinmen Cultural Park.
◆Sep 27: Wind-lion god fair and evening gala, featuring cultural parades, food fairs, and evening events.
Sep 27: Sorghum broom DIY experience. Time: 08:30–11:00; 13:30–16:00. Location: Wind-lion god fair.
Aug 15 – Oct 31: Sorghum photography contest.

Organizer contact numbers:
◆: Jinsha Township Office 082-352150
◎: Kinmen County Government Tourism Department 082-324174
★: Kinmen County Cultural Park Management Office 082-351031
◆: Kinmen County Agricultural Experiment Station 082-332074

Besides the adorable wind-lion gods, there are also amazing performances by electric wind-lion gods.

I really love the cultural and creative souvenirs given out at the press conference. Even the mineral water bottles are cleverly designed — the sticker unfolds into a map of Kinmen. Also, the small notebooks, travel luggage tags, and cute little wind-lion god bags are super practical. I love them.

This fan is also hard to throw away. Taking it home as a souvenir while also using it to block sun and wind — how great is that.

Dignitaries gathered to beat drums, symbolizing the start of the ‘Winter Kinmen Wind Lion God Cultural Festival’.

After the press conference, we simply had to swing by the first—and currently only—Starbucks on the outlying island (Kinmen Wind Lion God branch) to get in on the trend, right?

The air-conditioning inside was so strong, we didn’t want to leave at all. The space is huge, with a high-end vibe created by wooden architecture and large floor-to-ceiling windows.

Kinmen has its own reusable cup featuring the Wind Lion God. Actually, the most sought-after item here is the Kinmen Wind Lion God mug, but it sold out quickly—so you can’t get it here either.

I don’t usually drink Starbucks—aside from the price, the calories are pretty shocking—but this is the first branch on an outlying island. How could I not try it? Turns out you can now swap milk for soy milk, which I love more than regular milk, so I went for that instead.

They have quite a variety of pastries and cakes here.

I think Starbucks prices are really steep, but lucky for me, I only drink it occasionally. I came purely for the experience—it’s not about what I’m drinking.

If you’ve never been to Kinmen, now’s the time to plan a winter getaway. In addition to seeking out Wind Lion Gods and watching cormorant fishing, you can also explore unique military heritage sites. To that end, the Kinmen County Government has partnered with various organizations to host a series of tourism events, including the “Sorghum Old Street Wind Lion God Cultural Festival” from September 20 to October 20 and the “Battlefield Tourism Art Season” from October 15 to November 30. Winter in Kinmen is rich in experiences and lots of fun.

Yuedeyue Tower
Address: Beside No. 44, Shuitou, Jincheng Township, Kinmen County
Wind Lion God Cultural Museum (also known as Wuzhou Ceramics)
Address: No. 1, Sihu Village, Jincheng Township (Sihu Branch)
No. 42, Qianshuitou, Jincheng Township (Shuitou Branch)
Phone: 082-329-203 (Sihu Branch)
Hours: 8:00–17:30 (Sihu Branch), 8:30–17:30 (Shuitou Branch)
Website: http://www.wuzhou.tw

Wenyuan Temple
Location: No. 34, Houshuitou, Jinsha Township, Kinmen County

Starbucks / STARBUCKS Kinmen Wind Lion God Branch
Address: No. 8-8, Zhongshan Road, Jinhu Township, Kinmen County
Phone: 082-391159
Business Hours: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM

Traveling is about returning to where you came from with deeper understanding.
MIKA’s Travel & Food Journal