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is a city located in the south-central portion of Gifu Prefecture, Japan, and serves as the prefectural capital. The city has played an important strategic role in Japan's history because of its location in the middle of the country. During the Sengoku period, various warlords used the area as a base in their efforts to unify and control Japan. Among them, Oda Nobunaga, who gave the region the name it is known by today. Gifu continued to flourish even after Japan's unification as both an important shukuba along the Edo period Nakasendō 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 by the national government. The city is a part of the Chūkyō metropolitan area, centered around Nagoya.
Two major rail lines connect Gifu to Japan's national and international transportation infrastructure. JR Central's Tōkaidō Main Line runs through the city, connecting it with Nagoya, one of Japan's largest cities, and the surrounding area. The city has a direct train route to Chubu Centrair International Airport and facilities capable of hosting international events. Gifu has active relationships with six sister city.
, the city has an estimated population of 401,534 in 178,246 households, and a population density of about . The total area of the city was .
=== Cityscape ===
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 Japan 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. Asia: Japan: Most Elderly Nation. The New York Times. Accessed January 17, 2008. The average age of city residents is 43.37. As of 2022, the population of Gifu stands at 401,779.
During Dōsan's reign, his daughter Nōhime married Oda Nobunaga, the heir of the fast rising clan in the neighboring Owari Province, 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 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 County (岐山), the legendary mountain from which Zhou dynasty was unified. The second character (阜 fu) means "base of the mountain" and comes from Qufu (曲阜), the birthplace of Confucius. 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 Gifu Castle 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".
In the middle of the Meiji period, 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. 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.
During World War II, Gifu also served as the base for the creation of Japan'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 Mino washi (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 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.
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, the lower house of the National Diet. The district consists of all of Gifu, excluding the former town of Yanaizu, which falls into the Gifu 3rd District.
One such industry is manufacturing. Because the city is located near Aichi Prefecture and its many major automotive and heavy industry companies, such as Toyota, 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, Mino washi and foods created from the Ayu sweetfish sweetfish. Many shops throughout the city produce these goods. The most well-known local industries, though, are traditional Gifu Lanterns and Gifu Umbrellas. 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.
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, 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, 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 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.
Two rail companies have major train stations downtown: JR Central (Central Japan Railway Company) and Meitetsu. JR Tōkai: Gifu no Goannai JR Central. Accessed December 5, 2007. The JR Tōkaidō Main Line runs through and the Takayama Main Line begins at Gifu Station. The JR Tōkaidō Shinkansen, however, does not run through Gifu Station; its nearest stops are Nagoya Station 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.
Until April 1, 2005, Meitetsu also operated a streetcar 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, Osaka, Kobe, Kyoto and Shinjuku in Tokyo. Gifu Bus also connects Nagoya with Gujō, Seki, Mino 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 Rent-a-cycle Port Guide. Gifu City Hall. Accessed September 18, 2007.
Matsuo Bashō, a renowned haiku poet in the Edo period, spent many months in Gifu, creating haiku about many things, including cormorant fishing. Famed comedian Charlie Chaplin 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.
There are two other museums in Gifu Park, too. The Nawa Insect Museum, 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, 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, both located near the prefectural office. In addition to the Science Museum's general exhibits, it also includes a planetarium and a rooftop observatory. 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.
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.
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 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).
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, who won the gold medal in the event at the 2000 Summer Olympics. This road primarily stretches from Nagara Bridge to Chusetsu Bridge, providing a convenient course for events such as the Terry Fox Run, the Nagaragawa International Inline Skating Competition, and the Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon. 13th Annual Nagaragawa International Inline Skating Competition Gifu City Hall. Accessed January 18, 2008. Race Outline Gifu Marathon. Retrieved on 2013-05-20.
Other attractions include Bairin Park, filled with over fifty types of ume trees which bloom in an array of colors, from white to dark pink, each Spring. Nagaragawa Onsen is a popular indoor location. This collection of onsen and ryokan inns is located along the Nagara River 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 and various high-class hotels make it a popular area for guests.
North of the Nagara River is Mount Dodo and 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 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, Muji, and two movie theaters. It was made famous throughout the country when Kenichi Mikawa's hit, "Yanagase Blues", was released in the 1960s. Kenichi Mikawa Discography . Nippon Crown Co., Ltd. Accessed January 18, 2008.
Though the two other castles in the city, Kanō Castle and Kawate Castle, 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 when Tokugawa Ieyasu ordered the Toyotomi 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 Toki clan while they were guarding Owari Province, Ise Province and Mino Province provinces as the Chief Retainer of the shogunate during the Muromachi period. It was also used as a meeting place for the cultural and social elite from Kyoto. A stone monument near Seibi High School marks the castle's location.
Kanō Tenman-gū, a shrine located in the former Kanō-juku, 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, 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. Mino 33 Kannon. Mino Seigoku Sanjūsan Kannon Reijō-kai. Accessed June 6, 2008.
Shōhō-ji is home to the Gifu Great Buddha, which is also referred to as the "Blessed Buddha". Built during the Edo period, 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, Auguste Rodin'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.
The city of Gifu is currently promoting the Slow Life City Initiative, Slow Life City Gifu. Gifu City Hall. Accessed January 20, 2008. which is similar to, but more comprehensive than, the slow food 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).
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