Shibata, Miyagi

Shibata (柴田町, Shibata-machi) is a town located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 March 2020, the town had an estimated population of 37,617, and a population density of 700 persons per km² in 15,590 households.[1] The total area of the town is 54.03 square kilometres (20.86 sq mi).

Shibata

柴田町
Town
Shibata Town Office
Flag
Seal
Location of Shibata in Miyagi Prefecture
Shibata
 
Coordinates: 38°03′23.7″N 140°45′57.0″E
CountryJapan
RegionTōhoku
PrefectureMiyagi
DistrictShibata
Area
 • Total54.03 km2 (20.86 sq mi)
Population
 (May 31, 2020)
 • Total37,617
 • Density700/km2 (1,800/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
- TreeMomi Fir
- FlowerSakura
- BirdPheasant
Phone number0224-55-2111
Address2-3-45 Funaoka-chuo, Shibata-machi, Shibata-gun, Miyagi-ken 989-1692
WebsiteOfficial website
View of Funaoka

Geography

Shibata is located in south-central Miyagi Prefecture in the Tōhoku region of northern Japan. The Abukuma River runs through the town.

Neighboring municipalities

Miyagi Prefecture

Climate

Shibata has a humid climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) characterized by mild summers and cold winters. The average annual temperature in Shibata is 12.5 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1263 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 24.9 °C, and lowest in January, at around 1.4 °C.[2]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Shibata has steadily increased over the past 40 years.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 11,096—    
1930 12,218+10.1%
1940 14,386+17.7%
1950 22,682+57.7%
1960 23,515+3.7%
1970 26,388+12.2%
1980 32,106+21.7%
1990 37,315+16.2%
2000 39,485+5.8%
2010 39,341−0.4%

History

The area of present-day Shibata was part of ancient Mutsu Province, and was part of the holdings of Sendai Domain under the Edo period Tokugawa shogunate. The villages of Funaoka and Tsukinoki were established on April 1, 1889 with the establishment of the post-Meiji restoration modern municipalities system. Tsukioki was promoted to town status on April 1, 1904 and Funaoki on November 3, 1941. The two towns merged to form Shibata on April 1, 1956.

Government

Shibata has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 18 members. Shibata, together with the rest of Shibata District, collectively contributes two seats to the Miyagi Prefectural legislature. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Miyagi 3rd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

The economy of Shibata is largely based on agriculture.

Education
  • Sendai University
  • Shibata has six public elementary schools and three public middle schools operated by the town government, and one public high school operated by the Miyagi Prefectural Board of Education. The prefecture also operates one special education school for the handicapped.

Transportation

Railway

East Japan Railway Company (JR East) - Tōhoku Main Line

AbukumaExpress - Abukuma Express Line

Highway

Local attractions
  • Site of Funaoka Castle

Sister city relations

References
  1. Shibata town official statistics (in Japanese)
  2. Shibata climate data
  3. Shibata population statistics
  4. "International Exchange". List of Affiliation Partners within Prefectures. Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR). Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 21 November 2015.

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