When you think of Toyooka, you think of storks! 
The people of Toyooka, where Kinosaki Onsen is located, love storks. 
When you walk around the city, you can see the love that Toyooka residents have for storks everywhere. From trains to the airport to hospitals, parks, schools, kindergartens. From rice crackers to manju to cafes, manholes, walls, postboxes, and even toilets, no matter where you look, this city is overflowing with love. 

The Oriental white stork is not only the prefectural bird of Hyogo Prefecture, but is also designated as a special natural monument by the national government, and is one of the largest birds in Japan, with a wingspan of up to 2m. It is a rare bird that is at risk of extinction worldwide. In Japan, they lived everywhere until around the Edo period, but in 1971, wild Oriental white storks became extinct in the country due to overhunting, pesticides, and environmental changes. Toyooka was their last habitat in Japan.