A Day Trip to Miaoli’s Gongguan Township: Exploring History, Culture, and Local Cuisine

Article and photos by Chen Guanxin, MOOK Travel Life Network / HowToTrip

Gongguan Township in Miaoli County is nestled between the Bagua Mountains and the Houlong River, and is the country’s sole producer of red dates. The area’s main transportation artery is Provincial Highway 6, and it ranks among the top nationwide in the production of agricultural crops such as red dates, taro, and pickled mustard greens, making it a truly bountiful rural township. During the busy farming season, the surrounding fields are golden with ripe grain, and from May to July each year, the golden rain trees along both sides of Provincial Highway 6 burst into bloom, their golden flowers swaying in the breeze amid lush greenery—earning the area the nickname “Golden Town.” Additionally, the township is home to cultural landmarks that reflect its heritage, including the Hakka Pottery Kiln, Xingxiu Temple, and Stone Wall Village. The “Hakka House,” painstakingly developed over two years by the Gongguan Township Farmers’ Association, is a great place to sample a variety of specialty snacks and meals made from local produce. Consider taking a day trip to Gongguan Township during your weekend break to enjoy a countryside experience filled with natural charm.

Hakka Pottery Kiln Cultural Park → Xingxiu Temple → Hakka House → Stone Wall Village → Chukuangkeng

Taiwan’s Largest Dragon Kiln Showcasing Master Craftsmanship – Hakka Pottery Kiln Cultural Park

Located in the mountainous Dakan Village of Gongguan Township, surrounded by rolling hills, bamboo forests, and clear streams, with birds chirping and streams babbling, it’s hard to imagine this was once a hub of pottery kiln activity. Back during the Japanese colonial period, a Japanese man named Iwamoto Tosaku discovered large deposits of high-quality clay in the Dakan area, along with abundant acacia trees in the surrounding forests that could be used as fuel. He built a “dragon kiln”—a connected series of firing chambers built into the hillside—and introduced and developed pottery-making techniques, helping to nurture many ceramic artists.

This dragon kiln is currently the largest of its kind in Taiwan. The stepped kiln structure requires skilled masters to monitor it 24 hours a day during firing to precisely control the internal temperature and ensure high-quality output. In addition, to protect the surrounding ecology, an eco-friendly water-friendly park has been created using natural engineering methods to preserve the habitat of fish and shrimp in the stream, allowing visitors who come to see Taiwan’s largest dragon kiln to also enjoy the beauty of the natural landscape.