Editing Ibara

{{For|other uses of the term|Ibara (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Ibara
| official_name = 
| native_name = {{nobold|{{nobold|{{lang|ja|井原市}}}}}}
| native_name_lang = ja
| settlement_type = [[Cities of Japan|City]]
| other_name = 
<!-- images, nickname, motto -->
| image_skyline = The street in front of Ibara Station.jpg
| imagesize = 
| image_caption = The street in front of Ibara Station
| image_flag = Flag of Ibara, Okayama.svg
| image_seal = Emblem of Ibara, Okayama.svg
| seal_type = Emblem
<!-- maps and coordinates -->
| image_map = Ibara in Okayama Prefecture Ja.svg
| map_alt = 
| map_caption = Location of Ibara in Okayama Prefecture
| pushpin_map = Japan
| pushpin_relief = 
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Japan
| coordinates = {{coord|34|36|N|133|28|E|region:JP|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_footnotes = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
<!-- location -->
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = Japan
| subdivision_type1 = [[List of regions of Japan|Region]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Chūgoku region|Chūgoku]] ([[San'yō region|San'yō]])
| subdivision_type2 = [[Prefectures of Japan|Prefecture]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Okayama Prefecture]]
| subdivision_type3 = [[Districts of Japan|District]]
| subdivision_name3 = 
<!-- established -->
| established_title = <!-- Settled -->
| established_date = 
| extinct_title = Now part of
| extinct_date = 
| founder = 
| named_for = 
<!-- seat, smaller parts -->
| seat_type = <!-- defaults to: Seat -->
| seat = 
<!-- government type, leaders -->
| government_footnotes = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| leader_party = 
| leader_title = Mayor
| leader_name = 
| leader_title1 = Vice Mayor
| leader_name1 = 
<!-- display settings -->
| total_type = <!-- to set a non-standard label for total area and population rows -->
| unit_pref = Metric
<!-- area -->
| area_magnitude = <!-- use only to set a special wikilink -->
| area_footnotes = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| area_total_km2 = 243.54
| area_land_km2 = 
| area_water_km2 = 
| area_water_percent = 
| area_note = 
<!-- elevation -->
| elevation_footnotes = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| elevation_m = 
<!-- population -->
| population_footnotes =  <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| population_total = 37,835
| population_as_of = March 31, 2023
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_est = 
| pop_est_as_of = 
<!-- time zone(s) -->
| timezone1 = [[Japan Standard Time|JST]]
| utc_offset1 = +09:00
<!-- postal codes, area code -->
| postal_code_type = 
| postal_code = 
| area_code_type = <!-- defaults to: Area code(s) -->
| area_code = 
<!-- blank fields (section 1) -->
| blank_name_sec1 = City hall address
| blank_info_sec1 = 311-1 Ibaramachi, Ibara-shi, Okayama-ken 715-8601
<!-- website, footnotes -->
| website = {{Official|http://www.city.ibara.okayama.jp/}}
| footnotes = 
| module = {{Infobox place symbols| embedded=yes
 | tree = [[Pinus thunbergii|Japanese black pine]]
 | flower = [[Sakura]]
 | bird = 
 | butterfly = 
 | fish = 
}}
}}
[[File:Ibara-shi government office.JPG|thumb|270px|right|Ibara City Hall]]
[[File:Ibara city center area Aerial photograph.2018.jpg|thumb|270px|right|Aerial photo of Ibara city center]]
{{nihongo|'''Ibara'''|井原市|Ibara-shi}} is a [[Cities of Japan|city]] located in [[Okayama Prefecture]], [[Japan]]. {{As of|2023|03|31}}, the city had an estimated [[population]] of 37,835 in 16,677 households and a [[population density]] of 160 persons per km<sup>2</sup>.<ref name="Ibara-hp">{{cite web |url=https://www.city.ibara.okayama.jp|title= Ibara city official statistics|location= Japan|language= ja}}</ref> The total area of the city is {{convert|243.54|sqkm|sqmi}}.

==Geography==
Ibara is located in west-central Okayama Prefecture. The Oda River, a tributary of the [[Takahashi River]], flows from north to south from Hiroshima Prefecture, and changes its flow eastward in the center of the city. It forms a basin sandwiched between mountains and hills to the north and south, which is where the main urban concentration of the city is located. The northern part of the city has numerous hamlets villages spread out on a limestone [[karst]] plateau at an elevation of 400 to 500 meters.

===Adjoining municipalities===
[[Hiroshima Prefecture]]
*[[Fukuyama, Hiroshima|Fukiyama]]
*[[Jinsekikōgen, Hiroshima|Jinsekikōgen]]
[[Okayama Prefecture]]
*[[Kasaoka, Okayama|Kasaoka]]
*[[Sōja]]
*[[Takahashi, Okayama|Takahashi]]
*[[Yakage, Okayama|Yakage]]

===Climate===
Ibara has a [[humid subtropical climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''Cfa'') with very warm summers and cool winters.  The average annual temperature in Ibara is 15.1&nbsp;°C. The average annual rainfall is 1289&nbsp;mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.8&nbsp;°C, and lowest in January, at around 4.3&nbsp;°C.<ref>[https://en.climate-data.org/asia/japan/okayama-prefecture/ibara-5302/ Ibara climate data]</ref>

==Demographics==
Per Japanese census data,<ref>[https://www.citypopulation.de/en/japan/okayama/ Ibara  population statistics]</ref> the population of Ibara is as follows.

{{Historical populations
| 1920 | 51283
| 1930 | 52461
| 1940 | 51797
| 1950 | 63290
| 1960 | 60899
| 1970 | 54350
| 1980 | 51669
| 1990 | 49255
| 2000 | 46489
| 2010 | 43936
| align = none
| footnote = 
}}

== History ==
The Ibara area is part of ancient [[Bitchū Province]] and was the site of a ''[[shōen]]'' landed estate ruled by the [[Nasu clan]]. In the [[Muromachi period]], the lord of Ibara-shō, Ise Moritoki, went to [[Suruga Province]] in 1476 to assist his nephew [[Imagawa Ujichika]] succeed to the head of the [[Imagawa clan]]. Ise Moritoki later changed his name to [[Hōjō Sōun]] and seized control of the [[Kanto region]] from his stronghold at [[Odawara Castle]]. During the [[Edo Period]], it was largely divided between the holdings of [[Fukuyama Domain]] and direct territory of the shogunate. Following the [[Meiji restoration]], the area was organized into villages within [[Shitsuki District, Okayama]] with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. Ibara was elevated to town status on February 26, 1896.

The city of Ibara was established on March 30, 1953, from the merger of the three towns of Ibara, Nishiebara, and Takaya and the five villages of Ebara, Kinoko, Kenshu,  Aono,  Yamanoue plus the villages of Itakura and Oe from [[Oda District, Okayama]]. (Akaiwa)|Yoshii]] (all from [[Akaiwa District, Okayama|Akaiwa District]]).{{Citation needed|reason=reliable source needed for the whole section|date=September 2010}} 

On March 1, 2005, the town of [[Yoshii, Okayama (Shitsuki)|Yoshii]] (from [[Shitsuki District, Okayama|Shitsuki District]]), and the town of [[Bisei, Okayama|Bisei]] (from [[Oda District, Okayama|Oda District]]) were merged into Ibara. {{Citation needed|reason=reliable source needed for the whole section|date=September 2010}}

==Government==
Ibara has a [[mayor-council]] form of government with a directly elected mayor and a [[unicameral]] city council of 18 members.<ref name="Ibara-hp2">{{cite web |url=https://www.city.ibara.okayama.jp/gikai/|title= Ibara city council official home page|location= Japan|language= ja}}</ref> Ibara, together with the municipalities of [[Oda District, Okayama|Oda District]],  contributes two members to the Okayama Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of the Okayama 3rd district of the [[House of Representatives of Japan|lower house]] of the [[Diet of Japan]].

==Economy==
Then economy of Ibara is primarily based on light industry. Textiles, automobile parts, electronic parts, food container manufacturing, mining, are major contributors. Ihara Seiki, an automobile parts manufacturer, is headquartered in Ibara.

==Education==
Ibara has 13 public elementary schools,  five public junior high schools and one public high school operated by the city government, and one public high school operated by the Okayama Prefectural Board of Education. There is also one private high school.

== Transportation ==
=== Railway ===
[[File:Ibara Railway logo.gif|20px]] [[Ibara Railway Company]] - [[Ibara Line]]
* {{STN|Sōunnosato-Ebara|x}} - {{STN|Ibara|x}} - {{STN|Izue|x}} - {{STN|Komoriutanosato-Takaya|x}}

=== Highways ===
* [[File:JP Expressway E2.svg|25px|link=|alt=]] [[San'yō Expressway]]
* {{jct|country=JPN|Route|313}}
* {{jct|country=JPN|Route|486}}

==Sister cities==
Ibara is [[Twin towns and sister cities|twinned]] with:
* {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Uozu, Toyama]], Japan (1982)
* {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Ōtawara, Tochigi]], Japan (1984)

==Local attractions==
*Bisei Astronomical Observatory
*Chūsei Yumegahara, a theme park with a faux medieval mountain village and handicraft shops.
*Denchū Art Museum, centered on the works of sculptor [[Hirakushi Denchū]] (1872–1979), who was born in Nishiebara (now part of Ibara)

==Notable people from Ibara==
*[[Kanzō Uchiyama]], Christian intellectual 

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikivoyage}}
* {{Commons category-inline}}
* [http://www.city.ibara.okayama.jp Ibara City official website] {{in lang|ja}}

{{Okayama}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Okayama Prefecture]]
[[Category:Ibara, Okayama]]