Gifu Prefecture

Gifu Prefecture (岐阜県, Gifu-ken) is a prefecture in the Chūbu region of Japan. It is on the island of Honshu.[1] Its capital is the city of Gifu.[2]

Gifu
岐阜県
Prefecture
Japanese transcription(s)
 • RomajiGifu-ken
Symbol
Location of Gifu in Japan
Country Japan
RegionChūbu
IslandHonshū
CapitalGifu
Government
 • GovernorHajime Furuta
Area
 • Total10,621.17 km2 (4,100.86 sq mi)
Area rank7th
Population
 (August 1, 2010)
 • Total2,078,286
 • Rank18th
 • Density200/km2 (510/sq mi)
ISO 3166 codeJP-21
Prefectural flowerChinese milk vetch
(Astragalus sinicus)
Prefectural treeJapanese Yew
(Taxus cuspidata)
Prefectural birdRock ptarmigan
(Lagopus muta)
Prefectural bird{{{Fish}}}
Number of districts9
Number of municipalities42
Websitewww.pref.gifu.lg.jp

Gifu is part of the Tōkai region. Shirakawa in Gifu is a UNESCO's World Heritage Site.

History

In the Meiji period, Gifu Prefecture was created by merging several old provinces, including Hida Province and Mino Province.[3]

"Gifu" may have been named by Oda Nobunaga.

Geography

Gifu shares borders with seven other prefectures: Aichi Prefecture, Fukui Prefecture, Ishikawa Prefecture, Mie Prefecture, Nagano Prefecture, Shiga Prefecture and Toyama Prefecture.

Landmarks
  • Kinkazan and Gifu Castle
  • Takayama
  • Joining hands-structure of Shirakawa-go
  • Gero hot springs

Special products
  • Ayu-cuisine
  • Eel
  • Hida beef

Cities
  • Ena, Gifu
  • Gero, Gifu
  • Gifu, Gifu, capital
  • Gujō, Gifu
  • Hashima, Gifu
  • Hida, Gifu
  • Kakamigahara, Gifu
  • Kani, Gifu
  • Kaizu, Gifu
  • Mino, Gifu
  • Minokama, Gifu
  • Mizuho, Gifu
  • Mizunami, Gifu
  • Motosu, Gifu
  • Nakatsugawa, Gifu
  • Ōgaki, Gifu
  • Seki, Gifu
  • Tajimi, Gifu
  • Takayama, Gifu
  • Toki, Gifu
  • Yamagata, Gifu

National parks

National parks cover about 18% of the total land area of the prefecture.[4]

Otaki Limestone Cave

Otaki Limestone cave is one of the biggest limestone caves in Japan. There is no daylight inside, so you may feel that the air in there is very still. If you go there in summer, you may feel cool, and if you go there in winter, you may feel much warmer than outside of it. The walls are made of limestone and look milky white.

Shrines and temples

Hidaichinomiya-Minashi jinja is the main Shinto shrine (ichinomiya) in the prefecture.[5]

References
  1. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Gifu-ken" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 246; "Chūbu" at p. 126.
  2. Nussbaum, "Gifu" at p. 246.
  3. Nussbaum, "Provinces and prefectures" at p. 780.
  4. Japan Ministry of the Environment, "General overview of area figures for Natural Parks by prefecture"; retrieved 2012-3-13.
  5. "Nationwide List of Ichinomiya," p. 2 Archived 2013-05-17 at the Wayback Machine; retrieved 2012-3-13.

Other websites

Media related to Gifu prefecture at Wikimedia Commons

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