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The Toki Forest Park is a place where visitors can learn about the history and ecology of the national special natural monument, the Toki (朱鷺). Inside the park, there is a taxidermy specimen of the last wild Toki born in Japan, named "Kin." The Toki Communication Square features a large birdcage where visitors can observe Toki flying, foraging, and nesting in an environment close to their natural habitat. There are also observation windows for close-up viewing. Especially during the early morning and evening when the Toki are foraging, it is the best time to observe them from just a few centimeters away.
The scientific name of the Toki is "Nipponia nippon," and it belongs to the family Threskiornithidae in the order Pelecaniformes. They were once widely distributed throughout Japan, but their numbers sharply declined in the 20th century due to hunting and land development. In 1934, they were designated as a natural monument; however, in Heisei 2003, the last Toki born in Japan, "Kin," died. Today, successful breeding of Toki descendants gifted from China has occurred, with dozens of Toki being born each year. Since 2008, efforts have been made to release them into the wild, and currently, there are over 400 Toki residing in Japan.
