Toyooka (豊岡) is a city in northern Hyōgo Prefecture. Starting from the famous hot spring resort Kinosaki Onsen with views that the Michelin Guide has recognized to the amazing landscapes created by volcanic activities in Genbudō Park and Kannabe Kōgen, this city is packed with beautiful sceneries and natural wonders!
Having the Sea of Japan located on one side, it has been said that Takeno Beach in the city is considered one of the best beaches in Japan. With clean and highly transparent water, the beach is perfect for swimming and for those wanting to engage in all kinds of water sports!
If you are after some decent shopping, then drop by the Toyooka Bag Street (カバンストリート) for a series of bag stores. Toyooka is known as the city of bags, with many shops on the street offering tailored bag solutions (obviously checking with the staff to see if they do international shipping first).
Here is a list of places for you to consider adding to your itinerary when you visit Hyōgo Prefecture next time:
- Hyōgo Park of the Oriental White Stork (兵庫県立コウノトリの郷公園)
- Genbudō Park (玄武洞)
- Kinosaki Onsen (城崎温泉)
- Izushi Castle Ruins (出石城跡) and Izushi Castle Town
- Takeno Beach (竹野海岸)
- Jajayama Park (じゃじゃ山公園)
- Ryūkokuji Temple (隆国寺)
- Kannabe Kōgen (神鍋高原)
- Ankokuji Temple (安国寺)
- Tanto Flower Park (たんとう花公園)
Tip: If you plan to spend a night in Toyooka City, how about Toyooka Sky Hotel, which is close to Toyooka Station?
Hyōgo Park of the Oriental White Stork (兵庫県立コウノトリの郷公園)
If you are a bird-lover, take a bus from JR Toyooka Station to check out the beauty of the White Storks, which were nearly extinct at one point!
The park is a facility for protecting and proliferating Japan’s Natural Monument – white storks. Different from the Hachigoro Toshima Wetland (豊岡市立ハチゴロウの戸島湿地) close to Kinosaki Onsen, at Hyōgo Park of the Oriental White Stork, you are guaranteed to at least be able to meet one of the white storks that the park is taking care of throughout the year.
From spring to summer, you can even observe the white storks’ chicks being raised and cared for by their parents!
Also, from the Yorozukyū Temple (萬休寺) at the hill opposite the park, you should be able to get a full view of the park, which gives you a high chance of seeing the white storks flying freely in the sky.
The park also has its Japanese and English guide app. You can scan the QR code on the notice board placed at the entrance. The app will tell you everything you need to know about the park and information about Oriental White Stork.
On one side of Hyōgo Park of the Oriental White Stork, there is also a farmer’s market. It is where you can purchase fresh local produce at a cheap price. We were very satisficed with the persimmons and sweetly pickled black beans we bought. A bag of 6 to 7 persimmons only costed us 150 yen!
Hyōgo Park of the Oriental White Stork’s Opening Hours and Access Information
- The park can be accessed for free from 9 am to 5 pm daily except Mondays and from the 28th of December to the 4th of January
- If Monday falls on a public holiday, it will close the next business day.
- The park has a free car park.
- From JR Toyooka Station (豊岡駅), you can take the Zentan Bus (全但バス) and get off at Kōnotori no Sato Kōen (コウノトリの郷公園). Please note that the number of services will be limited.
- If you are coming from Kyoto, it is a 40-minute walk from Kyoto Tango Railway’s (京都丹後鉄道) Kōnotori no Sato (コウノトリの郷) Station.
- Refer to HERE and click “宮津” for trains departing from Miyazu Station. All trains will stop at Amanohashidate (天橋立).
- For trains departing from Amanohashidate Station, click “天橋立 (下り)”
- You can also use one of Japan’s Transport Apps to plan your visit.
Genbudō Park (玄武洞)
Discover one of the few places in the world where the NS pole is reversed Σ(ﾟДﾟ)!
Close to Kinosaki Onsen, the basalts caves in Genbudō Park created by volcanic activities 1.6 million years ago contain some of the country’s most astonishing terrains.
For more information, please refer to our article on Genbudō Park!
Kinosaki Onsen (城崎温泉)
Kinosaki Onsen (城崎温泉) in northern Hyōgo Prefecture is becoming more and more popular amongst tourists across both Japan and around the world. This shouldn’t surprise you once you take a look at the Michelin two-star rated scenery from Mt. Daishi (大師山) and other historical and cultural charms of the hot spring resort that has prospered for over 1,300 years!
For more information, please refer to our article on Kinosaki Onsen (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ.
Izushi Castle Ruins (出石城跡) and Izushi Castle Town
Izushi is a quaint town in Toyooka City where you can find traces of Japanese history since the Edo period (1603 – 1867). Although it might not seem like it nowadays, the castle town used to be so prosperous that people called it Tajima Province’s Kyoto!
The small town is also a great place for exploring Japanese culture and Tajima Province’s history if you have unlimited time to spend.
For more information, please refer to our article on Izushi!
Takeno Coastline (竹野海岸)
At the north of Toyooka City, there is a beautiful coastline with crystal clear seawater suitable for various beach activities. Having the Sea of Japan located on one side, it has been said that Takeno Coastline (竹野海岸) is considered to be one of the best beaches in Japan. With clean and highly transparent water, the beach is perfect for swimming and for those wanting to engage in all kinds of water sports!
For more information, please refer to our article on Takeno Coastline!
Ryūkokuji Temple (隆国寺)
On the way to Kannabe Kōgen, you can stop by the 6th Kansai’s Temple of Flowers (関西花の寺) called Ryūkokuji.
Also known as Tajima Province’s Peony Temple, it boasts over 1,000 peonies in the temple’s garden. The 150 different kinds of camellia in the camellia garden is another reason why this temple is famous for its flowers!
Below is the flower calendar of Ryūkokuji Temple so that you will know what to expect when you visit the temple:
- Camellia: March to early April
- Cherry blossom: late March to early April
- Peony: late April to early May
- Hydrangea: mid-May to June
- Kousa dogwood: late May to June
- Japanese stewartia: mid-June to mid-July
- Bush clover: September
- Autumn foliage: peaks in mid-November
Other Highlights of Ryūkokuji Temple
Apart from the flowers, there are also various highlights in the temple that you cannot miss. The tall mountain gate at the entrance, rebuilt in 1802, is one of them. It is considered one of the three biggest mountain gates in the San-in region.
The two-storied gate has a worship hall enshrining the Gautama Buddha, Manjushri Bodhisattva, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, and the 16 Arhats. With them guarding the entrance, it has been said that the evil thoughts of the pilgrims are dispelled, protecting Ryūkokuji Temple from any evil presence.
As you pay your respect to the Kannon Bodhisattva, don’t forget to pay attention to the paintings on the fusuma sliding doors. Painted by famous artists in the mid-19th century, the images of peacocks and tigers are all vibrant and very realistic looking!
Ryūkokuji Temple’s Opening Hours and Access Information
- The temple is open daily except for Wednesdays from 9 am to 5 pm.
- From JR Ebara Station (江原駅) west exit, take Toyooka City Community Bus Innaka’s (豊岡市営バス「イナカー」) Mikata Line (三方線) and get off at Arakawa (荒川). From the bus stop, it is a 3-minute walk to the temple
- As the number of services is limited, please refer to HERE for the service’s timetable to plan.
Kannabe Kōgen (神鍋高原)
If you haven’t seen what a crater looks like in real life, then make sure you drop by Kannabe Kōgen when you visit Kansai!
This part of Toyooka City boasts various types of amazing landscapes created by volcanic activities and lava flows that occurred thousands of years ago. When the weather is too warm to ski, you can enjoy the aerial view of the plateau as you fly with one of the experienced paragliders instead.
For more information, please refer to our article on Kannabe Kōgen!
Ankokuji Temple (安国寺)
In autumn, from mid to late November, one must-see place when you visit Toyooka City is Ankokuji Temple. The view of the Enkianthus perulatus from the temple’s worship hall looks just how its depicted in the left image.
The most amazing thing is that the scenery is created by just one Enkianthus perulatus. This 100-plus-year-old tree has branches that can spread more than 10 meters from all angles!
If you want to take a similar photo to the one above, visit the temple during the light-up event. During the day, the leaves will be bright red instead of the bright golden color.
The Fall Foliage Event at Ankokuji Temple
The event is usually held in mid-November. You can refer to the official website HERE closer to autumn for the exact dates of the event. You can translate it using Google Chrome’s translation function at the right of the address bar.
Important: Please expect a large crowd at the temple for Enkianthus perulatus’s autumn foliage, especially on weekends and public holidays.
Ankokuji Temple’s Opening Hours, Admission Fees, and Access Information
- The temple is open from 8 am to 5 pm with the last admission at 4:30 pm.
- The admission fee is 500 yen for senior high school students and above during the fall foliage season.
- To get to Ankokuji Temple from JR Toyooka Station or from Izushi, you will have to change buses a couple of times. As the number of services is only limited, it may actually be more convenient to drive there or take a taxi. Otherwise, please use Google Map as this will give you a summarised bus trip itinerary.
Tantō Flower Park (たんとう花公園)
Traveling further east towards Kyoto, the Tantō Flower Park there is famous for its tulips and sunflowers festivals during spring and summer.
- Tantō Turlips Festival (たんとうチューリップまつり)
- In 2023, the festival was held from the 10th to the 20th of April from 9 am to 5 pm.
- The last admission is at 4:30 pm.
- For weekends and public holidays, we recommend that you arrive before 11 am or after 3 pm to avoid the crowd.
- The cost is
- 800 yen for high school students and above
- 400 yen for elementary and junior high school students
- In 2023, the festival was held from the 10th to the 20th of April from 9 am to 5 pm.
- Tantō Sunflowers Festival (たんとうひまわりまつり)
- In 2023, the festival is going to be held from early to mid-August from 9 am to 5 pm.
- The last admission is at 4:30 pm.
- It is possible to take some flowers home, but please check with the staff first before picking.
- The cost is about 500 yen for high school students and above.
- In 2023, the festival is going to be held from early to mid-August from 9 am to 5 pm.
How To Get To Tantō Flower Park
From JR Toyooka Station (豊岡駅)’s bus stop no. 1 or Jōkamachi Izushi (城下町出石), take the Izushi Toyooka Line (出石豊岡線) bound for Oku Fuji (奥藤) and get off at Mongoru Kakubutsukan-mae (モンゴル博物館前). From there, it is a 15-minute walk.
Please note that the number of services will be limited.
Discover the Beautiful Nature in Yabu City Next Door
If you love to visit destinations filled with picturesque natural scenery, make sure you check out the beautiful spots in Yabu City, south of Toyooka. The city is literally a treasure trove of gorgeous nature. Plus, there is a ski resort for you to enjoy the snow in winter (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ.
For more information, please refer to our article on Yabu City!
