| Ishioka | |
| Native Name Lang: | ja |
| Settlement Type: | City |
| Pushpin Map: | Japan |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | |
| Coordinates: | 36.1908°N 140.2872°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Japan |
| Subdivision Type1: | Region |
| Subdivision Name1: | Kantō |
| Subdivision Type2: | Prefecture |
| Subdivision Name2: | Ibaraki |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Yōji Yajima (from April 2020) |
| Area Total Km2: | 215.53 |
| Population Total: | 70,124 |
| Population As Of: | January 2024 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Timezone1: | Japan Standard Time |
| Utc Offset1: | +9 |
| Blank Name Sec1: | City Symbols |
| Blank1 Name Sec1: | - Tree |
| Blank1 Info Sec1: | Castanopsis |
| Blank2 Name Sec1: | - Flower |
| Blank2 Info Sec1: | Lilium |
| Blank3 Name Sec1: | - Bird |
| Blank3 Info Sec1: | Eurasian skylark |
| Blank Name Sec2: | Phone number |
| Blank Info Sec2: | 0299-23-1111 |
| Blank1 Name Sec2: | Address |
| Blank1 Info Sec2: | 1-1-1 Ishioka, Ishioka-shi, Ibakaki-ken 315-8640 |
right|thumb|260px|Ishioka City Hall is a city located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan., the city had an estimated population of 70,124 in 28,892 households and a population density of 325 persons per km2. The percentage of the population aged over 65 was 33.5%.[1] The total area of the city is 215.53sqkm.
Ishioka is located in central Ibaraki Prefecture, approximately 70 kilometers north of central Tokyo. It is bordered by Lake Kasumigaura to the south and by mountains on all other sides. The urban area of the city is in the east.
Ibaraki Prefecture
Ishioka has a Humid continental climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light snowfall. The average annual temperature in Ishioka is 13.8 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1331 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.8 °C, and lowest in January, at around 2.8 °C.[2]
Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Ishioka peaked around the year 2000 and has declined since.
During the Nara period, the provincial capital of Hitachi Province was located in what is now part of the city of Ishioka. The area was known as, or simply as “Fuchū” for most of history and developed as a castle town during the Edo period for Hitachi-Fuchū Domain. The domain was renamed “Ishioka Domain” in 1869. With the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889 after the Meiji restoration, the town of Ishioka was created. Much of the town was destroyed in a fire on March 14, 1929.
Ishioka was raised to city status on February 11, 1954. The new city annexed the neighboring villages of Mi and Sekigawa on December 1, 1954. On October 1, 2005, the town of Yasato (from Niihari District) was merged into Ishioka.
Ishioka has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 22 members. Ishioka contributes two members to the Ibaraki Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Ibaraki 1st district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
Ishioka has a diverse economy. Agriculture includes lotus roots, which are cultivated around Lake Kasumigaura, tobacco, and horticulture, such as persimmons, mandarin oranges, and strawberries cultivated at the foot of Mount Tsukuba. In addition, the countryside is one of the leading rice areas in Ibaraki prefecture. Pig farming, chicken farming, and dairy farming are also major agricultural contributors. The city has an industrial park, with factories owned by Panasonic and Toyo Seikan, among others. Sake brewing is a traditional local industry, as is the manufacturing of incense sticks.
Ishioka has 17 public elementary schools, eight public middle schools operated by the city government, and three public high schools operated by the Ibaraki Prefectural Board of Education. There is also one private middle school and one private high school.