Gifu, Gifu

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**Gifu City**
**岐阜市**
Location
Country	Japan
Region	Chūbu
Prefecture	Gifu Prefecture
Physical characteristics
Area	202.89 km²
Population (as of January 1, 2006)
Total	423,449
Density	2,087.09/km²
Location	35°25′11″N, 136°45′49″E
Symbols
Gifu City City Hall
Mayor	Shigemitsu Hosoe
Official website: Gifu City

Coordinates: 35°25′11″N, 136°45′49″E

Sakura in bloom in a Gifu park

Gifu City (岐阜市; Gifu-shi) is the capital city of Gifu Prefecture in the Chūbu region of central Japan.

1 History
2 Industry
- 2.1 Textiles
- 2.2 Manufacturing
3 Lifestyle
4 Museums
5 Transportation
- 5.1 Railroad
- 5.2 National Highways
6 Sister Cities/Friendship Cities
7 External links

[edit] History

The name Gifu was given in the Warring States Period by Oda Nobunaga, a leading feudal lord of the 16th Century. He renamed what was previously called Inokuchi Village in Mino Province after a legendary mountain, Qishan (岐山), from which most of ancient China was unified. Though Nobunaga was originally from the neighboring province that is now Aichi Prefecture, he lived in Gifu Castle atop Mt. Kinka for nine years, using it as his base to unify Japan.

A major industrial center during World War II, including a downtown factory that made parts for aircraft engines, Gifu was a target of heavy firebombing by the United States Air Force, culminating in the Gifu Air Raid of July 9, 1945 in which most of the city center was destroyed and 900 people were killed. The city has since greatly recovered and the area, along with much of central Japan, is a major manufacturing and industrial region once again.

[edit] Industry

[edit] Textiles

Gifu has long been a center of textile production and trade. Its main downtown covered shopping arcade, Yanagase (柳ヶ瀬), encloses hundreds of clothing, shoes, and accessories shops that carry both domestic and overseas goods.

[edit] Manufacturing

Due to its proximity to Aichi prefecture, which is home to many major automotive and heavy industry companies such as Toyota, many metalworking, mold and die, and parts subcontractors have factories and facilities in Gifu.

A Gifu house

[edit] Lifestyle

Gifu City proper is generally considered a bedroom community to nearby Nagoya, which is evident in the numerous apartment complexes that are within easy reach of the downtown area. As of January 2006, the Gifu City Tower 43, a 43-story high-rise building — to be the tallest in Gifu Prefecture — is under construction in front of Gifu Station, the upper 30 floors of which will be subdivided into 2- and 3-bedroom apartment space. Apartments in this high rise will mainly serve the elderly retired. Medical and other targeted services will be provided out of offices and other shops in the lower floors of the building. Construction is scheduled for completion in August 2007.

Other large apartment complexes have just been built as well, though, and are intended to serve families, young singles, and other more traditional renters. The downtown area and the areas around these new apartment complexes are expected to become more lively as Toyota's main offices are relocated from Tokyo to Nagoya, and Toyota office workers thus relocate from Tokyo to, in many cases, Gifu. "Bierhall," a small bar roughly halfway between the main train station and the city cultural center, is a lively little watering hole whose clientele is a roughly equal mix of Japanese residents of Gifu and expatriates from other countries.

A panorama of Gifu City

[edit] Museums

Gifu City Archives Museum
Gifu City Museum of History
Gifu City Science Museum
Kato Eizo-Toichi Memorial Art Museum
Museum of Fine Art, Gifu
Nawa Insect Museum

A closeup of Gifu's skyline

[edit] Transportation

[edit] Railroad

JR Tōkai (Central Japan Railway Company)
- JR Tōkaidō Main Line: Gifu Station, Nishi Gifu Station
- JR Takayama Line: Gifu Station, Nagamori Station

Gifu Station is a central hub that connects Gifu City with major cities throughout Japan, the nearest being Nagoya. The Shinkansen does not go through Gifu Station. Instead, the nearest stations are Gifu Hashima Station (in Hashima City) and Nagoya Station.

Meitetsu (Nagoya Railroad)
- Nagoya Main Line: Meitetsu Gifu Station, Chajo Station, Kano Station
- Meitetsu Kakamigahara Line: Meitetsu Gifu Station, Tagami Station, Hosobata Station, Kiridoshi Station, Tejikara Station
- Meitetsu Takehana Line: Yanaizu Station

Meitetsu also owned a street car line through Gifu City. It was shut down on April 1, 2005.