| Shirone | |||
| Native Name Lang: | ja | ||
| Settlement Type: | Former municipality | ||
| Pushpin Map: | Japan | ||
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Japan | ||
| Subdivision Type: | Country | ||
| Subdivision Name: | Japan | ||
| Subdivision Type1: | Region | ||
| Subdivision Name1: | Hokuriku | ||
| Subdivision Type2: | Prefecture | ||
| Subdivision Name2: | Niigata Prefecture | ||
| Subdivision Type3: | District | ||
| Extinct Title: | Merged | ||
| Extinct Date: | March 21, 2005 (now part of Niigata) | ||
| Leader Title: | Mayor | ||
| Leader Title1: | Vice Mayor | ||
| Unit Pref: | Metric | ||
| Area Total Km2: | 77.06 | ||
| Population Total: | 39,737 | ||
| Population As Of: | 2005 | ||
| Timezone1: | JST | ||
| Utc Offset1: | +09:00 | ||
| Blank Name Sec1: | City hall address | ||
| Module: |
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was a city located in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. The city was founded on June 1, 1959.
As of 2003, the city had an estimated population of 39,966 and density of . The total area was .
On March 21, 2005, Shirone, along with the cities of Niitsu and Toyosaka, the towns of Kameda, Kosudo and Yokogoshi (all from Nakakanbara District), the town of Nishikawa, and the villages of Ajikata, Iwamuro, Katahigashi, Nakanokuchi and Tsukigata (all from Nishikanbara District), was merged into the expanded city of Niigata.[1] As of April 1, 2007, the area is now part of Minami-ku ward.
In June every year, Shirone hosts the week-long Giant Kite Festival (takomatsuri). Opposing teams formed by residents battle across the Nakanoguchi River using giants kites. The kites are hand made and painted by the team members for the duration of the preceding year. Each kite measures about and typically sports a portrait of a samurai, local figure, or mascot signifying the area or team sponsor. Each team lines their side of the river and runs the kite into flight. Once airborne, the kites are carried by the wind and the hand-made lines are invariably tangled. This is due to the prevailing wind direction in June and the particular course of the river. The teams then engage in a tug of war until the ropes break—the winning team being the team that pulls over more of the opponent's rope.