is a

prefecture A prefecture (from the Latin word, "''praefectura"'') is an administrative jurisdiction traditionally governed by an appointed prefect. This can be a regional or local government subdivision in various countries, or a subdivision in certain inter ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

located in the

Chūbu region The , Central region, or is a region in the middle of Honshū, Japan's main island. In a wide, classical definition, it encompasses nine prefectures (''ken''): Aichi, Fukui, Gifu, Ishikawa, Nagano, Niigata, Shizuoka, Toyama, and Ya ...

Honshu , historically known as , is the largest of the four main islands of Japan. It lies between the Pacific Ocean (east) and the Sea of Japan (west). It is the list of islands by area, seventh-largest island in the world, and the list of islands by ...

. Gifu Prefecture has a population of 1,910,511 () and has a geographic area of . Gifu Prefecture borders

Toyama Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Toyama Prefecture has a population of 993,848 (1 January 2025) and has a geographic area of 4,247.61 km2 (1,640.01 sq mi). Toyama Prefecture borders Ishikawa Prefecture to the ...

to the north;

Ishikawa Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu island. Ishikawa Prefecture has a population of 1,096,721 (1 January 2025) and has a geographic area of 4,186 Square kilometre, km2 (1,616 sq mi). Ishikawa Pr ...

to the northwest,

Fukui Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Fukui Prefecture has a population of 737,229 (1 January 2025) and has a geographic area of 4,190 Square kilometre, km2 (1,617 sq mi). Fukui Prefecture border ...

and

Shiga Prefecture is a landlocked prefecture of Japan in the Kansai region of Honshu. Shiga Prefecture has a population of 1,398,972 as of 1 February 2025 and has a geographic area of . Shiga Prefecture borders Fukui Prefecture to the north, Gifu Prefecture to th ...

to the west,

Mie Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Mie Prefecture has a population of 1,781,948 () and has a geographic area of . Mie Prefecture is bordered by Gifu Prefecture to the north, Shiga Prefecture an ...

to the southwest,

Aichi Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Aichi Prefecture has a population of 7,461,111 () and a geographic area of with a population density of . Aichi Prefecture borders Mie Prefecture to the ...

to the south, and

Nagano Prefecture is a Landlocked country, landlocked Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Nagano Prefecture has a population of 2,007,682 () and has a geographic area of . Nagano Prefecture borders Niigata Prefecture ...

to the east.

Gifu is a Cities of Japan, city located in the south-central portion of Gifu Prefecture, Japan, 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. Durin ...

is the capital and largest city of Gifu Prefecture, with other major cities including

Ōgaki is a city located in Gifu, Japan. As of October 31, 2018, 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 fo ...

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 ...

, and

Tajimi is a city located in Gifu, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 110,070 in 46,580 households, and a population density of 1200 people per km2. The total area of the city was . The city is famous for its production of Mino ware ceramic ...

. Gifu Prefecture is located in the center of Japan, one of only eight

landlocked A landlocked country is a country that has no territory connected to an ocean or whose coastlines lie solely on endorheic basins. Currently, there are 44 landlocked countries, two of them doubly landlocked (Liechtenstein and Uzbekistan), and t ...

prefectures, and features the country's

center of population In Demography, demographics, the center of population (or population center) of a region is a geographical point that describes a centerpoint of the region's population. There are several ways of defining such a "center point", leading to dif ...

. Gifu Prefecture has served as the historic

crossroads Crossroads is a junction where four roads meet. Crossroads, crossroad, cross road(s) or similar may also refer to: Film and television Films * ''Crossroads'' (1928 film), a 1928 Japanese film by Teinosuke Kinugasa * ''Cross Roads'' (film), a ...

of Japan with routes connecting the east to the west, including the

Nakasendō The , also called the ,Richard Lane, ''Images from the Floating World'' (1978) Chartwell, Secaucus ; pg. 285 was one of the centrally administered Edo Five Routes, five routes of the Edo period, and one of the two that connected the ''de facto'' ...

, one of the Five Routes of the

Edo period The , also known as the , is the period between 1600 or 1603 and 1868 in the history of Japan, when the country was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and some 300 regional ''daimyo'', or feudal lords. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengok ...

. Gifu Prefecture was a long-term residence of

Oda Nobunaga was a Japanese ''daimyō'' and one of the leading figures of the Sengoku period, Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods. He was the and regarded as the first "Great Unifier" of Japan. He is sometimes referred as the "Demon Daimyō" and "Demo ...

and

Saitō Dōsan , also known as Saitō Toshimasa (斎藤利政), was a Japanese samurai lord and daimyo during the Sengoku period.Louis-Frédéric, Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"Saitō Dōsan"in ''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 809. He was also known as the f ...

, two influential figures of Japanese history in the

Sengoku period The was the period in History of Japan, Japanese history in which civil wars and social upheavals took place almost continuously in the 15th and 16th centuries. The Kyōtoku incident (1454), Ōnin War (1467), or (1493) are generally chosen as th ...

, spawning the popular phrase "control Gifu and you control Japan" in the late

Medieval era In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and t ...

.''Instant Gifu''. Gifu International Center, 1995. Gifu Prefecture is known for its traditional ''

Washi is traditional Japanese paper processed by hand using fibers from the inner bark of the gampi tree, the mitsumata shrub (''Edgeworthia chrysantha''), or the paper mulberry (''kōzo'') bush. ''Washi'' is generally tougher than ordinary ...

'' paper industry, including

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

Gifu umbrellas , or Gifu Japanese umbrellas, are a special product of the city of Gifu in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. They have been labeled as one of Gifu's traditional crafts. History In 1639, the Matsudaira clan became rulers of the Kanō Domain and brought wit ...

, and as a center for the

Japanese swordsmithing Japanese swordsmithing is the labour-intensive bladesmithing process developed in Japan beginning in the sixth century for forging traditionally made bladed weapons ( ''nihonto'') including ''katana'', ''wakizashi'', '' tantō'', ''yari'', '' na ...

and

cutlery Cutlery (also referred to as silverware, flatware, or tableware) includes any hand implement used in preparing, serving, and especially eating food in Western culture. A person who makes or sells cutlery is called a cutler. While most cutlers ...

industries. Gifu Prefecture is home to

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 2011. ...

, the 1,300-year-old tradition of

cormorant fishing on the Nagara River has played a vital role in the history of the city of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Throughout its long history, it evolved from a means to live, to a profitable industry, to a major tourist draw. It runs from May 11 to October 15 of each year (ex ...

, and the site of the

Battle of Sekigahara The Battle of Sekigahara (Shinjitai: ; Kyūjitai: , Hepburn romanization: ''Sekigahara no Tatakai'') was an important battle in Japan which occurred on October 21, 1600 (Keichō 5, 15th day of the 9th month) in what is now Gifu Prefecture, ...

History

The land area that makes up modern-day Gifu became part of the Yamato Court around the middle of the fourth century. Because it is in the middle of the island of

, it has been the site of many decisive battles throughout Japan's history, the oldest major one being the

Jinshin War The was a war of succession that took place in the Yamato state near the end of Asuka period. It broke out in 672 following the death of Emperor Tenji. The name refers to the ''jinshin'' (Ch. ''renshen'' 壬申) or ninth year of the sexagenary c ...

in 672, which led to the establishment of

Emperor Tenmu was the 40th Emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 天武天皇 (40) retrieved 2013-8-22. according to the traditional order of succession. Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959). ''The Imperial House of Japan'', p. 53. He ascended ...

as the 40th emperor of Japan. The area of Gifu Prefecture consists of the old provinces of Hida and

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 ...

, as well as smaller parts of Echizen and Shinano. The name of the prefecture derives from its capital city,

, which was named by

during his campaign to unify all of Japan in 1567.Stone ledger in front of Kashimori Shrine. Erected by Kashimori Shrine. The first character used comes from Qishan (岐山), a legendary mountain from which most of China was unified, whereas the second character comes from

Qufu Qufu ( ; zh, c=曲阜) is a county-level 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, ...

(曲阜), the birthplace of

Confucius Confucius (; pinyin: ; ; ), born Kong Qiu (), was a Chinese philosopher of the Spring and Autumn period who is traditionally considered the paragon of Chinese sages. Much of the shared cultural heritage of the Sinosphere originates in the phil ...

.Gifu tour guide – Outline of Gifu Prefecture
. Gifu Prefecture Tourist Federation. Accessed September 9, 2007. Nobunaga chose those characters because he wanted to unify all of Japan and he wanted to be viewed as a great mind. Historically, the prefecture served as the center of swordmaking for the whole of Japan, with Seki being known for making the best swords in Japan. More recently, its strengths have been in fashion (primarily in the city of Gifu) and aerospace engineering (

). On October 28, 1891, the present-day city of

Motosu Usuzumizakura is a city located in Gifu, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 34,453 in 12, 464 households, and a population density of 390 persons per km2. The total area of the city was . Geography Motosu is located in western Gifu ...

was the

epicenter The epicenter (), epicentre, or epicentrum in seismology is the point on the Earth's surface directly above a hypocenter or focus, the point where an earthquake or an underground explosion originates. Determination The primary purpose of a ...

for the Mino–Owari earthquake, the second largest earthquake to ever hit Japan.Mino Earthquake
. Tokyo Science Museum. Accessed July 5, 2007. The earthquake, estimated at 8.0 (

surface-wave magnitude The surface wave magnitude (M_s) scale is one of the magnitude scales used in seismology to describe the size of an earthquake. It is based on measurements of Rayleigh surface waves that travel along the uppermost layers of the Earth. This mag ...

), left a

fault scarp A fault scarp is a small step-like offset of the ground surface in which one side of a fault has shifted vertically in relation to the other. The topographic expression of fault scarps results from the differential erosion of rocks of contrastin ...

that can still be seen today.

Geography

One of the few landlocked prefectures in Japan, Gifu shares borders with seven other prefectures:

Toyama Toyama may refer to: Places * Toyama Prefecture, a prefecture of Japan located in the Hokuriku region on the main Honshu island * Toyama (city), the capital city of Toyama Prefecture * Toyama Station, the main station of Toyama, Toyama * Toyama Sta ...

, Ishikawa, Fukui,

Shiga is a landlocked prefecture of Japan in the Kansai region of Honshu. Shiga Prefecture has a population of 1,398,972 as of 1 February 2025 and has a geographic area of . Shiga Prefecture borders Fukui Prefecture to the north, Gifu Prefecture to t ...

, Mie,

Aichi is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Aichi Prefecture has a population of 7,461,111 () and a geographic area of with a population density of . Aichi Prefecture borders Mie Prefecture to the west, Gifu Prefecture ...

, and Nagano. Japan's

postal codes A postal code (also known locally in various English-speaking countries throughout the world as a postcode, post code, PIN or ZIP Code) is a series of letters or numerical digit, digits or both, sometimes including spaces or punctuation, inclu ...

all start with a three-digit number, ranging from 001 to 999. Part of Gifu has the 500 prefix, reflecting its location in the center of Japan. The center of Japanese population is currently located in Seki City, Gifu Prefecture. The center of population is a hypothetical point at which a country is perfectly balanced assuming each person has a uniform weight. The spot was calculated using the 2005 census. 18 percent of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as Natural Parks, namely the Hakusan and Chūbu-Sangaku National Parks, Hida-Kisogawa and Ibi-Sekigahara-Yōrō Quasi-National Parks, and fifteen Prefectural Natural Parks.

Regions

Gifu has five unofficial regions, which allows local municipalities to work together to promote the surrounding area. The five regions are

Seinō is the southwestern portion of Gifu Prefecture in the Chūbu region of Japan. Before Gifu became a prefecture, the area was part of Mino Province. The Seinō region received its name as a combination of the ''kanji'' for and , and is sometimes ...

,Nishi Mino Portal Site
Ginet. Accessed June 24, 2008.

,Gifu Regional Promotion Office
. Gifu Prefecture. Accessed August 9, 2011.

Chūnō is the central portion of Gifu Prefecture in the Chūbu region of Japan.C ...

,Chūnō Promotion Office
. Gifu Prefecture. Accessed August 9, 2011.

Tōnō is the southeastern portion of Gifu Prefecture in the Chūbu region of Japan. The Tōnō region received its name as a combination of the ''kanji'' for "east" (東) and "Mino" (美濃). The borders of this region are not officially set, but it ge ...

Tōnō Promotional Office
. Gifu Prefecture. Accessed August 9, 2011. and Hida.Hida Promotional Office
. Gifu Prefecture. Accessed August 9, 2011. The borders of the regions are loosely defined, but they are usually delineated among major cities.

Topography

The northern

Hida region is the northern portion of Gifu Prefecture in the Chūbu region of Japan.Hida Promotional Office

is dominated by tall mountains, including parts of the

Japanese Alps The is a series of mountain ranges in Japan which bisect the main island of Honshu. The peaks that tower over central Honshu have long been the object of veneration and pilgrimage. These mountains had long been exploited by local people for raw m ...

. The southern

region is mostly parts of 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 and extreme northern Mie Prefecture, covering an area of approximately .

, a vast plains area with arable soil. Most of the prefecture's population lives in the southern part of the prefecture, near the

designated city A , also known as a or , is a Japanese city that has a population greater than 500,000 and has been designated as such by order of the Cabinet of Japan under Article 252, Section 19, of the Local Autonomy Law. Designated cities are delegate ...

Nagoya is the largest city in the Chūbu region of Japan. It is the list of cities in Japan, fourth-most populous city in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020, and the principal city of the Chūkyō metropolitan area, which is the List of ...

. The mountainous Hida region contains the

Hida Mountains The , or , is a Japanese mountain range which stretches through Nagano, Toyama and Gifu prefectures. A small portion of the mountains also reach into Niigata Prefecture. William Gowland coined the phrase "Japanese Alps" during his time in Jap ...

, which are referred to as the "Northern Alps" in Japan. The

Ryōhaku Mountains The are a mountain range spanning Gifu, Toyama, Ishikawa, Fukui and Shiga prefectures in Japan. It is divided into the Kaetsu Mountains (加越山地 ''Kaetsu Sanchi''), whose major peak is Mount Haku, and the Etsumi Mountains (越美山地 '' ...

are also in the Hida region. Other major ranges include the

Ibuki Mountains The are a mountain range straddling the border between Gifu Prefecture, Gifu and Shiga Prefecture, Shiga prefectures in Japan. After lowering and nearly disappearing in Shiga Prefecture, the range continues as the Suzuka Mountains. During the win ...

and the

Yōrō Mountains The are a mountain range straddling the border between Gifu and Mie prefectures in Japan. They form part of the western border of the Nōbi Plain. Geography The Yōrō Mountains are approximately wide and long, running primarily from south- ...

. Much of the Mino region is made up of the

alluvial plain An alluvial plain is a plain (an essentially flat landform) created by the deposition of sediment over a long period by one or more rivers coming from highland regions, from which alluvial soil forms. A ''floodplain'' is part of the process, bei ...

of the

Kiso Three Rivers The are the three major rivers that make up the alluvial plain area of the Nōbi Plain of Japan. The three rivers are the Kiso River, the Ibi River and the Nagara River. Given their location, they are sometimes referred to as the Nōbi Three R ...

, which are the

Kiso River The is a river in the Chubu region of Japan roughly long, flowing through the prefectures of Nagano, Gifu, Aichi, and Mie before emptying into Ise Bay a short distance away from the city of Nagoya.Nussbaum, Louis Frédéric ''et al.'' (200 ...

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 ...

and

Ibi River The is a tributary of the Kiso River located in Gifu Prefecture, Gifu and Mie Prefectures in Japan. Along with the Nagara River, Nagara and Kiso rivers, the Ibi is the third of the Kiso Three Rivers of the Nōbi Plain. It is one of Japan's first ...

. The sources of Kiso river is in Nagano prefecture, and those of the others are in Gifu prefecture. They eventually run through Aichi and Mie prefectures before emptying into

Ise Bay is a bay located at the mouth of the Kiso Three Rivers between Mie prefecture, Mie and Aichi prefecture, Aichi Prefectures in Japan. Ise Bay has an average depth of and a maximum depth of . The mouth of the bay is and is connected to the small ...

. Other major rivers in the prefecture include the Miya, Takahara, Shō, Toki (Shōnai), Yahagi, and Itoshiro rivers.

Climate

Gifu's climate varies from

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...

in the south, eventually making the transition to

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers, and cold ...

in the north. Because the Mino region is surrounded by low mountains, the temperature fluctuates through the year, from hot summers to cold winters. The eastern city of

, for example, often records the hottest temperature in Japan each year and is considered to be the hottest city within Honshu boasting an average daytime high of during the peak of summer. On August 16, 2007, Tajimi set the record for the hottest day recorded in Japan's history—.Gifu Prefecture sees highest temperature ever recorded in Japan – 40.9
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Japan News Review
Summers are hotter, as the landlocked area becomes a heat island, and the temperature rises even further when hot, dry

foehn wind A Foehn, or Föhn (, , , ), is a type of dry, relatively warm downslope wind in the lee of a mountain range. It is a rain shadow wind that results from the subsequent adiabatic warming of air that has dropped most of its moisture on windw ...

s blow over the Ibuki Mountains from the

Kansai region The or the lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshū. The region includes the prefectures of Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyōgo and Shiga, often also Mie, sometimes Fukui, Tokushima and Tottori. The metropol ...

. The Hida region, with its higher elevation and northerly latitude, is significantly cooler than the Mino region, although there are sometimes extremely hot days there too. The Hida region is more famous for its harsh winters, bringing extremely heavy snowfall, especially in the northwestern areas. Gifu boasts a high amount of skiing locations. Shōkawa-chō, part of the city of Takayama, is up in the mountains, and its location has led it to be called the coldest inhabited place on Honshū.

Municipalities

All of the cities, towns, villages and districts of Gifu Prefecture are listed below.

Cities

Twenty-one cities are located in Gifu Prefecture: *

– (the capital city of the prefecture) *

Ena Ena or ENA may refer to: Education * École nationale d'administration, French Grande école, for civil service * Education Networks of America, Internet service provider Government and politics * English National Association, a former poli ...

Gero Gero I ( 900 – 20 May 965), sometimes called the Great (),Thompson, 486. Also se was a nobleman from East Francia who ruled an initially modest march centred on Merseburg in the south of the present German state of Saxony-Anhalt, which he ...

* Gujō * Hashima * Hida *

Kaizu file:Kiso Sansen Park Center (2014-09-17).jpg, Kiso Sansen Park Center is a Cities of Japan, city located in Gifu Prefecture, Gifu, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 34,960, and a population density of 310 persons per km2, in 12,167 ...

Kani Kani may refer to: Geography * Kani (island), an island in the Maldives * Kani, Myanmar * Kani, Ivory Coast * Kani, Iran (disambiguation) * Kani, Republic of Dagestan, Russia * Kani District, Gifu, Japan * Kani, Gifu Flower Festival Co ...

* Minokamo *

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

* Mizunami *

Nakatsugawa Magome-juku on the Nakasendō is a city located in Gifu, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 78,930, and a population density of 120 persons per km2 in 30,788 households. The total area of the city was . Geography Nakatsugawa is in ...

* Seki *

* Takayama *

Toki Toki may refer to: People * The Toki clan, a Japanese samurai clan * Luke Toki (born 1986), Australian television personality *, Japanese decathlete *, Japanese sumo wrestler * Palnatoki, a legendary Danish hero and chieftain * Toki (also spelled ...

* Yamagata

Towns and villages

These are the towns and villages in each

district A district is a type of administrative division that in some countries is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or county, counties, several municipality, municip ...

: * Anpachi District ** Anpachi ** Gōdo ** Wanouchi * Fuwa District **

Sekigahara The Battle of Sekigahara (Shinjitai: ; Kyūjitai: , Hepburn romanization: ''Sekigahara no Tatakai'') was an important battle in Japan which occurred on October 21, 1600 (Keichō 5, 15th day of the 9th month) in what is now Gifu Prefecture, ...

** Tarui * Hashima District ** Ginan ** Kasamatsu * Ibi District **

Ibigawa is a town located in Ibi District, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 21,319 in 8,015 households and a population density of 27 persons per km2. The total area of the town was . Geography Ibigawa is located in f ...

** Ikeda ** Ōno * Kamo District ** Hichisō ** Higashishirakawa ** Kawabe ** Sakahogi ** Shirakawa ** Tomika **

Yaotsu is a town located in Kamo District, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 11,036 and a population density of 886 persons per km2, in 4311 households. The total area of the town was . Geography Yaotsu is located in sou ...

* Kani District ** Mitake * Motosu District ** Kitagata *

Ōno District ONO, Ono or Ōno may refer to: Places Fiji * Ono Island (Fiji) Israel * Kiryat Ono * Ono, Benjamin, ancient site Italy * Ono San Pietro Ivory Coast * Ono, Ivory Coast, a village in Comoé District Japan * Ōno Castle, Fukuoka * ...

** Shirakawa * Yōrō District **

Yōrō was a after '' Reiki'' and before '' Jinki.'' This period spanned the years from November 717 through February 724. The reigning empress was . Change of era * 717 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events. The previ ...

Mergers

Economy

Traditional industries such as paper-making and agriculture are found in Gifu, but its economy is dominated by the manufacturing sector including aerospace and automotive, with industrial complexes extending from the Nagoya area. A wealth of small component manufacturing is also found, such as precision machines, dye and mold making, and plastic forming.

Traditional industries

Gifu is famous for

cormorant fishing Cormorant fishing is a traditional fishing technique in which fishermen use trained cormorants to catch fish in rivers. Historically, cormorant fishing has taken place in China and Japan, as well as Greece, North Macedonia, and briefly, England ...

, which has a history of over 1,300 years. Agriculture is also a major industry because of Gifu's vast, arable plains. The forests in the north provide materials for woodworking and for the viewing boats used in cormorant fishing. The Mino region has long been known for its high-quality paper called ''

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 ...

'', which is stronger and thinner than most other papers in Japan, and was used by the Japanese military during World War II. Other paper-based products include

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

Gifu Umbrellas , or Gifu Japanese umbrellas, are a special product of the city of Gifu in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. They have been labeled as one of Gifu's traditional crafts. History In 1639, the Matsudaira clan became rulers of the Kanō Domain and brought wit ...

, made in the prefectural capital of

. Other traditional goods include ''mino-yaki'' pottery in

, and Mizunami,

in Seki, and

lacquerware Lacquerware are objects decoratively covered with lacquer. Lacquerware includes small or large containers, tableware, a variety of small objects carried by people, and larger objects such as furniture and even coffins painted with lacquer. Before ...

in Takayama.

Sake Sake, , or saki, also referred to as Japanese rice wine, is an alcoholic beverage of Japanese origin made by fermenting rice that has been polished to remove the bran. Despite the name ''Japanese rice wine'', sake, and indeed any East Asi ...

is often brewed with clear water from the rivers.

Modern industries

has a large role in the prefecture's modern industries. It boasts large aerospace facilities of both

Kawasaki Heavy Industries is a Japanese Public company, public multinational corporation manufacturer of motorcycles, engines, Heavy equipment (construction), heavy equipment, aerospace and Military, defense equipment, rolling stock and ships, headquartered in Minato, To ...

and

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational engineering, electrical equipment and electronics corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. MHI is one of the core companies of the Mitsubishi Group and its automobile division is the prede ...

, as well as many

metalworking Metalworking is the process of shaping and reshaping metals in order to create useful objects, parts, assemblies, and large scale structures. As a term, it covers a wide and diverse range of processes, skills, and tools for producing objects on e ...

and

manufacturing Manufacturing is the creation or production of goods with the help of equipment, labor, machines, tools, and chemical or biological processing or formulation. It is the essence of the secondary sector of the economy. The term may refer ...

companies. Information technology (IT) is gaining a foothold in the prefecture with both Softopia Japan in

and VR Techno Japan (part of Techno Plaza) in Kakamigahara. The capital city of Gifu, located between Ōgaki and Kakamigahara, is also working to strengthen its IT fields, too.

Tourism

Gifu has many popular tourist attractions, bringing visitors to all parts of the prefecture. The most popular places are Gifu,

, Shirakawa and Takayama. Gero is known for its relaxing

hot spring A hot spring, hydrothermal spring, or geothermal spring is a Spring (hydrology), spring produced by the emergence of Geothermal activity, geothermally heated groundwater onto the surface of the Earth. The groundwater is heated either by shallow ...

s, which attract visitors throughout the year. Shirakawa's historic villages are a UNESCO

World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

. Takayama is famous for retaining its original appearance and is often referred to as ''Little

Kyoto Kyoto ( or ; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan's largest and most populous island of Honshu. , the city had a population of 1.46 million, making it t ...

''. In addition to international tourists, Gifu also plays host to many international events. The

World Event and Convention Complex Gifu The world is the totality of entities, the whole of reality, or everything that exists. The nature of the world has been conceptualized differently in different fields. Some conceptions see the world as unique, while others talk of a "plu ...

is available for many types of events. Other areas of Gifu, too, bring international events. The

World Rowing Championships The World Rowing Championships is an international Rowing (sport), rowing regatta organized by International Rowing Federation, FISA (the International Rowing Federation). It is a week-long event held at the end of the northern hemisphere summer ...

were held in the city of

in 2005. The

FIS Snowboard World Cup The FIS Snowboard World Cup is an annual snowboarding competition, arranged by the International Ski Federation (FIS) since 1994. Since its inauguration, different disciplines have been added and removed, along with categories used to group them ...

was held in the city of Gujo in 2008. The

APEC Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC ) is an inter-governmental forum for 21 member economy , economies in the Pacific Rim that promotes free trade throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Following the success of Association of Southeast Asia ...

Japan 2010 SME Ministerial Meetings were held in Gifu City.

Science

The Kamioka area of the city of Hida is home to the

Kamioka Observatory The is a neutrino and gravitational waves laboratory located underground in the Mozumi mine of the Kamioka Mining and Smelting Co. near the Kamioka section of the city of Hida in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. A set of groundbreaking neutrino experimen ...

underground laboratory. Located underground in Kamioka Mining and Smelting Co.'s Mozumi Mine, the

Super-Kamiokande Super-Kamiokande (abbreviation of Super-Kamioka Neutrino Detection Experiment, also abbreviated to Super-K or SK; ) is a neutrino detector, neutrino observatory located Kamioka Observatory, under Mount Ikeno near the city of Hida, Gifu, Hida, ...

experiment searches for neutrinos from the high atmosphere, the sun and supernovae, while the

KamLAND The Kamioka Liquid Scintillator Antineutrino Detector (KamLAND) is an electron antineutrino detector at the Kamioka Observatory, an underground neutrino detection facility in Hida, Gifu, Japan. The device is situated in a drift mine shaft in ...

experiment searches for antineutrinos from regional nuclear reactors. The Super-Kamiokande consists of a cylindrical stainless steel tank that is tall and in diameter holding 50,000 tons of ultra-pure water. Some of the 11,146 photomultiplier tubes are on display at the

Miraikan The , simply known as the , is a museum created by Japan's Japan Science and Technology Agency, Science and Technology Agency. It was opened in 2001. It is situated in a purpose-built building in the Odaiba District of Tokyo. It can be reached b ...

in Tokyo. The same facility also hosts the

CLIO In Greek mythology, Clio ( , ; ), also spelled Kleio, Сleio, or Cleo, is the muse of history, or in a few mythological accounts, the muse of lyre-playing. Etymology Clio's name is derived from the Greek root κλέω/κλείω (meaning ...

prototype and

KAGRA The Kamioka Gravitational Wave Detector (KAGRA) is a large interferometer designed to detect gravitational waves predicted by the general theory of relativity. KAGRA is a Michelson interferometer that is isolated from external disturbances: its mi ...

gravitational wave detector.

Demographics

Gifu prefecture population pyramid in 2020

The prefecture's population was 2,101,969, with approximately 1.8 million people in the cities and the rest in towns and villages.Statistics Division of Gifu Prefecture
. Gifu Prefecture. Accessed November 2, 2007. The percentage of male and female residents is 48.4% and 51.6%, respectively. 14.4% of the population is no more than 14 years old, with 22.1% of the population being at least 65 years old. According to Japan's

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

, the country's

is located in Gifu Prefecture. In 2000, it was located in the former town of Mugi, which has since merged with Seki. In the most recent census in 2005, the center of population has moved slightly more to the east but is still located within Gifu.

Education

* Asahi University *

Chubu Gakuin University is a private university at Seki, Gifu, Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the S ...

* Chukyo Gakuin University * Gifu City Women's College *

Gifu College of Nursing is a public university at Hashima, Gifu, Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the ...

Gifu Keizai University , formerly , is a private university at Ogaki, Gifu, Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and exten ...

Gifu Pharmaceutical University is a municipal university located in the city of Gifu, Gifu, Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. The school's predecessor was founded in 1932 and chartered as a university in 1949.''Gifu-shi no Ayumi (Outline of Gifu City 2005)''. Gifu City Hall, April ...

Gifu Shotoku Gakuen University is a private university in the city of Gifu, Gifu, Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Named after the 7th-century Prince Shōtoku, the school was founded in 1972 as the and adopted the present name in 1998. Its name is sometimes abbreviated to Sh� ...

Gifu University is a national university in the city of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. It is sometimes abbreviated as Gidai () or Gifudai (). National University Corporation The Tokai National Higher Education and Research System established by integrating ...

* Gifu University of Medical Science *

Gifu Women's University is a four-year private university in the city of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the S ...

Institute of Advanced Media Arts and Sciences , IAMAS is a public university at Ōgaki, Gifu, Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends fr ...

* Tokai Gakuin University

Transportation

Rail

* Akechi Railway *

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 occasionally as JR Tokai (). The term ''Tōkai'' refers to the southern portion of Central Japan, ...

** Chuo Line **

Taita Line The is a railway line in Gifu Prefecture, Japan, operated by Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central). It connects Tajimi Station in the city of Tajimi via Kani to Mino-Ōta Station in Minokamo. The name of the line includes a ''kanji'' ...

Takayama Line The is a Japanese railway line between Gifu Station in Gifu and Toyama Station in Toyama, operated by Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) and West Japan Railway Company (JR West). The line directly links the Chūkyō Metropolitan Area ( ...

** Tokaido Line **

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

– Gifu-Hashima Station *

Meitetsu , publicly trading 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 w ...

** Hashima Line ** Hiromi Line **

Inuyama Line The is a 26.8 km Japanese railway line operated by the private railway operator Nagoya Railroad (Meitetsu), which connects Biwajima Junction in Kiyosu with station in Kakamigahara. Together with the Meitetsu Kakamigahara Line, the line f ...

** Kakamigahara Line ** Nagoya Line ** Takehana Line *

Nagaragawa Railway The is a railway line in Gifu Prefecture, Japan, operated by the Public–private partnerships by country#Japan, third-sector operator . The line connects Mino-Ōta Station in Minokamo, Gifu, Minokamo with Hokunō Station in Gujō, Gifu, Gujō. ...

Tarumi Railway The is a Japanese railway line in Gifu Prefecture, between Ōgaki Station, Ōgaki and Tarumi Station, Motosu. It is the only railway line of the third-sector operator . There was a freight rail service that transported cement for Sumitomo Ōs ...

* Yoro Railway

Road

Expressway and toll roads

*Chubu Jukan Expressway * Chuo Expressway *Hakusan Forest Road *

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 a ...

*Mount Ibuki Toll Road *Nagaragawa Riversideway * Tokai Hokuriku Expressway * Tokai Loop Expressway

National highways

* Route 19 * Route 21 * Route 22 * Route 41 * Route 156 * Route 157 * Route 158 * Route 248 * Route 256 * Route 257 * Route 258 * Route 303 * Route 360 * Route 361 * Route 363 * Route 365 *

Route 417 The following highways are numbered 417: Canada * Manitoba Provincial Road 417 * Newfoundland and Labrador Route 417 * Ontario Highway 417 Costa Rica * National Route 417 Iceland * Route 417 Japan * Japan National Route 417 United State ...

* Route 418 * Route 419 * Route 471 * Route 472 * Route 475

Prefectural symbols

Gifu's symbol comes from the first character ''gi'' (岐) of its Japanese name, written in a stylized script, surrounded by a circle, which represents the peace and harmony of the prefectural citizen. It was chosen by contest in 1932.A Statistical Guide to Gifu Prefecture 2007
. Gifu Prefecture. Accessed November 2, 2007. The prefectural logo (''see right'') expands from the red dot into the center to the outer two lines and, finally, the yellow plain. This symbol was chosen in 1991 for the development and expansion of the prefecture. The prefecture also has two plants (the

milk vetch ''Astragalus'' is a large genus of over 3,000 species of herbs and small shrubs, belonging to the legume family Fabaceae and the subfamily Faboideae. It is the List of the largest genera of flowering plants, largest genus of plants in terms of d ...

(renge) and the Japanese yew) and two animals (the snow grouse and the

ayu Ayu or AYU may refer to: * Ayu (given name) * Ayu sweetfish (''Plecoglossus altivelis''), a species of smelt * ''Ayu'', a local name for the African manatee * Ayu (singer) or Ayumi Hamasaki, Japanese singer * Ayu Islands, a small archipelago in ...

) as symbols. The milk vetch was chosen in 1954, because the prefecture is well known for its abundance of blooming milk vetch each spring. The yew was chosen in 1966, because it is the tree used to make ornamental scepters for the emperor, many of which came from the Hida district. The snow grouse was chosen in 1961, as the birds live up in the Japanese alps and is a nationally protected species. Ayu were chosen in 1989, because the fish is found in many prefectural rivers and is prized for its sweet taste.

Notable people

Chie Aoki Chie Aoki (青木千絵, born 1981) is a Japanese sculptor. Her sculpture work uses mediums of cloth, foam, lacquer, and she is also known for photography on rice paper. Her sculptures commonly have the shapes of amorphous human bodies, without hea ...

, sculptor *

Junji Ito is a Japanese horror manga artist. Some of his most notable works include ''Tomie'', a series chronicling an immortal girl who drives her stricken admirers to madness; ''Uzumaki'', a three-volume series about a town cursed by spirals; and ''Gy ...

, manga artist *

Tsuyoshi Makino was a Japanese author, critic, and social activist. He taught Japanese language at Kawai Juku in Sendai, Japan. Personal life Tsuyoshi Makino was born 24 September 1945 in the city of Ena, Gifu Prefecture. After graduating from Ena public hig ...

, author and social activist * Rie Matsubara, rhythmic gymnast *

Airi Suzuki is a Japanese singer, actress, model, and radio personality associated with Up-Front Works. In 2002, she joined Hello! Project as a member of Hello! Project Kids and later debuted as the lead vocalist of the Japanese idol girl group Cute (Japan ...

, Japanese singer, actress, model and radio personality *

Kaiu Shirai is the pen name of a Japanese manga artist and writer whose real name and date of birth are unknown. He is best known for his manga series ''The Promised Neverland''. Early life Kaiu Shirai was doing Kabuki at a young age and then after graduat ...

, manga artist *

Chiune Sugihara was a Japanese diplomat who served as vice-consul for the Japanese Empire in Kaunas, Lithuania. During the Second World War, Sugihara helped thousands of Jews flee Europe by issuing transit visas to them so that they could travel through Japan ...

, diplomat *

Teiji Takagi Teiji Takagi (高木貞治 ''Takagi Teiji'', April 21, 1875 – February 28, 1960) was a Japanese mathematician, best known for proving the Takagi existence theorem in class field theory. The Blancmange curve, the graph of a nowhere-differenti ...

, mathematician

Notes

References

* Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth (2005)
''Japan Encyclopedia''
Cambridge, Massachusetts:

Harvard University Press Harvard University Press (HUP) is an academic publishing house established on January 13, 1913, as a division of Harvard University. It is a member of the Association of University Presses. Its director since 2017 is George Andreou. The pres ...

. ; . .

External links

* *
Gifu travel guide

Go Gifu (blog about tourism in Gifu)

Map of Gifu Prefecture in 1891
National Archives of Japan. {{Coord, 35, 29, N, 136, 54, E, scale:500000, display=title Chūbu region Prefectures of Japan