 The 1 April 2003 merger with Shimizu City (current Shimizu Ward) greatly expanded the area and population of Shizuoka, which then became a designated city on 1 April 2005, and was divided into three wards.Despite being somewhat geographically isolated from the rest of the city, the town of Kanbara (from Haibara District) was merged into Shizuoka on 31 March 2006, becoming part of Shimizu Ward.On 1 November 2008, the town of Yui (also from Haibara District) was also merged into Shimizu Ward.