Gifu

Gifu
岐阜市
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Seen from Twin Arch 138 Gifu city distant view and Mt. Hanafusa
Gifu CastleKawaramachi
YanagaseGifu Family Park
Gifu Great BuddhaCormorant fishing on the Nagara River
Interactive map of Gifu
Gifu
 
Coordinates: 35°25′23.6″N 136°45′38.8″E / 35.423222°N 136.760778°E / 35.423222; 136.760778
CountryJapan
RegionChūbu (Tōkai)
PrefectureGifu
Government
 • MayorMasanao Shibahashi
Area
 • Total
203.60 km2 (78.61 sq mi)
Population
 (September 1, 2020)
 • Total
400,118
 • Density1,965.2/km2 (5,089.9/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
City symbols 
- TreeJapanese Chinquapin
- FlowerScarlet Sage
Phone number0581-22-2111
Address18 Imazawa-chō, Gifu-shi, Gifu-ken 500-8701
Websitewww.city.gifu.lg.jp

Gifu (岐阜市, Gifu-shi; Japanese pronunciation: [ɡʲi.ɸɯ, ɡʲi.ɸɯ̥ꜜ.ɕi]) 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 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.