Gifu Prefecture

is a prefecture in the Chūbu region of Japan. It is on the island of Honshu. Its capital is the city of Gifu.

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.

"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.

### 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.

## Related pages

- Provinces of Japan
- Prefectures of Japan
- List of regions of Japan
- List of islands of Japan
- F.C. Gifu

## Other websites

- Gifu Prefecture's Official website
- A prefectural office of Gifu

## Infobox (place symbols)

- **embedded**: yes
- **country**: Japan
- **bird**: Rock ptarmigan
(_Lagopus muta_)
- **fish**: Ayu sweetfish, Ayu
(_Plecoglossus altivelis_)
- **flower**: Chinese milk vetch
(_Astragalus (plant), Astragalus sinicus_)
- **tree**: Taxus cuspidata, Japanese yew
(_Taxus cuspidata_)


## Infobox (settlement)

- **name**: Gifu Prefecture
- **settlement type**: Prefectures of Japan, Prefecture
- **translit lang1**: Japanese
- **translit lang1 type**: Japanese language, Japanese
- **translit lang1 type1**: Romanization of Japanese, Rōmaji
- **image skyline**: Gifucastleview.jpg
- **image caption**: Panoramic view of the Nōbi Plain with Gifu City, Gifu Prefecture seen from the top of Gifu Castle
- **image flag**: Flag of Gifu Prefecture.svg
- **flag size**: 100px
- **image blank emblem**: Emblem of Gifu Prefecture.svg
- **blank emblem size**: 80px
- **blank emblem type**: Symbol
- **image map**: Map of Japan with highlight on 21 Gifu prefecture.svg
- **subdivision type**: Country
- **subdivision type1**: List of regions of Japan, Region
- **subdivision name1**: Chūbu region, Chūbu (Tōkai region, Tōkai)
- **subdivision type2**: List of islands of Japan, Island
- **subdivision name2**: Honshu
- **seat type**: List of capitals in Japan, Capital
- **seat**: Gifu
- **parts type**: Subdivisions
- **parts style**: para
- **p1**: Districts of Japan, Districts: 9
- **p2**: Municipalities of Japan, Municipalities: 42
- **leader title**: List of prefectural governors in Japan, Governor
- **leader name**: Hajime Furuta
- **area total km2**: 10621.29
- **area water percent**: 0.2
- **area rank**: List of Japanese prefectures by area, 7th
- **population total**: 1991390
- **population as of**: June 1, 2019
- **population rank**: List of Japanese prefectures by population, 17th
- **population density km2**: auto
- **demographics type2**: GDP
- **demographics2 title1**: Total
- **demographics2 info1**: JP¥7,937 billion
US$72.8 billion (2019)
- **iso code**: JP-21
- **anthem**: :ja:岐阜県民の歌, Gifu kenmin no uta