Shibata City: Features, Popular Tourist Attractions, Gourmet

Shibata City, Niigata Prefecture is a castle town facing the Sea of Japan. During the Edo period, it flourished as a castle town for the Shibata clan, and many historical buildings still remain today, such as Shibata Castle and Shimizuen. The area is also attractive for its rich natural surroundings, such as Tsukioka Onsen and Fujitsukahama Beach.

Shibata City has many historical tourist spots. Shibata Castle is a castle built over 400 years ago. It is especially popular during the cherry blossom season. Shimizu-en is the garden of the former Shibata clan mansion, and is a Japanese garden with extremely beautiful views of the four seasons. There are also other places where you can experience Japanese history and culture, such as the Ichijima residence and Zoshunkaku.

Shibata City is also attractive for its white sandy green pine coast facing the Sea of Japan and its rich natural environment surrounded by mountains. You can also enjoy Japan’s nature to the fullest at tourist spots such as Tsukioka Onsen, Fujitsukahama Beach, and the Iide Mountains.

There are also plenty of gourmet foods unique to Shibata City. Local dishes that represent Shibata City include Sasazushi, Aku Sasamaki, Walnut Futomaki, and Tsukioka Onsen boiled tofu. Shibata Ramen, a local ramen, is also popular. Shibata ramen is a ramen with a rich pork bone-based soup, thin noodles, and chashu pork.