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

As of January 2004, the city has an estimated population of 411,169 and the density of 2,107.26 persons per km². The total area is 195.12 km².

The name Gifu was given in the Sengoku period by Oda Nobunaga, a leading feudal lord in province that is now Aichi Prefecture. Renaming what was previously called Mino, he intended to show his ambition to reunify Japan. He named it after a legendary mountain, Mt. Gi, in ancient China.

The city was founded on July 1, 1889.

Transportation

JR (Japan Railways)

Gifu has a JR Tokai station (Shinkansen) that connects the city with Nagoya and beyond.

Meitetsu Railways

Meitetsu has two stations in Gifu. One is Meitetsu Gifu Station (formerly known as Shin Gifu Station). The other is Gifu Station Mae Station is a station of the tram abolished on April 1, 2005.

External link

• Official website in Japanese