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A stork gliding over the Maruyama River and the Kinosaki Onsen townscape at dusk, with Izushi's clock tower in the distance

Toyooka City, Hyogo — History, Art & Food Portal

The town the stork
chose to return to.

In the small castle town of Izushi, a lord's relocation brought soba noodles from Nagano three centuries ago. A willow-basket craft grew into a world-class bag industry. And a species that vanished from Japan's skies was brought back to life here, one nest at a time. Meanwhile, in the steam of Kinosaki Onsen, a quiet theatre-town movement is reshaping how a small city thinks about culture. This site gathers the "why" behind Toyooka, through three threads: history, art, and food.

Read the Stork Story Read about Izushi

Three threads through Toyooka

History, art, and food across five very different Tajimas.

Today's Toyooka City was formed in 2005 by merging one city and five towns — Izushi, Kinosaki, Takeno, Hidaka (Kannabe), and Tando — each with its own distinct character. That breadth means the region carries layer upon layer of history worth telling: the rise and fall of the Yamana clan and the Izushi castle town; the Kinosaki International Arts Center and Toyooka Theatre Festival, which now draw artists from around the world; and a food culture running from willow-basket-turned-bag industry to Izushi soba, Tajima beef and the Sea of Japan's catch. This site follows all three, with the Oriental White Stork as the region's emblem throughout.

Explore the site

Eight rooms

Each page stands on its own — start wherever interests you.

01 — Origins

Izushi Castle Town

A lord's relocation, a clock tower, and Tajima's only castle town.

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02 — People

Warlords & Notables

From the Yamana clan's rise to monk Takuan and modern-day figures.

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03 — Arts

Art & Theatre

The Kinosaki International Arts Center and Toyooka Theatre Festival.

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04 — Revival

The Stork Story

From extinction to reintroduction, and a new kind of farming.

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05 — Craft

Willow Craft & Bags

1,200 years of willow basketry, and Japan's bag-making capital.

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06 — Food

Food Culture

Izushi's plate soba, Tajima beef's wagyu lineage, coastal seafood.

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07 — Streets

Historic Streets

Izushi's castle town and the willow-lined baths of Kinosaki.

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08 — Explore

Sightseeing

Genbudo Cave, Takeno Coast, Kannabe Highlands, the Stork Park.

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In pictures

Scenes from Toyooka

Real photography is not yet available; these are placeholders linking to their related pages.

Izushi's landmark clock tower, Shinkoro, and the castle town
Shinkoro clock towerIzushi castle town
Aerial view of the Ariko-yama Castle ruins on the mountaintop
Ariko-yama Castle ruinsMt. Ariko-yama
Exterior of the Kinosaki International Arts Center
Kinosaki Intl. Arts CenterYushima Park
A stork family spreading its wings atop a nesting platform
Storks on a nestToyooka City
Izushi plate soba served on five small dishes
Izushi plate sobaIzushi
Willow trees lit at night along the Otani River in Kinosaki Onsen
Kinosaki Onsen at nightOtani River

Overview

Toyooka, a quick timeline

Full stories live on each page — this is just the outline.

Muromachi era

The Yamana clan rules a sixth of Japan

Under Yamana Tokiuji and Sozen, the clan governs 11 of Japan's ~66 provinces before declining after the Onin War.

1580

Ariko-yama Castle falls to Hashiba Hideyoshi

Yamana Suetoyo's stronghold is taken, ending the Yamana clan's rule over Tajima.

1604

Izushi Castle and its town are laid out

Koide Yoshihide builds a lowland castle beneath Ariko-yama, founding the town plan that survives today.

1706

Lord Sengoku brings soba culture from Shinano

Relocated from Ueda domain, Sengoku Masaakira reportedly brought soba artisans with him — the origin of Izushi soba.

1971

The stork disappears from Japan's skies

Habitat loss and pesticide use bring the last wild Oriental White Stork's death, here in Toyooka.

2005

Modern Toyooka City is born; storks are released

One city and five towns merge; the first trial release of captive-bred storks into the wild begins the same year.

2014

Kinosaki International Arts Center opens

A former prefectural conference hall is converted into a residency dedicated to the performing arts.

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