Toyooka City is dedicated to the preservation and reintroduction of the Oriental White Stork. Several land areas in Toyooka have been designated as wildlife reserves and are used to help reintroduce the Oriental White Stork back into the wild. Two of the main reserves are the Hyogo Park of the Oriental White Stork in Toyooka and the Hachigoro Toshima Wetlands in Kinosaki Onsen. Both are open to the public and provide educational information on the Oriental White Stork, recommended for families with small children.
Learn more about the Oriental White Stork
Hyogo Park of the Oriental White Stork
Access
The Hyogo Park of the Oriental White Stork is approximately 5km from JR Toyooka Station. The easiest and fastest way to get to the park is by car, Visit Kinosaki offers a car rental plan with a local rental car shop. You can find more information at the link below.
Hachigoro Toshima Wetlands
Hachigoro Toshima Wetlands, registered with the Ramsar Convention, consists of rice paddy fields converted into a wetland. It is located near the mouth of the Northern Maruyama River about 1.5 km from JR Kinosaki Onsen Station. The wetland is a brackish water area that sits on a flood plain, nestled in a mountain valley. It is an easy and very picturesque bike ride from the neighboring hot spring town of Kinosaki Onsen. Bike rental information can be found HERE.
Hachigoro Toshima Wetlands covers an area of approximately 3.8ha, of which 2.5ha is freshwater wetlands and 0.9ha is brackish wetlands. It creates an organic connection between the surrounding undeveloped woodland area, streams, rice fields, river and ocean, enhancing the wetland ecosystem.
Near the mountains you can see Oriental White Stork nesting in an artificial nest at the top of the tower each spring. It is also a popular hunting and foresting site for other local species of birds, making it a great place for bird watching.
Access
Hachigoro Toshima Wetlands is located approximately 1.5km from JR Kinosaki Onsen Station. To get there you can either walk (about 20min), ride a bike (rental bicycles are available, more information can be found at the link below) or drive (more information on rental cars can also be found at the link below.)
Kounotori - Oriental White Stork
Designated as a special natural treasure and designated as rare domestic wildlife. The wild stork population became extinct in 1971, but through conservation and breeding efforts the stork population is being restored.
Public-viewing cage
At the Hyogo Park of the Oriental White Stork, visitors can view the storks that have been breed and raised in captivity. Throughout the day visitors can also listen to informative lectures about the stork. In the afternoon, they also welcome visitors to watch as the staff feed the storks.
Culture Pavilion
Inside the pavilion of the Hyogo Park of the Oriental White Stork, you will find dioramas and displays on the storks and their habitat. In the back of the building there is also a theater where you can watch a documentary on the revival of the stork (versions available in Japanese, English, French, Chinese, and Korean).
Kounotori Mai (stork-friendly rice)
To ensure the safety and preservation of the storks local farmers are turning to organic farming. Rice grown through this stork-friendly method has been named Kounotori Mai (stork-friendly rice) and is a premium brand of rice.
BUSINESS INFORMATION
- Business Hours
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HYOGO PARK OF THE ORIENTAL WHITE STORK
Open Tuesday - Sunday 9AM - 5PM
HACHIGORO TOSHIMA WETLAND
Mondays & Wednesday-Sunday 9AM - 5PM
- Holidays / Closed
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HYOGO PARK OF THE ORIENTAL WHITE STORK
(Closed Mondays except for when a Monday is a national holiday, then it will be closed Tuesday after the national holiday.)
Also closed December 28 - Jan 04
HACHIGORO TOSHIMA WETLAND
(Closed Tuesdays except for when a Tuesday is a national holiday, then it will be closed the Wednesday after the national holiday.)
Also closed December 28 - Jan 03
- Address
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HYOGO PARK OF THE ORIENTAL WHITE STORK
128 Shounji, Toyooka, Hyogo
HACHIGORO TOSHIMA WETLAND
1362 Kinosakicho Imazu, Toyooka, Hyōgo Prefecture 669-6103
- Average Price Range
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Free admission.
There is a coin bank located in side the cultural pavilion near the main entrance. You can make a small donation if you wish. Those who make a donation are presented with a small kounotori origami craft.
- Entrance Fee
- Free
- Supported Languages
- English information is available at Hyogo Park of the Oriental White Stork.
OTHER
- Parking
- Free customer parking
LOCATION
You can take the city bus, Zentan Bus, from JR Toyooka Station. Take the bus going to Hyogo Park of the Oriental White Stork. It is about a 15-minute ride. If you wish to drive you can rent a car through the Visit Kinosaki website, there is a link above.
For Hachigoro Toshima Wetlands you can rent a bike from the tourist information center near JR Kinosaki Onsen Station, it is about a 10-minute bike ride.
The Hyogo Park of the Oriental White Stork was opened in 1999. The park is a research institution dedicated to the restoration of the Oriental White Stork, also called kounotori, which disappeared from the wild in 1971. A systematic conservation movement has been in place since 1955 to restore the species in the wild. At the park you can see Oriental White Stork that have been born and raised in captivity in the open cage. The park also has a museum and information center where visitors can learn about the storks, breeding, and the conservation program. Visitors are welcome to listen to educational lectures about the facilities and Oriental White Storks by staff.
It has also become a popular spot for couples wishing to have children. It is said that seeing an Oriental White Stork will bring you love and also children. Aside from that, it is also a great family attraction. Inside the culture pavilion you can find dioramas about the local ecosystem, the life cycle of the Oriental White Stork and also several small activities for younger children to enjoy. Entrance to the park and the culture pavilion is free, but donations are welcome.
Official English site for Hyogo Park of the Oriental White Stork