Toba is best known as the hometown of Kokichi Mikimoto, who developed a method to cultivate pearls, and Tokuhichi Mishima, who invented MKM steel.
Toba is the site of the world-class Toba Aquarium, which houses such animals as dugongs, African manatees, porpoises, and a wide-variety of aquatic life.
Toba City is a beautiful coastal port city located 200 miles southwest of Tokyo. Like it's sister city Santa Barbara, its economy revolves around the ocean and tourism, it is a center for nautical recreation with beaches, boating, and water sports of all kinds. Toba is the gateway to Ise-Shima National Park, a pristine woodland with deep significance to the history of Japan.
The Toba City/Santa Barbara affiliation was begun in 1966, and there have been several visits by citizens and officials of both cities. The city of Toba and the Toba Rotary Club have a Dolphin Friendship Fountain similar to the one in Santa Barbara. The fountain, as a joint effort of the two cities, symbolizes our lasting friendship.
