Shibata, Niigata

Shibata 新発田市
City
Clockwise from top: Shibata Castle, Shimizuen garden, Zoni, Tsukiokaonsen, JGSDF Camp Shibata, Kingyo Daiwa
Sakura
• Flower	Iris
Phone number	0254-22-3030
Address	3-3-3 Chūōchō, Shibata-shi, Niigata-ken 957-8686
Website	Official website

Shibata (新発田市, Shibata-shi) is a city in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 December 2020^[update], the city had an estimated population of 96,236 in 37,017 households,^[1] and a population density of 179 persons per km². The total area of the city was 533.10 square kilometres (205.83 sq mi).^[2]

Geography

Shibata is located in a mostly inland region of north-central Niigata Prefecture on the northern end of the Echigo Plain, with a small shoreline of the Sea of Japan.

Surrounding municipalities

• Niigata Prefecture
  • Kita-ku, Niigata
  • Agano
  • Tainai
  • Aga
  • Seiro
• Fukushima Prefecture
  • Kitakata
• Yamagata Prefecture
  • Oguni

Climate

Shibata has a Humid climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm, wet summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Shibata is 13.0 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1920 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.2 °C, and lowest in January, at around 1.2 °C.^[3]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,^[4] the population of Shibata peaked around the year 2000 and has been in decline since then.

History

The area of present-day Shibata was part of ancient

The economy of Shibata is dominated by the agricultural sector, with rice as the primary crop. Industries include sake brewing and plastics components production.

Education

Shibata has 19 public elementary schools and 10 public junior high schools operated by the city government. The city has seven public high schools operated by the Niigata Prefectural Board of Education, and the prefecture also operates one special education school for the handicapped. Keiwa College is also located in Shibata.

Transportation

Railway

• Tsukioka - Nakaura - Shibata - Kaji - Kanazuka

• Sasaki - Nishi-Shibata - Shibata

Highway

• Nihonkai-Tōhoku Expressway
• National Route 7
• National Route 113
• National Route 290
• National Route 460

Sister city relations

• - Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea^[5] (friendship city)
• - St. James, Missouri, US^[5]
• - Orange City, Iowa, US^[5]

Local attractions

• Shibata Castle (新発田城, Shibata-jō) is the main visitor attraction and provide the backdrop to the spring cherry blossom viewing parties.
• Shimizuen (清水園) Garden
• Ijimino Park (五十公野公園, Ijimino kōen).
• Tsukioka Onsen (月岡温泉) hot spring

• 
  Shimizuen garden
• 
  Tsukioka Onsen

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Shibata, Niigata.

• Shibata travel guide from Wikivoyage
• Official Website (in Japanese)