Toyoura District, Yamaguchi

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Toyoura (豊浦郡; -gun) was a district located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan.

As of 2003, the district had an estimated population of 47,259 and a density of 96.11 persons per km². The total area was 491.72 km².

Toyoura is now (since February 13, 2005) officially part of Shimonoseki city. This change was made because of Toyoura's shrinking population. The towns of Houhoku, Kikugawa and Toyota (all listed below) merged with Shimonoseki and thus all become part of the new city of Shimonoseki.

Toyoura town is actually made up of four smaller villages: Kuroimura, Kawatana, Kogushi and Yuutama. Kawatana is the largest of these villages. It is famous for kawara soba (green tea buckwheat noodles cooked on a Japanese roof tile) and Kawatana hot springs. It is often associated with dragons because of the legend that a blue dragon was once spotted in the area.

[edit] Former towns and villages

[edit] Merger

On February 13, 2005, the towns of Hohoku, Kikugawa, Toyoura and Toyota merged with the city of Shimonoseki to form the new city of Shimonoseki. Toyoura District was dissolved as a result of this merger.