Ishibe, Shiga

Ishibe (石部町, Ishibe-chō) was a town located in Kōka District, Shiga Prefecture, Japan.

Ishibe 石部町
Town
A street in Ishibe
Flag Emblem
Location of Ishibe in Shiga
Country	Japan
Region	Kansai
Prefecture	Shiga
Area
• Total	13.33 km2 (5.15 sq mi)
Population  (2003)
• Total	12,418
• Density	931.58/km2 (2,412.8/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)

On October 1, 2004, Ishibe, along with the town of Kōsei (also from Kōka District), was merged to create the city of Konan. An NSK Bearings plant is located here.

Demographics

As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 12,418 and a density of 931.58 persons per km². The total area was 13.33 km²

History

Edo period artwork of Ishibe-juku

During the Edo period, one of the 53 Stations of Tōkaidō road was found in the town, called Ishibe-juku. These post stations, or Shukuba, allowed travellers to rest on their journey and present their travelling permits.