As of 30 September 2016[update], the town has an estimated population of 9,231, and a population density of 51 persons per km². The total area is 180.54 km².[1]
The name of the town was derived from the nearby Lake Tōya (Tōya-ko).
G8 summit
On April 23, 2007, the town and its surrounding area was announced as the site of the 2008 summer G8 summit. Japan's former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reportedly chose the area because of its proximity to many famous sightseeing grounds, such as Lake Tōya and Tōyako Onsen.[2]
The volcanic crater of Mount Usu, with Tōyako on the left
