Located in central Ibaraki Prefecture, south of prefectural capital of Mito, Ibaraki is located in the flatlands near the Pacific Ocean, and almost encompasses Lake Hinuma, the 30th largest body of freshwater in Japan.
Ibaraki has a humid continental climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cold winters with light snowfall. The average annual temperature in Ibaraki is 13.9 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1367 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.7 °C, and lowest in January, at around 3.1 °C.[2]
Demographics
Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Ibaraki has remained relatively steadily for the past 40 years.
Historical population
Year
Pop.
±%
1950
31,639
—
1960
30,845
−2.5%
1970
29,956
−2.9%
1980
32,901
+9.8%
1990
35,651
+8.4%
2000
35,296
−1.0%
2010
34,513
−2.2%
2020
31,401
−9.0%
History
The villages of Nagaoka, Kawane, Kaminoai and Ishizaki were created within Higashiibaraki District and the village of Numasaki was created within Kashima District with the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. Nagaoka was elevated to town status on February 11, 1955 and merged with Kawane and Kaminoai to form the town of Ibaraki the same day. Ibaraki annexed neighboring Ishizaki on March 5, 1958. The town was set to merge with Mito, on December 8, 2007, but following the election of a new mayor in April 2007, these plans were abandoned.
Government
Ibaraki has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 16 members. Ibaraki, together with neighboring Hokota and Ōarai, contributes two members to the Ibaraki Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Ibaraki 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
Economy
The economy of Ibaraki is primarily agricultural.
Education
Ibaraki has four public elementary schools and two public middle schools operated by the town government, and one public high school operated by the Ibaraki Prefectural Board of Education.
Transportation
Railway
Ibaraki does not have any passenger train service.
