Shibata, Miyagi Prefecture, Tōhoku Region, Japan

🇯🇵 Shibata (柴田町) is a town located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.

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 • Iwanuma • Kakuda • Natori • Ōgawara • Murata • Watari.

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 Funaoka 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.

Transport: Rail East Japan Railway Company (JR East) - Tōhoku Main Line • Funaoka - Tsukinoki

AbukumaExpress - Abukuma Express Line • Tsukinoki - Higashi-Funaoka.

Transport: Road • National Route 4 • National Route 349.

Local attractions • Site of Funaoka Castle.