Toyooka, Japan

Toyooka (豊岡市, Toyooka-shi) is a city in the northern part of Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 March 2022, the city had an estimated population of 78,348 in 37769 households and a population density of 110 persons per km².The total area of the city is 697.55 square kilometres (269.33 sq mi).

Toyooka is located in the northern part of Hyōgo Prefecture and the Kinki region, faceing the Sea of Japan in the north. It lies entirely within the San'in Kaigan Geopark. The Maruyama River flows through the central part of the city, and the Toyooka Basin, which is the largest basin in the Tajima region, spreads out in the central part of the city. Toyooka is located in the "snow country" of Japan and is characterized by heavy accumulations of snow in winter. One of Toyooka's famous geological features is a basalt cave called Gembudō. Gembudō was formed 1.6 million years ago from the eruption of an ancient volcano. In 1926, Professor Motonori Matuyama of Kyoto University first proposed the theory of geomagnetic polarity reversal at Genbudo after discovering it had a reverse magnetization.