Shibata, Castle town at Niigata Prefecture coast, Japan
Shibata is a coastal town in Niigata Prefecture, set between the Echigo Plain and the Sea of Japan. The landscape shifts from flat rice paddies near the shore to forested hills inland, crossed by rivers such as the Kajikawa and Kushibiki.
The settlement grew in the 16th century around a fortress controlled by successive samurai families. During the Edo period, the town became a regional administrative seat and retained this role through the modern reorganization of the 19th century.
The town takes its name from the fortress on the Kushibiki River, now preserved as a public park with moats and stone walls. Locals visit the grounds for walking beneath the cherry trees and picnicking on the lawns along the old ramparts.
Rail travelers reach the town via the Uetsu Main Line with connections to Niigata to the south and Akita to the north. The town is compact enough to explore on foot or by bicycle, with most points of interest in the center or along the rivers.
The Kushibiki riverbed runs directly through the town center and transforms into a resting spot for swans flying in from Siberia during winter. Farmers on the outskirts still maintain small shrines in the rice paddies to pray for good harvests.
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