Gifu Castle History . Gifu Castle was first built by the Nikaidō clan between 1201 and 1204 during the Kamakura Period . Originally called Inabayama Castle ( 稲葉山城 " Inabayama - jō " ) , Gifu Castle has gone through many numbers of repairs over the course of several generations . Even though it was famous as a physically powerful castle , it was once taken over by a mere sixteen men . During the Sengoku period a samurai by the name of Takenaka Hanbei went to the castle to visit his sick brother . In reality , he went to the castle not to visit his brother but to kill Saitō Tatsuoki , the lord of castle . When Hanbei struck at him , Tatsuoki was very confused — believing an enemy army had come to attack him — and fled . Thus , Hanbei obtained Inabayama Castle with relative ease . Later , Hanbei returned the castle to his lord , but Tatsuoki had lost an immeasurable amount of reputation and honor due to his perceived cowardly flight from the castle . When Oda Nobunaga attacked Inabayama Castle , many men under Tatsuoki remembered this event and defected . After easily defeating Tatsuoki , Nobunaga claimed the castle and made it his primary base - of - operations . Nobunaga renamed the stronghold " Gifu Castle , " following an example set by an ancient Chinese practice . Nobunaga then proceeded to renovate the castle into a far more impressive and grandiose structure than its previous incarnation . Luis Frois , a renowned Jesuit Missionary from Portugal , was personally invited by Nobunaga to visit the castle . After a short stay in Gifu , Frois praised the castle ' s extraordinary beauty . The Battle of Gifu Castle in 1600 served as a prelude to both the Battle of Sekigahara and the destruction of Gifu Castle in the same year . After the demolition of the castle , part of the structure was brough to Kanō Castle to the south to fortify its position . Present day . The current version of Gifu Castle is a cement structure that was built in the 1950s , as the previous castle had been destroyed by the firebombings of the surrounding city during World War II . Inside the castle , there are three floors with exhibits representing the castle ' s past . With maps , weapons , pictures and other artifacts on display , visitors can recreate the story of Gifu Castle . On the top floor of the castle , an observation deck , visitors can enjoy a 360 - degree panoramic view of the surrounding area , including the Nagara River and Nagoya . At various points throughout the year , the castle is also open to night viewing , providing an awe - inspiring view of the city . The newly opened Gifu City Tower 43 also provides panoramic views of the city and is open late year - round ; however , its views are limited to only a few compass directions . A short walk from the castle is a small archives museum , containing more artifacts from Gifu Castle . Also in this museum are pictures from major castles throughout Japan . Entry into this museum is included in the price to visit Gifu Castle , making it a worthwhile stop for visitors to Gifu Castle . Lights , walkways and signs that were added during 2005 ' s beautification campaign make visiting the castle even more convenient and informative . Gifu Castle Archives Museum . When visitors pay the entrance fee to Gifu Castle , they also receive entrance to the Gifu Castle Archives Museum , located approximately from the entrance to Gifu Castle . Inside the museum , visitors will find more archives related to Gifu Castle and its past residents . The second floor focuses on musical instruments from Japan ' s past and present . Additionally , there are pictures of castles throughout Japan adorning the walls of the museum . Access . Mount Kinka offers hiking trails of varying difficulty to Gifu Castle and take approximately one hour . Visitors can also take the Mt . Kinka Ropeway that originates in Gifu Park to the mountain ' s summit , from which Gifu Castle is just a short walk away . To get to Gifu Park , you can board buses operated by Gifu Bus at either JR Gifu Station ( Bus Platform 11 or 12 ) or Meitetsu Gifu Station ( Bus Platform 4 ) . The bus takes approximately 15 minutes to get to the bus stop for Gifu Park and the Museum of History ( " Gifu Kōen , Rekishi Hakubutsukan - mae " ) .