Hyogo Toyooka, Hometown of the Endangered Oriental White Storks

The Oriental White Stork, or konotori in Japanese, is a beloved yet endangered species that once went virtually extinct by 1971, given the loss of their rice paddy habitats following post-war rapid development and the threat to their food sources from widening use of agrochemicals in agriculture.

Artificial breeding efforts started in Hyogo prefecture’s northern, coastal region of Toyooka back in the mid-1960s, which eventually (over several decades) led to successful, consistent breeding in captivity, and a change of focus on reintroducing them into their natural habitats, by restoring their natural habitats and working towards pesticide-free local rice farming. Fast forward to 2005, where five storks were carefully released and, by 2007, a chick was naturally born in the wild.

Toyooka’s efforts are not only a miracle of restoration and preservation but they have also created a new blueprint for sustainability and harmony between mankind and nature. In 2021, Toyooka City was selected as a Top 100 Green Destination for its environmental efforts. Why not visit Toyooka’s countryside to appreciate the flourishing natural environments and wildlife? Visit Hyogo Park of the Oriental White Stork, Hachigoro Toshima Wetland, or Kaya Wetlands and Kaya Wetlands Park to name just a few of the sites where you’re likely to catch a sighting of the konotori on your visit to Hyogo.