is a

city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...

located in the south-central portion of

Gifu Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Gifu Prefecture has a population of 1,991,390 () and has a geographic area of . Gifu Prefecture borders Toyama Prefecture to the north; Ishikawa Prefecture to the northwest, ...

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...

, and serves as the prefectural capital. The city has played an important role in Japan's history because of its location in the middle of the country. During the

Sengoku period The was a period in History of Japan, Japanese history of near-constant civil war and social upheaval from 1467 to 1615. The Sengoku period was initiated by the Ōnin War in 1467 which collapsed the Feudalism, feudal system of Japan under the ...

, various warlords, including

Oda Nobunaga was a Japanese ''daimyō'' and one of the leading figures of the Sengoku period. He is regarded as the first "Great Unifier" of Japan. Nobunaga was head of the very powerful Oda clan, and launched a war against other ''daimyō'' to unify ...

, used the area as a base in an attempt to unify and control Japan. Gifu continued to flourish even after Japan's unification as both an important ''

shukuba were post stations during the Edo period in Japan, generally located on one of the Edo Five Routes or one of its sub-routes. They were also called ''shuku-eki'' (宿駅). These post stations (or "post towns") were places where travelers could ...

'' along the

Edo period The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was character ...

Nakasendō The , also called the ,Richard Lane, ''Images from the Floating World'' (1978) Chartwell, Secaucus ; pg. 285 was one of the five routes of the Edo period, and one of the two that connected Edo (modern-day Tokyo) to Kyoto in Japan. There were 69 ...

Nakasendo to Shukuba-machi
Gifu City Hall. Accessed September 9, 2007. and, later, as one of Japan's fashion centers. It has been designated a

core city In urban planning, a core city, principal city metropolitan core, or central city, is the largest or most important city or cities of a metropolitan area. A core city is surrounded by smaller satellite cities, towns, and suburbs. A central city ...

by the national government.

Overview

Located on the

alluvial plain An alluvial plain is a largely flat landform created by the deposition of sediment over a long period of time by one or more rivers coming from highland regions, from which alluvial soil forms. A floodplain is part of the process, being the smal ...

of the

Nagara River The has its source in the city of Gujō, Gifu Prefecture, and its mouth in the city of Kuwana, Mie Prefecture, Japan. Along with the Kiso River and Ibi River, the Nagara River is one of the Kiso Three Rivers of the Nōbi Plain. Previously, t ...

, Gifu has taken advantage of the surrounding natural resources to create both traditional industries (including ''

Mino washi is a type of Japanese paper created in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Washi is made from the paper mulberry which is a plant that grows in the city of Mino. In 1985, it was designated a Traditional Craft by the Ministry of International Trade and Ind ...

'' and agriculture) and tourism opportunities such as cormorant fishing. Mount Kinka, one of the city's major symbols, is home to a nationally designated forest and

Gifu Castle is a Japanese castle located in the city of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Along with Mount Kinka and the Nagara River, it is one of the main symbols of the city. The castle is also known as . It was designated a National Historic Site in 201 ...

, a replica of Nobunaga's former castle. Gifu also hosts many festivals and events throughout the year. Two major rail lines connect Gifu to Japan's national and international transportation infrastructure.

JR Central is the main railway company operating in the Chūbu (Nagoya) region of central Japan. It is officially abbreviated in English as JR Central and in Japanese as JR Tōkai ( ja, JR東海, links=no). ''Tōkai'' is a reference to the geographical r ...

Tōkaidō Main Line The is a major Japanese railway line of the Japan Railways Group (JR Group) network, connecting and stations. It is long, not counting its many freight feeder lines around the major cities. The high-speed Tōkaidō Shinkansen largely parallel ...

runs through the city, connecting it with

Nagoya is the largest city in the Chūbu region, the fourth-most populous city and third most populous urban area in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020. Located on the Pacific coast in central Honshu, it is the capital and the most po ...

, one of Japan's largest cities, and the surrounding area. The city has a direct train route to

Chubu Centrair International Airport is an international airport on an artificial island in Ise Bay, Tokoname City in Aichi Prefecture, south of Nagoya in central Japan. Centrair is classified as a first class airport and is the main international gateway for the Chubu ("ce ...

and facilities capable of hosting international events. Gifu has active relationships with six sister cities. , the city has an estimated population of 401,534 in 178,246 households, and a

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

of about . The total area of the city was .

Cityscape

File:Gifu station.jpg,

Gifu Station is a railway station in the heart of the city of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan, operated by Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central). Lines Gifu Station is served by the JR Central Tōkaidō Main Line, and is located 396.3 kilometers from th ...

（2021） File:Meitetsu Gifu Station2021.jpg, Meitetsu Gifu Station（2021） File:Views of Gifu city from Gifu City Tower 43 - 2022 Jan 3.webm, Various Gifu city views seen from Gifu City Tower 43 (2022) File:Central Business District of Gifu City2022.jpg, CBD of Gifu viewed from

File:Yanagase03.jpg, Yanagase area (2020) File:Gifu Family Park Adventure 04.JPG, Gifu Family Park（2009）

Geography

The city of Gifu is located in the southern portion of the prefecture and is on the northern edge of the

Nōbi Plain The is a large plain in Japan that stretches from the Mino area of southwest Gifu Prefecture to the Owari area of northwest Aichi Prefecture, covering an area of approximately .

. It is also the main city of the Gifu region of the prefecture. Much of Gifu's land area has been gained as the result of mergers, but the city's size grew the most through mergers with the neighboring towns of Kanō (in 1940) and Yanaizu (in 2006). As a result, Gifu's geography is very diverse, ranging from the built-up city center to

persimmon The persimmon is the edible fruit of a number of species of trees in the genus '' Diospyros''. The most widely cultivated of these is the Oriental persimmon, ''Diospyros kaki'' ''Diospyros'' is in the family Ebenaceae, and a number of non-per ...

orchards and

strawberry The garden strawberry (or simply strawberry; ''Fragaria × ananassa'') is a widely grown hybrid species of the genus '' Fragaria'', collectively known as the strawberries, which are cultivated worldwide for their fruit. The fruit is widely ap ...

patches in the outlying areas.''Gifu City: Where History and Culture Still Thrive''. Gifu City Tourism Convention Division, 2007]. The northern part of the city is bordered by tree-covered mountains, whereas most of the city center is spread throughout the southern part. The Nagara River cuts the city in half, running from the northeast to the southwest. Much of the city is part of the Nagara River's

and an environmental conservation district. Because of the formation of the river, the area is prone to flooding when

typhoon A typhoon is a mature tropical cyclone that develops between 180° and 100°E in the Northern Hemisphere. This region is referred to as the Northwestern Pacific Basin, and is the most active tropical cyclone basin on Earth, accounting for a ...

s or heavy thunderstorms occur; however, dykes and levies have been built to control the excess water. The rich soil of the area is prime farmland; as of 2005, 6,731 farms were operating on .

Climate

Gifu experiences a wide range of weather throughout the year, but in general is characterized by hot and humid summers, and mild winters (

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...

''Cfa''). The average annual temperature in Gifu is 15.5 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1799 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August and lowest in January. Gifu recorded a record high of 38.8 °C on August 16, 2007 and record low of minus 14.3 °C on January 24, 1927.

Surrounding municipalities

;

Ōgaki Ōgaki Castle is a city located in Gifu, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 161,539, and a population density of 782 persons per km2 in 65,931 households. The total area of the city was . Ōgaki was the final destination for the h ...

* Motosu * Seki * Yamagata *

Mizuho Mizuho () literally means "abundant rice" in Japanese and "harvest" in the figurative sense. It was also an ancient name of Japan. It might refer to: Places * Mizuho, Gifu, a city in Gifu * Mizuho, Tokyo, a town in Tokyo * Mizuho Plateau in An ...

* Hashima *

Kakamigahara is a city located in southern Gifu Prefecture in Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 148,225, and a population density of 1700 persons per km2, in 59,736 households. The total area of the city was . Situated in the northern part o ...

* Kasamatsu * Ginan * Kitagata

Demographics

When Gifu was founded in 1889, it was a small city that experienced moderate growth as Japan industrialized at the beginning of the century. During Japan's military buildup in the 1930s, the city became an industrial center and experienced exponential growth. Gifu remained prosperous in the post-war years, until its population started to decline like many Japanese cities in the 1980s and '90s. Though the city has shown a large increase in population in recent years, this trend results largely from the inclusion, for the first time, of the population of Yanaizu, which added about 13,000 people to Gifu's numbers. Foreign residents of the city, who number over 9,000, also factor into this growth. Shortly after this change, however, the city's economic revival strengthened and the population began to show a true increase, although this has reversed in recent decades. Gifu's estimated population, as of July 2011, is 412,895. The gender breakdown is 196,762 males and 216,133 females, with a total of 162,060 households within the city limits. Similar to many areas in Japan, the percentage of senior citizens over 65 years of age is approximately 21.67%, compared to only 14.13% of the population younger than 15.Population Statistics
Gifu City Hall. Accessed January 16, 2008. This is comparable to the population of the prefecture and of

as a whole. In the prefecture, 22.1% of the population is over 65 and 14.4% of the population is less than 15 years old.Statistics Division of Gifu Prefecture
Gifu Prefecture. Accessed November 2, 2007. Throughout Japan, only 21% are over the age of 65 and 13.6% are younger than 15 as of 2008.
The New York Times. Accessed January 17, 2008. The average age of city residents is 43.37.

History

Two archaeological sites in the city of Gifu have shown that the area around modern-day Gifu has had residents since pre-history''Gifu in the Heart of Japan''. Harry Hill, 1988. because of Gifu's location in the fertile

Nōbi Plain The is a large plain in Japan that stretches from the Mino area of southwest Gifu Prefecture to the Owari area of northwest Aichi Prefecture, covering an area of approximately .

. The Ryomonji and Kotozuka sites have produced large burial mounds that are representative of the late-

Yayoi period The started at the beginning of the Neolithic in Japan, continued through the Bronze Age, and towards its end crossed into the Iron Age. Since the 1980s, scholars have argued that a period previously classified as a transition from the Jōm ...

, which is when rice cultivation began in Japan. As civilization in Japan grew, permanent settlements began to appear and, eventually, the village of Inokuchi was established, which would eventually become the modern city of Gifu.

Sengoku period

"Control Gifu and you control Japan"''Instant Gifu''. Gifu International Center, 1995. was a common phrase during the

(15th to 17th century), since Gifu's central location in Japan made it a desirable location for those trying to unify the country. For over 200 years, the

Mino Province was a province of Japan in the area of Japan that is today southern Gifu Prefecture. Mino was bordered by Ōmi to the west, Echizen and Hida to the north, and Shinano to the east, and Ise, Mikawa, and Owari to the south. Its abbreviat ...

(including the present-day city of Gifu) was under control of the

Toki clan The is a Japanese kin group. Papinot, Jacques Edmond Joseph. (1906). ''Dictionnaire d’histoire et de géographie du Japon''; Papinot, (2003)"Toki," ''Nobiliare du Japon'', p. 61 retrieved 2013-5-9. History The Toki claim descent from Minamot ...

, a powerful regional clan.Toki clan
Sengoku Expo. Accessed July 4, 2007. However, during the Sengoku period,

Saitō Dōsan , also known as Saitō Toshimasa (斎藤利政), was a Japanese samurai during the Sengoku period. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"Saitō Dōsan"in ''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 809. He was also known as the for his ruthless tactics. His hono ...

, a Toki vassal, rebelled against his clan and took control of Mino Province in 1542 and built Inabayama Castle atop Mount Inaba, from which he began his quest to unify Japan. During Dōsan's reign, his daughter

Nōhime , also known as Kichō (帰蝶), was the legal wife of Oda Nobunaga, a major ''daimyō'' during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. Her proper name was Kichō, but since she came from Mino Province, she is most commonly referred to as Nōhime ...

married Oda Nobunaga, the heir of the fast rising clan in the neighboring

Owari Province was a province of Japan in the area that today forms the western half of Aichi Prefecture, including the modern city of Nagoya. The province was created in 646. Owari bordered on Mikawa, Mino, and Ise Provinces. Owari and Mino provinces were ...

, with the hopes of an alliance of the two families' would present a powerful front against their competitors. However, it would be Nobunaga that eventually absorbed Dōsan's

Saitō clan The was a Japanese samurai clan that ruled Mino province in the Sengoku period. The clan appropriated the name of a defunct samurai clan named "Saitō" that had previously hailed from Echizen province and claimed descent from Fujiwara Toshih ...

in the mid-sixteenth century, as Dōsan had done to his retainer.Sengoku Bushō Retsuden 12: Saitō Dōsan
. Accessed September 20, 2007. It was during Nobunaga's reign of power that the area finally received its modern name. After consulting with a Buddhist priest, Nobunaga renamed the village and the surrounding Mino Province to Gifu in 1567.Stone ledger in front of Kashimori Shrine. Erected by Kashimori Shrine. He took the first character (岐 ''gi'') from Qishan (岐山), the legendary mountain from which most of ancient China was unified. The second character (阜 ''fu'') means "base of the mountain" and comes from

Qufu Qufu ( ; ) is a city in southwestern Shandong province, East China. It is located about south of the provincial capital Jinan and northeast of the prefectural seat at Jining. Qufu has an area of 815 square kilometers, and a total population of ...

(曲阜), the birthplace of

Confucius Confucius ( ; zh, s=, p=Kǒng Fūzǐ, "Master Kǒng"; or commonly zh, s=, p=Kǒngzǐ, labels=no; – ) was a Chinese philosopher and politician of the Spring and Autumn period who is traditionally considered the paragon of Chinese sages. C ...

.Gifu tour guide – Outline of Gifu Prefecture
. Gifu Prefecture Tourist Federation. Accessed September 9, 2007. Though he was not originally from the area, Nobunaga chose to use Dōsan's castle and mountain as his base of operations, which he renamed

and Mount Kinka, respectively. In 1586, the Tenshō earthquake with an estimated magnitude of 7.9 affected the region, killing several thousand people. Gifu's economy grew immensely during this period, primarily due to its location at the center of Nobunaga's expanding empire. Additionally, Nobunaga established Rakuichi Rakuza (楽市楽座), a free market for his citizens to use, in direct response to the commercial monopoly of the area's temples and shrines. The liveliness of the town caused Luís Fróis, a Portuguese Jesuit Missionary and guest of Nobunaga, to describe Gifu as a "bustling Babylon".

Edo and Meiji periods

Following the death of Nobunaga, Gifu's growth continued through the

with the establishment of the

as one of Tokugawa's five routes. Although the route did not pass directly through Gifu, the nearby post towns of

Kanō-juku was the fifty-third of the was the fifty-eighth of the sixty-nine stations of the Nakasendō connecting Edo with Kyoto in Edo period Japan. It is located in former Mino Province in what is now part of the city of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan.

and Gōdo-juku provided traffic and were later amalgamated into the modern city of Gifu. The area continued to prosper once Gifu became a central location along the Nakasendō. gifuearthquake

In the middle of the

Meiji period The is an era of Japanese history that extended from October 23, 1868 to July 30, 1912. The Meiji era was the first half of the Empire of Japan, when the Japanese people moved from being an isolated feudal society at risk of colonization ...

, Gifu was officially established as a city on July 1, 1889, with an original population of 25,750 people and an area of 10 km².''Gifu-shi no Ayumi (Outline of Gifu City 2005)''. Gifu City Hall, April 2005. On October 28, 1891, two years later, the Mino–Owari earthquake occurred, estimated at 8 magnitude on the

Richter Scale The Richter scale —also called the Richter magnitude scale, Richter's magnitude scale, and the Gutenberg–Richter scale—is a measure of the strength of earthquakes, developed by Charles Francis Richter and presented in his landmark 1935 ...

.Mino Earthquake
Tokyo Science Museum. Accessed July 5, 2007. About 37% of the city was lost to fire, resulting in 1,505 casualties (245 dead, 1,260 injured) and 6,336 buildings affected (3,993 of which were completely destroyed).''Outline of Gifu City 2007''. Gifu City Hall, April 2007. As a result, Gifu erected the first Earthquake Memorial Hall in all of Japan, which holds memorial services for the victims on the 28th of every month. Gifu recovered from the earthquake damage by the end of the Meiji period, and by 1911 was prosperous enough to establish a municipal street car service throughout the city.

World War II

In 1940, Gifu absorbed the former post town of Kanō, greatly increasing its land area. Kanō had many traditional industries, which helped improve Gifu's overall industrial strength. With the neighboring city of

serving as an aeronautics center for Japan, Gifu was a large industrial center during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, including a downtown manufacturing sector.Crew 3's Account of Gifu Mission
39th Bomb Group Association. Accessed July 13, 2007. As a result, Gifu was the target of heavy

firebombing Firebombing is a bombing technique designed to damage a target, generally an urban area, through the use of fire, caused by incendiary devices, rather than from the blast effect of large bombs. In popular usage, any act in which an incendiary d ...

by the

United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

, culminating in the Gifu Air Raid of July 9, 1945, which resulted in 1,383 casualties (863 dead, 520 injured) and 20,426 buildings affected. Gifu commemorates these events each year on July 9, with the ringing of the Peace Bell at each temple within the city. Its sister cities also take part in these events. During World War II, Gifu also served as the base for the creation of Japan's

fire balloon An incendiary balloon (or balloon bomb) is a balloon inflated with a lighter-than-air gas such as hot air, hydrogen, or helium, that has a bomb, incendiary device, or Molotov cocktail attached. The balloon is carried by the prevailing winds t ...

s. These paper-based, bomb-carrying hot air balloons were used in a failed attempt to cause havoc on American soil. Local high school girls made these fire balloons out of ''

'' (a thin but strong Japanese paper) and '' konnyaku'' paste.Weather of the Empire
Togo Tsukuhara, Kobe University. Accessed June 13, 2007. Originally, rubberized silk was used to help these bombs use the newly discovered

jet stream Jet streams are fast flowing, narrow, meandering air currents in the atmospheres of some planets, including Earth. On Earth, the main jet streams are located near the altitude of the tropopause and are westerly winds (flowing west to east) ...

to traverse the Pacific Ocean, but Gifu's paper was found to be both stronger, lighter, and more airtight.The Fire Balloons
Greg Goebel. Accessed November 23, 2007.

Modern history

In the years following the wars, tragedy struck Gifu once again. On September 12, 1976, Typhoon 17 ( Super Typhoon Fran) struck the city, killing five people and affecting over 40,000 families. Gifu recovered, however, through the establishment of various local industries. The city's growth reached such a point that it was designated a

by the national government in 1996. As its fashion industry has declined, however, the city has been looking towards manufacturing to revive the economy. A recent construction boom, much of which has occurred around JR Gifu Station, has improved the city's economy. Both public construction projects (station area renovations and elevated walkways) and private efforts are revitalizing the city of Gifu. Gifu City Tower 43 is an example of cooperation between the public and private sectors, with part of the building belonging to the city and the remainder privately owned.Gifu Station West Area Urban Redevelopment Group Homepage
Gifu City Hall. Accessed October 22, 2007. Gifu expanded its size in 2006 by merging with the neighboring town of Yanaizu (from Hashima District) during the great Heisei merger.

Government

Local government

As with all Japanese cities, Gifu has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a

unicameral Unicameralism (from ''uni''- "one" + Latin ''camera'' "chamber") is a type of legislature, which consists of one house or assembly, that legislates and votes as one. Unicameral legislatures exist when there is no widely perceived need for multi ...

city legislature. The mayor serves a four-year term. Supporting the mayor are two vice-mayors and the city treasurer, all of whom are appointed by the mayor. The city legislature has 38 seats. No members of the city council are selected through at-large election. Like the mayor, each member of the city council serves a four-year term and all seats are up for election at the same time. The council chair and vice-chair are elected by members of the city assembly. The city also supplies nine members of the Gifu Prefectural Assembly, who are also elected for a four-year term. In terms of the national government, Gifu 1st district (''Gifu-ken dai-ikku'') is a single-member electoral district for the

House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...

, the lower house of the

National Diet The is the national legislature of Japan. It is composed of a lower house, called the House of Representatives (, ''Shūgiin''), and an upper house, the House of Councillors (, '' Sangiin''). Both houses are directly elected under a paral ...

. The district consists of all of Gifu, excluding the former town of Yanaizu, which falls into the Gifu 3rd District.

External relations

Twin towns – sister cities

International

Gifu is twinned with: ;Sister cities *

Campinas Campinas (, ''Plains'' or ''Meadows'') is a Brazilian municipality in São Paulo State, part of the country's Southeast Region. According to the 2020 estimate, the city's population is 1,213,792, making it the fourteenth most populous Brazilian ...

State of São Paulo State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * ''Our S ...

, Brazil (1982) *

Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line w ...

Ohio Ohio () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Of the List of states and territories of the United States, fifty U.S. states, it is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 34th-l ...

, United States (1988) * Meidling (Vienna), Austria (1994) *

Thunder Bay Thunder Bay is a city in and the seat of Thunder Bay District, Ontario, Canada. It is the most populous municipality in Northwestern Ontario and the second most populous (after Greater Sudbury) municipality in Northern Ontario; its populati ...

, Canada (2007) ;Friendship cities *

Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico ...

, Italy (1978) *

Hangzhou Hangzhou ( or , ; , , Standard Chinese, Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ), also Chinese postal romanization, romanized as Hangchow, is the capital and most populous city of Zhejiang, China. It is located in the northwestern part of the prov ...

, China (1979)

National

;Domestic * Toyama, Toyama, Japan (2007)

Economy

Gifu's first major industry was textiles.Industry of Gifu Prefecture: Fiber
Gifu Prefecture. Accessed September 21, 2007. For a long period of time it rivaled

Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.46 ...

and

Osaka is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of ...

as a leader of the Japanese fashion industry. The area just north of JR Gifu Station contains a variety of small clothing stores catering to many types of consumers. Furthermore, the city's main downtown covered shopping arcade, Yanagase, features many clothing, shoe, and accessory shops that carry both domestic and overseas goods. Over the past decade, though, as Gifu's fashion industry has declined steeply, the city has begun developing other industries to support the local economy. One such industry is manufacturing. Because the city is located near

Aichi Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Aichi Prefecture has a population of 7,552,873 () and a geographic area of with a population density of . Aichi Prefecture borders Mie Prefecture to the west, Gifu Prefecture ...

and its many major automotive and heavy industry companies, such as

Toyota is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on . Toyota is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world, producing about 10 ...

, Gifu has become a prosperous area for many metalworking, mold and die, and parts subcontractors. Its access to neighboring areas using public transportation and highways has allowed companies to set up many factories and facilities in the area. In addition to the modern industries upon which Gifu's economy rests, the city also has a wide array of traditional industries, which include traditional Gifu Fans,

and foods created from the '' ayu'' sweetfish. Many shops throughout the city produce these goods. The most well-known local industries, though, are traditional

Gifu Lanterns , or Gifu paper lanterns, are a special product of the city of Gifu in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. They have been labeled as one of Gifu's traditional crafts. Famed artist Isamu Noguchi designed a series of Gifu Lanterns that were entitled ''Akari'' ...

and

Umbrellas An umbrella or parasol is a folding canopy supported by wooden or metal ribs that is usually mounted on a wooden, metal, or plastic pole. It is designed to protect a person against rain or sunlight. The term ''umbrella'' is traditionally used ...

. There are approximately 15 businesses that make lanterns in the city, the largest of which is the Ozeki Lantern, Co.''Kabushiki Kaisha Ozeki''
Ozeki Lantern, Co. Accessed January 18, 2008. In the Kanō area, visitors have the opportunity to take a course and make their own paper umbrellas.

Education

Gifu has 48 nursery schools and 43 kindergartens available for children. The city government operates 47 public elementary schools, and one additional public elementary school is under the aegis of the national government; there is also one private elementary school. The city also has 22 public junior high schools, with one additional public junior high school and one private junior high school. There are also three private combined junior/senior high schools. After graduating from junior high school, students have the option of attending one of Gifu's 12 public high schools operated by the Gifu Prefectural Board of Education or 5 private high schools.''Map of Gifu City''. Gifu City Hall International Affairs Division, January 15, 2003. Gifu also has a North Korean school, the . The city has 19 technical institutions and two public and six private colleges and universities. The largest of these is Gifu University, the city's national university, which includes a hospital.Gifu University Homepage
Gifu University. Accessed January 18, 2008. Among the private universities,

Gifu Shotoku Gakuen University is a private university in the city of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Gifu Prefecture has a population of 1,991,390 () and has a geographic area of . Gifu Prefec ...

, located in the area of the former town of Yanaizu offers a four-year program and also has an associated junior college.Gifu Shotoku Gakuen University Homepage
Gifu Shotoku Gakuen University. Accessed January 18, 2008.

Gifu Women's University is a four-year private university in the city of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered o ...

, a private women's university founded in 1968 is also a four-year school.Gifu Women's University Homepage
. Gifu Women's University. Accessed January 18, 2008.

Gifu City Women's College is a public college in the city of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by t ...

was founded in 1946 as traditional college, but later became a city-supported, public junior college.Gifu City Women's College Homepage
Gifu City Women's College. Accessed January 18, 2008. Gifu Pharmaceutical University, founded in 1932 as the Gifu City Pharmaceutical College, remains a public university offering graduate-level courses.

Colleges and universities

* Gifu University * Gifu Pharmaceutical University *

Gifu Shotoku Gakuen Junior College is a Private university, private junior college in the city of Gifu, Gifu, Japan. History Named after the 7th-century Prince Shōtoku, the college opened in April 1966 for women. It became coeducational in 1998. See also * Gifu Shotoku Gakue ...

* Gifu Junior College of Health Science * Heisei College of Health Sciences

Transportation

Gifu's central location and its past connection with the

make it one of Japan's central transportation hubs. In addition to being in the center of many rail and bus lines, the city also has nine national highways running through its borders. These include the

Meishin Expressway The , or Nagoya-Kōbe Expressway is a toll expressway in Japan. It runs from a junction with the Tōmei Expressway in Komaki, Aichi (outside Nagoya) west to Nishinomiya, Hyōgo (between Osaka and Kobe). It is the main road link between Osaka an ...

Tōkai-Kanjō Expressway The (lit. Tōkai Ring Expressway) is a toll road in the Tōkai region of Japan. It is owned and managed by Central Nippon Expressway Company. Naming Officially, the route is designated as National Route 475. On some signs, the expressway is re ...

and

Japan National Route 21 is a national highway connecting Mizunami, Gifu Prefecture and Maibara, Shiga Prefecture in Japan. Route data *Length: *Origin: Mizunami (originates at junction with Route 19) *Terminus: Maibara (ends at Junction with Route 8) *Major citi ...

, 22, 156, 157,

248 __NOTOC__ Year 248 ( CCXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Philippus and Severus (or, less frequently, year 1001 ' ...

, 256, and

303 __NOTOC__ Year 303 ( CCCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. It was known in the Roman Empire as the Year of the Consulship of Diocletian and Maximian (or, less frequently, ye ...

. Two rail companies have major train stations downtown: JR Central (

Central Japan Railway Company is the main railway company operating in the Chūbu (Nagoya) region of central Japan. It is officially abbreviated in English as JR Central and in Japanese as JR Tōkai ( ja, JR東海, links=no). ''Tōkai'' is a reference to the geographical ...

) and

Meitetsu , referred to as , is a private railway company operating around Aichi Prefecture and Gifu Prefecture of Japan. Some of the more famous trains operated by Meitetsu include the ''Panorama Car'' and the '' Panorama Car Super'', both of which of ...

.JR Tōkai: Gifu no Goannai
JR Central. Accessed December 5, 2007. The JR

runs through and the Takayama Main Line begins at JR Gifu Station. The JR

Tōkaidō Shinkansen The is a Japanese high-speed rail line that is part of the nationwide Shinkansen network. Along with the Sanyo Shinkansen, it forms a continuous high-speed railway through the Taiheiyō Belt, also known as the Tokaido corridor. Opened in 19 ...

, however, does not run through Gifu Station; its nearest stops are

Nagoya Station is a major railway station in Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, Japan. It is one of the world's largest train stations by floor area (410,000 m2), and houses the headquarters of the Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central). Much of this space is located in ...

and Gifu-Hashima Station. The Meitetsu lines include the Nagoya Line, the Kakamigahara Line, and the Takehana Line, all of which originate at Meitetsu Gifu Station.Meitetsu Gifu Station
Meitetsu Railroad. Accessed January 18, 2008. ; JR logo (central)

（JR Tōkai） *

：- - * Takayama Main Line：- Gifu - ; JR logo (freight)

Japan Freight Railway Company , or , is one of the seven constituent companies of Japan Railways Group (JR Group). It provides transportation of cargo nationwide throughout Japan. Its headquarters are in Shibuya, Tokyo near Shinjuku Station. The Japan Railways Group was fou ...

* Tōkaido Main Line：Gifu Freight Terminal ; Meitetsu_logomark_2

* Nagoya Line： - - * Kakamigahara Line：Meitetsu Gifu - - - - - * Takehana Line： Until April 1, 2005, Meitetsu also operated a

streetcar A tram (called a streetcar or trolley in North America) is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport a ...

line that ran through Gifu. Municipal bus service first began in Gifu in 1949. Today, Gifu Bus Co., Ltd. provides service within the city, as well as connections to other cities. Its highway buses connect the city with Gujō,

Kobe Kobe ( , ; officially , ) is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture Japan. With a population around 1.5 million, Kobe is Japan's seventh-largest city and the third-largest port city after Tokyo and Yokohama. It is located in Kansai region, whi ...

Kyoto Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the c ...

and

Shinjuku is a special ward in Tokyo, Japan. It is a major commercial and administrative centre, housing the northern half of the busiest railway station in the world ( Shinjuku Station) and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, the administration ...

in Tokyo. Gifu Bus also connects Nagoya with Gujō, Seki,

Mino Mino may refer to: Places in Japan * Mino, Gifu, a city in Gifu Prefecture * Mino, Kagawa, a former town in Kagawa Prefecture * Mino, Tokushima, a town in Tokushima Prefecture * Mino, an alternate spelling of Minoh, a city in Osaka Prefecture * Mi ...

and Shirakawa-gō. In addition to inter-city bus routes, many local routes go throughout the city and neighboring areas. All bus lines pass through JR Gifu Station. Another option for travel within Gifu is via bicycle. The city has instituted a bike rental program to increase tourism within the city.Machinaka Rent-a-cycle
Gifu Lively City Corporation. Accessed September 18, 2007. Bicycles can be rented at JR Gifu Station (second floor), Gifu City Hall (South Branch), Gifu Park (Museum of History), and the Cormorant Fishing Boat Viewing Office.
Gifu City Hall. Accessed September 18, 2007.

Tourism

Cormorant fishing

Cormorant fishing is the representative tourist attraction of Gifu. Though it occurs in many places in Japan, cormorant fishing on the

dates back more than 1,300 years. This is also the largest display of cormorant fishing in all of Japan, with six fishing masters going down the river at the same time, using their birds to catch '' ayu'' sweetfish. The season lasts from May 11 to October 15 every year and occurs each night, except during high water levels and the harvest moon.''Cormorant Fishing on the Nagara River''. Gifu City Cormorant Fishing Viewing Boat Office, 2007.

Matsuo Bashō born then was the most famous poet of the Edo period in Japan. During his lifetime, Bashō was recognized for his works in the collaborative '' haikai no renga'' form; today, after centuries of commentary, he is recognized as the greatest ma ...

, a renowned

haiku is a type of short form poetry originally from Japan. Traditional Japanese haiku consist of three phrases that contain a '' kireji'', or "cutting word", 17 '' on'' (phonetic units similar to syllables) in a 5, 7, 5 pattern, and a '' kigo'', or ...

poet in the

, spent many months in Gifu, creating ''haiku'' about many things, including cormorant fishing. Famed comedian

Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin Jr. (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is conside ...

also came to view cormorant fishing on the Nagara River twice, reportedly moved by the experience.Cormorant Fishing on the Nagara River
Gifu City Hall. Accessed June 8, 2007.

Museums

The largest of the city-supported museums is the

Gifu City Museum of History The is a city-supported history museum located in the city of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Located in Gifu Park at the base of Mount Kinka, it is in the heart of Gifu City's sightseeing area. The museum primarily focuses on the history and tra ...

. It is located in Gifu Park and its permanent exhibit primarily focuses on Gifu's past, containing many hands-on exhibits.Gifu City Museum of History Homepage
Gifu City Museum of History. Accessed June 8, 2007. It often hosts special exhibits, though, providing a broader field of information to its visitors. Also located in Gifu Park is the

Eizō & Tōichi Katō Memorial Art Museum The is a museum located in Gifu Park in the city of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. It is dedicated to the works of the brothers Eizō and Tōichi Katō, who were born in the city. It is part of the Gifu City Museum of History. Facility layout ...

, which is a semi-autonomous branch of the history museum. This art museum is dedicated to the works of the brothers Eizō and Tōichi Katō, famous artists born in Gifu Prefecture. The Nagara River and cormorant fishing feature prominently in a number of their pieces. The Yanaizu Folklore Museum in the Yanaizu-chō area of the city is the other branch of the Museum of History. THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS,GIFU 1

There are two other museums in Gifu Park, too. The

Nawa Insect Museum The is a museum in the city of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. It is operated by the Nawa Insect Research Center. History Yasushi Nawa, the man who discovered the Gifu Butterfly and is known as "The Insect Man," opened the Nawa Insect Research C ...

, next to the history museum, and the Gifu Castle Archive Museum, next to Gifu Castle atop Mount Kinka. The Nawa Insect Museum was founded by

Yasushi Nawa was a Japanese entomologist from Gifu Prefecture. Personal history Nawa was born in the Motosu District of Gifu Prefecture (present day city of Mizuho) and had a strong affinity to bugs even in his youth. In 1878, he entered into the Gifu ...

, Japan's "Insect Man," in 1919, and provides a closeup look at insects and their world. Other museums include the Gifu City Science Museum and the

Museum of Fine Arts, Gifu The is art museum located in the city of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west b ...

, both located near the prefectural office. In addition to the Science Museum's general exhibits, it also includes a

planetarium A planetarium ( planetariums or ''planetaria'') is a Theater (structure), theatre built primarily for presenting educational entertainment, educational and entertaining shows about astronomy and the night sky, or for training in celestial navi ...

and a rooftop

observatory An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial, marine, or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geophysical, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed. ...

. The prefectural Museum of Fine Arts was opened in 1982, dedicated to art and artists related to Gifu Prefecture, though it also contains pieces from around the world.Museum of Fine Arts, Gifu
Museum of Fine Arts, Gifu. Accessed June 5, 2007. In 2006 the city instituted a policy that allows elementary and junior high school students to enter many of the city's museums free of charge.

Festivals and events

The first major festivals of the year are the Dōsan Festival and the Gifu Festival, both of which occur on the first Saturday and following Sunday of April.Gifu City Event Calendar
Gifu Convention and Visitors Bureau. Accessed June 5, 2007. Because the Dōsan Festival is a memorial to Saitō Dōsan, many of the festivities take place near Jōzai-ji, where his remains are buried. The Gifu Festival is a

Shinto Shinto () is a religion from Japan. Classified as an East Asian religion by scholars of religion, its practitioners often regard it as Japan's indigenous religion and as a nature religion. Scholars sometimes call its practitioners ''Shint ...

festival that begins at Inaba Shrine and winds its way through other shrines within the city. Both festivals include street vendors, flea markets, and floats paraded through the city. The Gifu Nobunaga Festival, which takes place on the first Saturday and following Sunday of October, also pays homage to a former lord of Gifu. This festival centers on the downtown area and includes a procession of horses and warriors down the city's main streets. The city also has festivals representing its cultural heritage. Twice each year, there is a Tejikara Fire Festival. It first occurs on the second Saturday of April at Tejikarao Shrine and it again occurs on the second Sunday of August at Nagara River Park. Half-naked men ring bells and carry shrines and other devices that shoot off large sparks. Near the end of August, the city sponsors Takigi Noh, a traditional form of Japanese theater that takes place on the banks of the Nagara River, lit only by the surrounding bonfires and the fires of cormorant boats. Flag Art Exhibition in Gifu 2008-C 02

Twice a year, Gifu plays hosts to two large fireworks festivals. Large numbers of visitors gather on the banks of the Nagara River between Nagara and Kinka Bridge to see these festivals, among the largest in Japan.''Gifu Prefecture: Japan's Beautiful Heartland''. Gifu International Center, 1994. The first festival, the ''

Chunichi Shimbun The is a Japanese daily "broadsheet" newspaper published in mostly Aichi Prefecture and neighboring regions by Based in Nagoya, one of Japanese three major metropolitan areas, it boasts the third circulation after the group newspaper Total Yo ...

'' Nagara River All-Japan Fireworks Festival, occurs on the last Saturday of July. The second, the Nagara River National Fireworks Display, occurs on the first Saturday of August. Approximately 30,000 fireworks are set off at each festival, with crowds of 400,000 and 120,000 visitors, respectively. The downtown area serves as the location for Flag Art Exhibitions a few times throughout the year. The flags displayed measure approximately .Flag Art Display
Sōhō Japan. Accessed June 5, 2007. Each set of displays revolves around a different theme (such as the beauty of Gifu or AIDS Awareness) or are created by a specific group of persons (for example, local school students or local artists).

Athletics

The main sporting facility in the city is the

Gifu Memorial Center The is a collection of sports facilities located in Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. It is a prefectural facility and its purpose is to promote sports and other events within the prefecture. Along with the Nagaragawa Convention Center, the Nagarag ...

, whose complex includes facilities for athletic and other events. Its athletic facilities include a track and field complex, a baseball stadium, and plazas for tennis and swimming, as well as martial arts and traditional arts facilities. There are also two large multi-purpose domes: the Deai Dome (seats 5,000) and the Fureai Dome (seats 700).World Event and Convention Facilities
Gifu Convention and Visitors Bureau. Accessed January 20, 2008. All of the facilities are equipped for night events. The soccer field at the Memorial Center serves as the home to

FC Gifu Football Club Gifu, abbreviated as is a Japanese football club based in Gifu, Japan. They play in the J3 League, the third tier of Japanese professional football. They also run a reserve team that play in the Tōkai Adult League Division 2. ...

,FC Gifu Official Site
FC Gifu. Accessed January 18, 2008. the city's

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly ...

representative in the

J-League The , known as the for sponsorship reasons, is the top level of the system. Founded in 1992, it is one of the most successful leagues in Asian club football. Contested by 18 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the J ...

. Next to Memorial Center is the Nagaragawa Sports Plaza, a sports science and training center. The facility accommodates up to 300 people and provides access to equipment for improving athletic ability. Just south of these sports facilities, the Naoko Takahashi Road runs along the northern bank of the Nagara River.Naoko Takahashi Road
. MLIT. Accessed January 18, 2008. This pedestrian pathway is named after the Gifu-born marathoner

Naoko Takahashi is a retired Japanese long-distance runner and Olympic gold medal-winning marathoner. She won the gold medal in the marathon at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and became the first woman to complete a marathon in under 2:20:00 in 2001. Biography Tak ...

, who won the gold medal in the event at the

2000 Summer Olympics The 2000 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXVII Olympiad and also known as Sydney 2000 ( Dharug: ''Gadigal 2000''), the Millennium Olympic Games or the Games of the New Millennium, was an international multi-sport event held from ...

. This road primarily stretches from Nagara Bridge to Chusetsu Bridge, providing a convenient course for events such as the

Terry Fox Run The Terry Fox Run is an annual non-competitive charity event held around the world to raise money for cancer research in commemoration of Canadian cancer activist Terry Fox and his Marathon of Hope. The event was founded in 1981 by Isadore Sha ...

, the Nagaragawa International

Inline Skating Inline skating is a multi-disciplinary sport and can refer to a number of activities practiced using inline skates. Inline skates typically have two to five polyurethane wheels depending on the style of practice, arranged in a single line by a ...

Competition, and the

Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon The is an annual half marathon road running competition held in May in Gifu, Japan. First held in 2011, the race is also called the , named after Naoko Takahashi, the retired local runner who won the marathon at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and broke ...

.13th Annual Nagaragawa International Inline Skating Competition
Gifu City Hall. Accessed January 18, 2008.
Gifu Marathon. Retrieved on 2013-05-20.

Other attractions

Gifu Park is a public park located at the base of Mount Kinka in the city of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Inside the park, there are many attractions, including Gifu Castle, Mount Kinka, the Mt. Kinka Ropeway, the Gifu City Museum of History, the Eiz ...

is one of the major tourist attractions of the city because it contains many of the museums and is near many other sightseeing spots. However, it also serves as a gathering place because of its large shaded areas that include ponds, waterfalls, cherry trees and wisteria vines.Gifu City Sightseeing Guide
Gifu City Hall. Accessed January 20, 2008. Next to Gifu Park is Mount Kinka, which serves as one of the main symbols of Gifu. It rises into the sky along the banks of the Nagara River and serves as the home of Gifu Castle, as well as many hiking trails.
Gifu City Hall. Accessed June 12, 2007. Other attractions include Bairin Park, filled with over fifty types of

plum A plum is a fruit of some species in ''Prunus'' subg. ''Prunus'.'' Dried plums are called prunes. History Plums may have been one of the first fruits domesticated by humans. Three of the most abundantly cultivated species are not found ...

trees which bloom in an array of colors, from white to dark pink, each Spring.

Nagaragawa Onsen The are a group of onsen located along the banks of the Nagara River in Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. The source of the onsen are in the northern part of the city near the Mitabora Shinbutsu Onsen (三田洞神仏温泉). The group was included ...

is a popular indoor location. This collection of

onsen In Japan, are the country's hot springs and the bathing facilities and traditional inns around them. As a volcanically active country, Japan has many onsens scattered throughout all of its major islands. There are approximately 25,000 hot ...

and

ryokan A is a type of traditional Japanese inn that typically features ''tatami''-matted rooms, communal baths, and other public areas where visitors may wear yukata and talk with the owner. Ryokan have existed since the eighth century A.D. du ...

inns is located along the

in central Gifu.Gifu Nagaragawa Onsen
Gifu Nagaragawa Onsen and Ryokan Cooperative. Accessed June 6, 2007. Its many springs have a high iron content, considered beneficial for a variety of ailments. Also, its close location to the

Nagaragawa Convention Center The is a multi-purpose convention center in the city of Gifu, Gifu, Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. The name literally translates to Nagara River International Convention Center, but the official English translation drops "international." Along w ...

and various high-class hotels make it a popular area for guests. North of the Nagara River is

Mount Dodo , or Mount Dodogamine, is located in the northern part of the city of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan it is in height, making it the tallest mountain in the city. The mountain's small valley includes Matsuo Pond and Hagi Falls.Matsuo Pond. Mount Dodo is the tallest mountain in the city, rising . In addition to its numerous hiking trails, it offers hikers views of

Mount Haku , or Mount Hakusan (commonly referred to as simply Hakusan), is a dormant stratovolcano in Japan. It is located on the borders of Gifu and Ishikawa, on the island of Honshu. Mount Haku is thought to have first been active 300,000 to 400,000 yea ...

and the Nagara River. At the southern base of the mountain is Matsuo Pond, which is popular during the fall when all of the foliage is changing colors. The Yanagase covered shopping arcade was the primary shopping district of Gifu for many years, but recently that part of the downtown area has suffered a downturn in popularity as large modern shopping centers have opened in other areas. In addition to its many smaller retail shops and restaurants, Yanagase is also home to

Takashimaya is a Japanese multinational corporation operating a department store chain carrying a wide array of products, ranging from wedding dresses and other apparel to electronics and flatware. It has more than 12 branches strategically located in 2 ...

Muji (), or is a Japanese retail company which sells a wide variety of household and consumer goods. Muji's design philosophy is minimalist, and it places an emphasis on recycling, reducing production and packaging waste, and a no-logo or "no-bran ...

, and two movie theaters. It was made famous throughout the country when

Kenichi Mikawa is a Japanese singer and TV personality, known for his outspoken views and style. Mikawa was born in Suwa, Nagano as . He recorded a number of hit songs as a male ''enka'' singer in the 1960s and 1970s. The most well-known of his songs include ...

's hit, "Yanagase Blues", was released in the 1960s.Kenichi Mikawa Discography
. Nippon Crown Co., Ltd. Accessed January 18, 2008.

Historical areas

Castles

Gifu's most famous castle is

, located on Mount Kinka. First built by the Nikaidō clan during the

Kamakura period The is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first ''shōgun'' Minamoto no Yoritomo after the conclusion of the Genpei War, which saw the struggle b ...

, the castle has gone through many forms, with its current version rebuilt in 1956. One of its first residents was

, who lived in the castle when it was still called ''Inabayama Castle''. The next resident, Oda Nobunaga, changed the castle's name at the same time that he changed the name of the surrounding town. From the top of the castle, visitors have a 360-degree view, effectively giving them a view to all of the city's borders. Inside the castle are many artifacts from its past. Though the two other castles in the city,

Kanō Castle Kanō Tenman-gū was a ''hirajirō''-style Japanese castle located in the city of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. It was one of the few castles built after the Battle of Sekigahara and establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate and was used as an adm ...

and

Kawate Castle was a castle that existed between the Nanboku-chō period and the Sengoku period. Its ruins are located in the present-day city of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. An alternative way to write its name in Japanese is 革手城, which has the same ...

, only have ruins marking their former presence, they have both had important roles in the city's past. Kanō Castle was built shortly after the

Battle of Sekigahara The Battle of Sekigahara (Shinjitai: ; Kyūjitai: , Hepburn romanization: ''Sekigahara no Tatakai'') was a decisive battle on October 21, 1600 ( Keichō 5, 15th day of the 9th month) in what is now Gifu prefecture, Japan, at the end of ...

when

Tokugawa Ieyasu was the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan, which ruled Japan from 1603 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was one of the three "Great Unifiers" of Japan, along with his former lord Oda Nobunaga and fello ...

ordered the

Toyotomi The was a Japanese clan that ruled over the Japanese before the Edo period. Unity and conflict The most influential figure within the Toyotomi was Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of the three "unifiers of Japan". Oda Nobunaga was another primary ...

family to build it upon the ruins of a former medieval castle. Okudaira Nobumasa was the first person to live in the castle and he was followed by his descendants until the Meiji period. The castle's citadel ruins are designated a National Historic Site.''Gifu City Walking Map''. Gifu Lively City Public Corporation, 2007. Kawate Castle was used by the

while they were guarding Owari,

Ise Ise may refer to: Places *Ise, Mie, a city in Japan ** Ise Grand Shrine, a Shinto shrine located in Ise, Mie * Ise Ekiti, a city in Nigeria * Ise, Norway, a village in Norway * Ise Province, an ancient province of Japan * River Ise, a tributary of ...

and

provinces A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman '' provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...

as the Chief Retainer of the

shogunate , officially , was the title of the military dictators of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, though during part of the Kamakura ...

during the

Muromachi period The is a division of Japanese history running from approximately 1336 to 1573. The period marks the governance of the Muromachi or Ashikaga shogunate (''Muromachi bakufu'' or ''Ashikaga bakufu''), which was officially established in 1338 by ...

. It was also used as a meeting place for the cultural and social elite from

. A stone monument near Seibi High School marks the castle's location.

Major shrines

The most famous

shrines A shrine ( la, scrinium "case or chest for books or papers"; Old French: ''escrin'' "box or case") is a sacred or holy sacred space, space dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor worship, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, Daemon (mythology), daem ...

in the city include

Inaba Shrine is a Shinto shrine located at the base of Mount Kinka in Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Originally, its name was written 稲葉神社, which is pronounced the same way. It is the main shrine that is celebrated by the city of Gifu in its annual Gi ...

Kogane Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in the city of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. First built in 135, it has long been considered a place to pray for financial blessings.

, and Kashimori Shrine. They are considered a family of shrines because the Inishiki Irihiko-no-mikoto god at Inaba Shrine is married to the Nunoshi Hime-mikoto goddess at Kogane Shrine; together, they are the parents of the Ichihaya-no-mikoto God at Kashimori Shrine.Inaba Shrine
Inaba Shrine. Accessed July 6, 2007. Inaba Shrine was originally located on the northern side of Mount Kinka, but was moved to its present location by

during his reign over Gifu. Kogane Shrine is located in Kogane Park, behind the Gifu City Culture Center, and a popular legend says that, behind Kashimori Shrine, you can see the footprints of Tenba, a mythical horse. Kanō Tenman-gū, a shrine located in the former

, was built in concurrence with Kanō Castle shortly after the Battle of Sekigahara. Originally built to serve as a place of worship for the castle's residents, it eventually became a place of prayer for many people within the growing town.

Tejikarao Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in the city of Gifu, Gifu, Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. History This shrine was originally built in 860. During the Middle Ages, it was at a strategic location in Mino Province, which led to it being the site of many ...

, located in the eastern portion of the city, is famous as the home of the April Tejikara Fire Festival. The city is also home to seven of the

Mino Thirty-three Kannon The are a collection of Buddhist temples in southern Gifu Prefecture, Japan.Mino 33 Kannon
Mino Seigok ...

.Mino 33 Kannon
Mino Seigoku Sanjūsan Kannon Reijō-kai. Accessed June 6, 2008.

Major temples

Because of the importance of both Saitō Dōsan and Oda Nobunaga, many of Gifu's temples hold strong connections to them. Jōzai-ji, for instance, was built by Saitō Myōchin, an ancestor of Dōsan, under the protection of Toki Shigeyori.Gifu Convention and Visitors Bureau: Jyozai Temple
Gifu Convention and Visitors Bureau. Accessed October 18, 2007. Dōsan took advantage of this temple's support as he began his domination of Mino Province. His presence was so strong that his death was mourned at the temple for three generations, and his remains are now interred there. Zuiryō-ji was also built by Myōchin and is currently undergoing restoration. It contains the tombs of Shigeyori, Myōchin, and Gokei Kokushi. Sōfuku-ji contains the "Blood Ceiling"; it was stained with the blood of the vassals of Oda Nobunaga's grandson, Oda Hidenobu, who committed ''

seppuku , sometimes referred to as hara-kiri (, , a native Japanese kun reading), is a form of Japanese ritual suicide by disembowelment. It was originally reserved for samurai in their code of honour but was also practised by other Japanese people ...

'' during the Battle of Sekigahara after their leader's defeat. This temple contains the mausoleums of both Nobunaga and his son, Oda Nobutada. Shōhō-ji is home to the

Gifu Great Buddha The is a large Buddhist statue located in Shōhō-ji in Gifu City, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. It was conceived by the 11th head priest of Kinpouzan Shōhō temple, Ichyuu, around 1790, in hopes of averting large earthquakes and famines. Ichyuu die ...

, which is also referred to as the "Blessed Buddha". Built during the

, it was the first and largest dry-lacquered Buddha in Japan, and remains one of the three largest Great Buddha Images of Japan. The Buddha and its bamboo frame took 38 years to build. The nearby garden offers tea and traditional foods.Gifu Great Buddha
Gifu Convention and Visitors Bureau. Accessed June 5, 2007. Jōdo-ji holds the remains of Hanako,

Rodin François Auguste René Rodin (12 November 184017 November 1917) was a French sculptor, generally considered the founder of modern sculpture. He was schooled traditionally and took a craftsman-like approach to his work. Rodin possessed a uniqu ...

's only Japanese model, who traveled extensively throughout Europe during her career. A statue of Hanako was erected at the temple in 2004. Hanako spent most of her later years in Gifu's Nishizono-chō, just east of Yanagase.

Culture

Lifestyle

The central area of the city serves as a satellite of nearby

, which has large offices of many international companies, including

.Toyota: Company Profile
Toyota Motor Corporation. Accessed January 18, 2008. The ease of commute between the two cities, as well as the plentiful apartment construction underway, has contributed to this distinction. Just west of Gifu Station is Gifu City Tower 43, a 43-story high-rise building developed by

Takenaka Corporation is one of five major general contractors in Japan. Takenaka provides architectural, engineering, and construction services and has its headquarters located in Chūō-ku, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture. Takenaka has eight domestic offices in Japan with ...

that opened on October 13, 2007 as the tallest building in Gifu Prefecture.''JLGC NewsLetter No. 60'', Winter 2007. Japan Local Government Center (CLAIR, New York). The upper 30 floors are divided into two- and three-bedroom apartments, including those for senior citizens.Gifu City Tower 43
Gifu City Tower 43. Accessed June 22, 2007. The lower floors will be used as offices or shops for targeted services such as medical care. Additionally, public space exists at the top of the building, allowing residents another 360-degree view of Gifu, complementing that offered from Gifu Castle. The city of Gifu is currently promoting the ''Slow Life City Initiative'',
Gifu City Hall. Accessed January 20, 2008. which is similar to, but more comprehensive than, the

slow food Slow Food is an organization that promotes local food and traditional cooking. It was founded by Carlo Petrini in Italy in 1986 and has since spread worldwide. Promoted as an alternative to fast food, it strives to preserve traditional and re ...

initiative. It is designed to encourage residents to lead slower lifestyles and provide an alternative to the fast-paced life of the modern world. Major elements of this campaign include more dependence on locally grown food; traditional culture and arts; and activities to increase citizens’ participation in their community. In addition to slow food, Gifu also hopes to include slow industry (traditional crafts), slow education (studying quality of life), and slow tourism (represented by cormorant fishing).

Notable people from Gifu

Politicians

Yasuhiko Funago is a Japanese politician and current member of the House of Councillors. He and fellow councillor Eiko Kimura became the first people with severe disabilities elected to Japan's National Diet in 2019. He is a member of the Reiwa Shinsengumi. A ...

Hajime Furuta is the governor of Gifu Prefecture in Japan, first elected in 2005 and reelected in 2009. A native of Gifu, Gifu, he was chosen as the final torchbearer for the National Sports Festival when it was held in Gifu while he was a senior at Gifu Pre ...

Iwao Matsuda was a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party who was a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Gifu, Gifu, Japan, and graduate of the University of Tokyo, he joined the Ministry of Intern ...

* Yoji Muto *

Yasuhiro Sonoda is a Japanese politician serving in the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature) as a member of the Democratic Party of Japan. A native of Amakusa District, Kumamoto, he attended Nihon University as undergraduate and graduate s ...

* Atsuko Wakai *

Seiko Noda is a Japanese politician who served as Minister-in-charge of Measures against Declining Birthrate from October 2021 to August 2022. A member of the Liberal Democratic Party, she previously served as Minister for Internal Affairs and Communicat ...

Culture and arts

* Haruka Aizawa - manga artist * Eizō Katō - painter * Tōichi Katō - painter * Nobuo Kojima - writer *

Seijirō Kōyama (born 16 July 1941) is a Japanese film director. Career Born in Gifu Prefecture, Kōyama attended Nihon University but quit midway to join the independent production company Kindai Eiga Kyokai, where he worked as an assistant director under suc ...

- film director *

Makoto Raiku , known by the pen name , is a mangaka, manga artist known for creating the ''Zatch Bell!'' franchise. Starting off an assistant manga artist, assistant for Kazuhiro Fujita on his manga ''Ushio & Tora'', he began creating several one-shots for th ...

- manga artist * Masahiro Shinoda - film director * Morita Sōhei - novelist * Masamitsu Tsuchida - Go player *

Kansai Yamamoto was a Japanese fashion designer, most influential during the 1970s and 1980s. Early life and career Kansai was born in 1944 in Yokohama, Japan. He focused on civil engineering in high school, and majored in English at the Nippon University ...

- fashion designer

Entertainment

Gō Ayano is a Japanese actor. Career Ayano was featured in several roles beginning in 2003. In 2009, he appeared in Takashi Miike's ''Crows Zero 2''. His role in the film was described by Mark Schilling of ''The Japan Times'' as "a tall, pale-faced, deli ...

- actor * Yu Hasebe - actress *

Miona Hori is a Japanese idol singer, actress and fashion model. She is a former member of the Japanese girl group Nogizaka46, and a regular model for the fashion magazine ''ar''. Life and career On March 28, 2013, Hori successfully auditioned for the se ...

- idol,

Nogizaka46 is a Japanese female idol group produced by Yasushi Akimoto, created as the of the group AKB48. They are the first group from the Sakamichi Series, which also includes sister groups Sakurazaka46 (formerly Keyakizaka46), Yoshimotozaka46, a ...

Hideaki Itō is a Japanese actor. Biography Ito is best known for starring in the hit franchise ''Umizaru'' film series which consistently topped the Japanese box office of the year. He has also head-lined many other major Japanese films such as Takashi M ...

- actor *

Yoko Kumada is a Japanese gravure idol, singer, and YouTuber originally from Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. She is affiliated with Artist-house Pyramid Inc. Biography During her third year at Seki Shoko High School, Yoko Kumada applied for ''Weekly Shōn ...

gravure idol A model is a person with a role either to promote, display or advertise commercial products (notably fashion clothing in fashion shows) or to serve as a visual aid for people who are creating works of art or to pose for photography. Thou ...

* Mina - voice actress * Nana Okada - singer *

Reina Sumi is a Japanese freelance announcer and tarento who is a former TV Tokyo announcer. She was born in Gifu, Gifu Prefecture. Biography She attended Kita High School in Gifu Prefecture until her graduation. In March 2013, she graduated from the T ...

- announcer *

Shinnosuke Tachibana is a Japanese voice actor, singer and narrator. He is married to voice actress Ao Takahashi. Career Tachibana graduated from Aojijuku Tokyo School 18th term. In 2003, he made his voice acting debut as Kyuu in the television anime ''E's Otherwis ...

- voice actor * Minase Yashiro - gravure idol

Athletes

* Sayaka Aoki - track and field * Takahiro Aoki - former baseball player *

Yuko Arai Yuko Arai (born 20 September 1973) is a Japanese fencer. She competed in the women's individual and team épée events at the 1996 Summer Olympics and the individual foil event at the 2000 Summer Olympics The 2000 Summer Olympics, offici ...

- fencer * Kenta Asakura - former baseball player * Shinji Iwata - former baseball player *

Masaaki Mori is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team. Club career Mori was born in Nagasaki Prefecture on July 12, 1961. After graduating from Fukuoka University Fukuoka University is a private research university locat ...

- former baseball player and manager *

Yasuyuki Moriyama is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team. Club career Moriyama was born in Gifu on May 1, 1969. After graduating from Juntendo University, he joined Nagoya Grampus Eight in 1992. The club won the champions at 1995 ...

- former football player *

Tomoko Okuda is a Japanese professional boxer who has held the WBO female junior-bantamweight title since 2020. At regional level she held the OPBF female bantamweight title in 2020. Professional career Okuda suffered defeat in her professional debut, losi ...

- professional boxer *

Toru Suzuki is a Japanese professional golfer, currently playing on the Japan Golf Tour. Suzuki was born in Gifu Prefecture. He turned professional in 1990. Suzuki won his first title on the Japan Golf Tour in 1993, and would win consistently between t ...

- golfer * Morimichi Takagi - former baseball player *

Jumpei Takahashi is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball. Early career Takahashi participated in the 3rd grade spring 87th Japanese High School Baseball Invitational Tournament and the ...

- baseball player,

Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks The are a Japanese professional baseball team based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture. They compete in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) as a member of the Pacific League. The team was formerly known as the Nankai Hawks and was based in Osaka. ...

- long-distance runner *

Kazuhiro Wada is a retired Japanese professional baseball player. He played mostly as an outfielder for the Chunichi Dragons and the Seibu Lions of the Nippon Professional Baseball league in a career spanning 18 years. Following retirement in 2015, he has bec ...

- former baseball player *

Hiroshi Tanahashi is a Japanese professional wrestler. He works primarily for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, his accolades in NJPW include a record setting eight reigns as IWGP Heavywei ...

- wrestler

Others

Kenkichi Kagami was a Japanese businessman. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"Kagami Kenkichi"in ''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 446. Career He graduated from Hitotsubashi University (then ''Koto Shogyo Gakko''). Kagami was a leader in Japan's maritime insurance b ...

- entrepreneur * Takeyoshi Kawashima - jurist *

Hirosi Ooguri is a theoretical physicist working on quantum field theory, quantum gravity, superstring theory, and their interfaces with mathematics. He is Fred Kavli Professor of Theoretical Physics and Mathematics and the Founding Director of the Walter Burk ...

- physicist

References

External links

Gifu City official website

* * {{Authority control Cities in Gifu Prefecture