It forms a basin sandwiched between mountains and hills to the north and south, which is where the main urban concentration of the city is located.

The northern part of the city has numerous hamlets villages spread out on a limestone karst plateau at an elevation of 400 to 500 meters.

The Ibara area is part of ancient Bitchū Province and was the site of a shōen landed estate ruled by the Nasu clan.

Ise Moritoki later changed his name to Hōjō Sōun and seized control of the Kanto region from his stronghold at Odawara Castle.

Following the Meiji restoration, the area was organized into villages within Shitsuki District, Okayama with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889.

[citation needed] Ibara has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 18 members.