Gifu Prefecture

Lore & Background

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 Honshu, it has been the site of many decisive battles, the oldest major one being the Jinshin War in 672, which led to the establishment of Emperor Tenmu as the 40th emperor of Japan. The area consists of the old provinces of Hida and Mino, as well as smaller parts of Echizen and Shinano. The name of the prefecture derives from its capital city, Gifu, which was named by Oda Nobunaga during his campaign to unify all of Japan in 1567. The first character comes from Qishan, a legendary mountain from which most of China was unified, and the second from Qufu, the birthplace of Confucius. Nobunaga chose those characters because he wanted to unify all of Japan and be viewed as a great mind. Historically, the prefecture served as the center of swordmaking for all of Japan, with Seki known for making the best swords. The Mino region has long been known for its high-quality paper called Mino washi, which is stronger and thinner than most other papers in Japan and was used by the Japanese military during World War II. Other traditional goods include Gifu lanterns, Gifu umbrellas, mino-yaki pottery in Tajimi, Toki, and Mizunami, cutlery in Seki, and lacquerware in Takayama. The prefecture is also home to the 1,300-year-old tradition of cormorant fishing on the Nagara River.

Reader's Guide

Gifu Prefecture's significance lies in its central location and historical role as a crossroads of Japan, influencing military and political unification during the Sengoku period. The phrase 'control Gifu and you control Japan' reflects its strategic importance. Its legacy includes traditional industries such as swordsmithing, paper-making, and cormorant fishing, which continue to define its cultural identity. Modern industries like aerospace engineering in Kakamigahara and information technology in Ōgaki and Kakamigahara have diversified its economy. The prefecture also contains the site of the Battle of Sekigahara and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Shirakawa's historic villages. Its varied geography, from the mountainous Hida region to the fertile Nōbi Plain, supports both agriculture and tourism, including hot springs in Gero and the preserved town of Takayama, often called Little Kyoto. The Kamioka area of Hida is home to the Kamioka Observatory underground laboratory, 1,000 m underground, housing the Super-Kamiokande experiment and the KamLAND experiment.

Did You Know?

• On August 16, 2007, Tajimi set the record for the hottest day in Japan's history at 40.9 °C (105.6 °F).
• The center of Japanese population is located in Seki City, Gifu Prefecture, based on the 2005 census.
• The Mino–Owari earthquake on October 28, 1891, was the second largest earthquake to ever hit Japan, estimated at 8.0 surface-wave magnitude.
• Shōkawa-chō, part of Takayama, is called the coldest inhabited place on Honshū.
• The Super-Kamiokande experiment in Hida uses a tank 41.4 m tall and 39.3 m in diameter holding 50,000 tons of ultra-pure water.