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Gifu Castle

岐阜県

4.2

Tourist Information of This Area

general.prefecture.

Sengoku military commander, Oda Nobunaga and Saito Dozan's castle residence

Gifu Castle, which towers over the top of Mt. Kinka and was once considered impregnable, is now beloved as a symbol of Gifu Prefecture. From the castle, you can see not only the entire Gifu Prefecture, but also Mt. Ibuki in Shiga Prefecture, the Suzuka Mountain Range in Mie Prefecture, Mt. Ontake in Nagano Prefecture, and Mt. Hakusan in Ishikawa Prefecture on clear days.

Features & How to Enjoy

Classic HistoryRainny day

Highlights

Point 1

Enjoy the Spectacular View!

At the top floor of Gifu Castle, which was built at an elevation of 329 meters, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the vast Nobi Plain, the majestic mountains including the Japanese Alps, and the Nagara River, famous for cormorant fishing and one of the three major rivers in the Kiso Sansen National Park, flowing through the city. On clear days, you can even see the river merging with the Kiso and Ibi Rivers and flowing into Ise Bay. Experience the surrounding nature from the castle's keep.

Point 2

Gifu Castle is also beautiful when viewed from below

画像引用：金華山ロープウェー

The highlight of Gifu Castle is its great views. Of course, the view from the castle looking down is magnificent, but the sight of Gifu Castle towering over the mountain when viewed from the castle town is also impressive. Especially during the evening hours from sunset to 23:00, the castle is illuminated, and the sight of Gifu Castle lit up by the lights gives a different sense of grandeur than during the day. During the "Gifu Castle Panorama Night View" event, there are also periods when the lights are dimmed, so be sure to check before going to see the illumination.

Point 3

Luxurious Feeling of Viewing Cherry Blossoms from Above

During cherry blossom season, you can view the cherry blossoms from the foot of the mountain to the mountainside and mountaintop from inside Gifu Park, which is located at the base of the mountain. The cherry blossoms in the Nichirin Friendship Garden within Gifu Park are particularly popular. The garden has a circulating system that creates a whirlpool in the pond, and when the cherry blossoms fall, the petals swirl beautifully on the surface of the pond. Photos taken with long exposure during the illuminated period from sunset to 23:00, when the cherry blossom petals in the pond swirl, have become popular on social media. Enjoy it along with the illumination of Gifu Castle.

Point 4

Gifu Castle and Its Stunning Autumn Foliage

The autumn foliage of Gifu Castle has been selected as one of the Hida-Mino 33 Best Autumn Foliage Spots, and the scenery of Gifu Castle adorned with autumn leaves is stunning. In November, many hikers and photographers flock to see the competition between Gifu Castle and the autumn foliage. During the autumn foliage season, you can enjoy various views such as the view from the castle, the view from below, the daytime view, and the view illuminated at night. Gifu Castle offers wonderful scenery throughout the four seasons.

Point 5

Get a "Castle Stamp" as a Commemoration of Your Castle Visit

A "Castle Stamp" is a commemorative certificate of your castle visit, where you can receive a stamp on a piece of paper with the castle name and the seal of the castle lord, such as their family crest or signature, just like receiving a "Goshuin" when visiting a shrine or temple. The Castle Stamp of Gifu Castle features the Oda family crest, "Oda Kibishi," "Tenka Fubu," and the stamp of Nobunaga's flag, "Eiraku Tsuho." In addition to Gifu Castle, there are 26 other castles in Gifu Prefecture where you can receive a Castle Stamp. Enjoy castle hopping!

Required time

Rope-way Takes You to the Impregnable Castle in About 12 Minutes

Gifu Castle, located on a summit over 300 meters high, has been reigning as an impregnable castle since the Kamakura period, and its difficulty in conquest was said to be "Whoever conquers Mino will conquer the world." Currently, hiking trails have been developed, and it takes about an hour to reach the summit, making it a popular hiking course for a wide range of ages. With the rope-way, you can arrive at the summit station in just about 4 minutes, and it takes about 8 minutes from the station to the castle's main tower. Why not take in the view of the castle town from the summit of Mt. Kinka and the scenery seen by Oda Nobunaga, who aimed to unify Japan, from the main tower of Gifu Castle, which is counted as one of Japan's Top 100 Castles?

History

The Appearance of the Kamakura Period Castle Has Been Restored

Although Gifu Castle is famous as the castle that warlord Oda Nobunaga used as his base, it is said that it was built in 1201 by Naka-no-tsubone Yukitsugu, a shogunate steward who was active during the Kamakura period. In 1567, Nobunaga, who had become the lord of the castle after defeating Saito Dosan, who was then residing there, changed the name of the castle from "Inabayama Castle" to "Gifu Castle," and changed the name of the town from "I-no-kuchi" to "Gifu," and focused his efforts on unifying the country, leading to the development of the castle town. After Nobunaga fell in the Incident at Honnoji, his grandson, Oda Hidenobu, who had barricaded himself in Gifu Castle during the Battle of Sekigahara, was defeated and the main parts of the castle, including the keep, were moved to Kanō Castle. The current Gifu Castle is a reconstructed keep made of reinforced concrete, completed in 1956.

Fee

Experience the Feeling of Nobunaga with Your Allowance?

The entrance fee to Gifu Castle is common with the Gifu Castle Museum, and costs 200 yen for adults (16 years old and above) and 100 yen for children (4 years old to under 16 years old). The fare for the Kinkazan Ropeway is 1,080 yen round trip or 620 yen one way for adults (12 years old and above), and 540 yen round trip or 280 yen one way for children (4 years old to under 12 years old). It's nice to have the peace of mind that if you get tired on the way there, you can come back by ropeway.

Basic Information

	Address	18 Tenjukaku, Gifu City, Gifu 500-0000
	Business Hours	N/A
	TEL	058-263-4853
	Web Site	https://www.city.gifu.lg.jp/3537.htm

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