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Gifu

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Template:Infobox City Japan

Gifu City (岐阜市, Gifu-shi) is a city located in the south-central portion of Gifu Prefecture, Japan, and serves as the prefecural capital. Before becoming a city, it was part of Atsumi District, but now it has been designated a core city by the national government.

The city's long history is a result of its central ___location within Japan. During the Warring States Period, Gifu thrived as a castle town under the protection of Saitō Dōsan and, later, Oda Nobunaga. During the Edo Period, Gifu and its neighboring town, Kanō-juku, thrived as major rest areas on the Nakasendō. The current Gifu City is primarily composed of the land from the original Gifu City, the former Kanō-juku and the former Yanaizu Town.

History

Gifu City was officially established on July 1, 1889, with a population of 25,750 people and an area of 10km². Through various mergers with neighboring towns and villages, the most recent of which was with Yanaizu Town on January 1, 2006, Gifu City has greatly expanded to its current population of over 420,000 people and area of over 200km².

This area received its name during the Warring States Period in the mid-sixteenth century. Oda Nobunaga, a leading feudal lord, renamed the village (previously called Inokuchi) and the area (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.

 
Togo Heihachiro with members of the French Military Mission to Japan (1918-1919) in Gifu.

With the neighboring Kakamigahara City serving as an aeronautics center for Japan, Gifu City was a major industrial center during World War II, including a downtown factory that focused on aircraft engines. As a result, Gifu was the 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 citizens ring a Peace Bell in unison with the sister cities on each anniversary of this event. The city has since greatly recovered, becoming known as a fashion center of Japan. Manufacturing and industrial services have also helped revive the city.

Many famous people have visited Gifu through the years. Luis Frois, a Portuguese Jesuit missionary, stayed in Gifu as a host of Nobunaga himself. Matsuo Bashō, a renowned haiku poet also spent many months in Gifu, creating haiku. Also, famed comedian Charlie Chaplin came to view cormorant fishing on the Nagara River twice and came away very moved.

Lifestyle

 
A Gifu house

The downtown area of Gifu City is generally considered a bedroom community of nearby Nagoya. The ease of commute between the two cities, as well as the plentiful apartment construction underway, has contributed to this distinction. Just north of Gifu Station is Gifu City Tower 43, a 43-story high-rise building that opened in 2007 as the tallest building in Gifu Prefecture. The upper 30 floors are divided into two- and three-bedroom apartments for those in the upper income brackets. The lower floors will be used as offices or shops for targeted services such as medical care.

Additional apartment complexes are also being built throughout the city to serve other residents of Gifu City. Much of this additional building is being completed due to Toyota relocating its main offices from Tokyo to Nagoya. The employees in those offices will be moving to many nearby areas, including Gifu, around Nagoya.

Gifu City Hall is promoting a Slow Life Gifu City campaign,[1] designed to encourage residents to lead a slower-paced life. This campaign intends to give an alternative to the fast-paced life of the modern world. Major parts of this campaign include more dependence on locally grown food, traditional culture and arts, activities to increase citizens’ participation in their community.[1]

Tourism

Cormorant Fishing

Main article: Cormorant Fishing on the Nagara River

Cormorant fishing is the representative tourist attraction of Gifu City. Though cormorant fishing occurs in many places in Japan, it is only on the Nagara River that cormorant fishing has an uninterrupted over 1,300 year history.[2] This is also the largest display of cormorant fishing in all of Japan, with six fishing masters going down the river at the same time, using their birds to catch ayu (sweetfish). The cormorant fishing season lasts from May 11 to October 15 every year and occurs each night, except during high water levels and the harvest moon.

Museums

Gifu City has a wide range of museums available to its citizens and visitors. To further promote the use of these facilities, the city instituted a policy in 2006 that allows elementary and junior high school students to enter many of the museums for free.

The largest of the city-supported museums is the Gifu City Museum of History. It is located in Gifu Park and its permanent exhibit primarily focuses on Gifu City's past and contains many hands-on exhibits. It often hosts special exhibits, though, providing a broader field of information to its visitors. Also located in Gifu Park is the Eizō & Tōichi Katō Memorial Art Museum, which is a semi-autonomous branch of the history museum. This art museum is dedicated to the works of the brothers Eizō and Tōichi Katō, famous artists born in Gifu Prefecture. These brothers' paintings had many subjects, but the Nagara River and cormorant fishing feature prominently in a number of pieces. The Yanaizu Folklore Museum in the Yanaizu-chō area of the city is the other branch of the Museum of History.

There are two other museums in Gifu Park, too. The Nawa Insect Museum, next to the history museum, and the Gifu Castle Archive Museum, next to Gifu Castle atop Mt. Kinka. The Nawa Insect Museum was founded by Yasushi Nawa, Japan's "Insect Man," in 1919,[3] and provides a closeup look at insects and their world.

Other museums include the Gifu City Science Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts, Gifu, both located near the prefectural office. In addition to the Science Museum's general science exhibits, it also includes a planetarium and a rooftop observatory, allowing visitors to learn about the day and night sky. The prefectural Museum of Fine Arts was opened in 1982 as a museum dedicated to art and artists related to Gifu Prefecture, though it also contains pieces from the world over.[4]

Castles

 
A panorama of Gifu City

Gifu City's most famous castle is Gifu Castle, located on Mt. Kinka. First build by the Nikaidō family during the Kamakura Period, the castle has gone through many forms, with its current version being rebuilt in 1956.[3] One of its first major residents was Saitō Dōsan, who lived in the castle when it was still being called Inabayama Castle. The next resident of the castle, Oda Nobunaga, changed the castle's name at the same time that he changed the name of the surrounding town. From the top of the castle, visitors have a 360-degree view, effectively giving them a view to all the borders of Gifu City. Inside the castle are many artifacts from its past.

Though the two other castles in Gifu City, Kanō Castle and Kawate Castle, only have ruins marking their former presence, they both have had important roles in the city's past. Kanō Castle was built shortly after the Battle of Sekigahara when Tokugawa Ieyasu ordered the Toyotomi family to build it upon the ruins of a former medieval castle. Okudaira Nobumasa was the first person to live in the castle and he was followed by his descendants until the Meiji Period. The castle's citadel ruins are designated a National Historic Site.[5] Kawate Castle was used by Toki while he was guarding Owari, Ise and Mino provinces as the Chief Retainer of the Muromachi Shogunate. It was also often used as a meeting place for the cultural and social elite from Kyōto.[5] There is a stone monument near Seibi High School marking the castle's ___location.

Festivals and Events

A wide array of festivals and events take place in Gifu City throughout the year. Some have long histories, honoring Gifu's past and Japan's traditions, while others are more modern, representing the views of its citizens.

The first major festivals of the year are the Dosan Festival and the Gifu Festival, both of which occur on the first Saturday and following Sunday of April.[6] The Dosan Festival is a memorial to Saito Dosan, so much of the festivities take place near Jozai-ji Temple, where his remains are buried. The Gifu Festival is a Shinto festival that begins at Inaba Shrine and winds its way through other shrines within the city. Both festivals include street vendors, flea markets, and floats being paraded through the city. The Gifu Nobunaga Festival, which takes place on the first Saturday and following Sunday of October, also pays homage to a former lord of Gifu City. This festival centers on the downtown area and includes a procession of horses and warriors down the city's main streets.[7]

Gifu City also has festivals representing its cultural heritage. Twice each year, there is a Tejikara Fire Festival. It first occurs on the second Saturday of April at Tejikarao Shrine and it again occurs on the second Sunday of August at Nagara River Park.[6] These festivals are composed of half-naked men carrying shrines and other devices that shoot off a large of sparks, in addition to ringing bells. Near the end of August, the city also sponsors Takigi Noh, a traditional form of Japanese theater that takes place on the banks of the Nagara River and is lit only by the surrounding bonfires and the fires of cormorant boats.[6]

 
Gifu City Flag Art

Also twice a year, Gifu City plays hosts to two large fireworks festivals. Large numbers of visitors gather on the banks of the Nagara River between Nagara and Kinka Bridge to see these festivals, the size and scope of which are rivalled by few places throughout Japan.[3] The first festival, the Chunichi Shimbun Nagara River All-Japan Fireworks Festival, occurs on the last Saturday of July. The second festival, the Nagara River National Fireworks Display, occurs on the first Saturday of August.[6] Approximately 30,000 fireworks are set off at each festival, with crowds of 400,000 and 120,000 visitors, respectively.

As a major civic event, downtown Gifu City serves as the ___location for Flag Art Displays a few times throughout the year. The flags displayed measure approximately 3m tall by 1.8m wide.[8] Each set of displays revolves around a different theme (eg. the beauty of Gifu or AIDS Awareness) or are created by specific group of persons (eg. local school students or local artists).

Shrines and Temples

Major Shrines

Gifu City's most famous shrines include a family of shrines: Inaba Shrine, Kogane Shrine, and Kashimori Shrine. They are considered a family of shrines because the Inishiki Irihiko-no-mikoto god at Inaba Shrine is married to the Nunoshi Hime Mikoto goddess at Kogane Shrine and, together, they are the parents of the Ichihaya-no-mikoto God at Kashimori Shrine. Inaba Shrine was originally located on the northern side of Mt. Kinka, but it was moved to its present ___location by Saitō Dōsan during his reign over Gifu. Kogane Shrine is located in Kogane Park, behind the Gifu City Culture Center, and it is said that, behind Kashimori Shrine, you can see the footprints of Tenba, a mythical horse.[5]

Kanō Tenmangu Shrine, located in the former Kanō-juku, was built in concurrence with Kanō Castle shortly after the Battle of Sekigahara. Originally built to serve as a place of worship for the castle's residents, it eventually became a place of prayer for many people within the growing town.[5] Tejikarao Shrine, located in the eastern portion of the city, is famous as the home of the Tejikara Fire Festival that is held in April.[6]

Major Temples

Because of the important of both Saitō Dōsan and Oda Nobunaga, many of the temples here hold strong connections to them. Jōzai-ji Temple, for instance, was built by Saitō Myōchin, an ancestor of Dōsan, under the protection of Toki Shigeyori. Dōsan took advantage of this temple's support as he began his domination of Mino Province. His presence was so strong here that his death was mourned at the temple for three generations.[5] Zuiryō-ji Temple was also built by Myōchin and is currently undergoing restoration and contains the tombs of Shigeyori, Myōchin, and Gokei Kokushi.[5] Sofuku-ji Temple contains the "Blood Ceiling;" it was stained with the blood of the vassals of Oda Nobunaga's grandson, Oda Hidenobu. They committed seppuku during the Battle of Sekigahara after their leader's defeat. This temple contains the mausoleums of both Nobunaga and his son, Oda Nobutada.[5]

Shōbō-ji Temple is home to the Gifu Great Buddha, which is also referred to as the "Blessed Buddha." Built during the Edo Period, this is the first and largest dry-lacquered Buddha in Japan and remains one of the three largest Great Buddha Images of Japan.[3] The Buddha and its 13.7-meter bamboo frame took 38 years to build.[3] In the aromatic garden, you can enjoy tea and traditional foods.[9]

Jōdo-ji Temple holds the remains of Hanako, who was the only Japanese person to model for Rodin and traveled extensively throughout Europe during her career. She spent most of her later years in Gifu City's Nishizono-chō, just east of Yanagase.[5]

Athletics

The main sporting facility in Gifu City is the Gifu Memorial Center, whose complex includes facilities for athletic and other events. Its atheletic facilities include a track and field complex, a baseball stadium, plazas for tennis and swimming, martial arts and traditional arts facilities, etc. There are also two large multi-purpose domes: the Deai Dome (seats 5,000) and the Fureai Dome (seats 700).[10] All of the facilities are equipped for night events. The soccer field at the Memorial Center serves as the home to FC Gifu, Gifu City's representative in the J-League. Next to Memorial Center is the Nagaragawa Sports Plaza, a sports science and training center. The facility is able to provide accomodations for up to 300 people and gives them access to state-of-the-art equipment for improving their athletic ability.[10]

Just south of these sports facilities, the Naoko Takahashi Road runs along the northern bank of the Nagara River. This pedestrian pathway is named after the Gifu-born marathoner Naoko Takahashi, who won the gold medal in the event at the Athens Olympic Games. This road primarily stretches from Nagara Bridge to Chusetsu Bridge, providing a convenient course for events such as the Terry Fox Run and the Nagaragawa International Inline Skating Competition.

Other Attractions

 
Sakura in bloom in a Gifu park

Gifu Park is one of the major tourist attractions of Gifu City because it contains many of the museums and is near so many other sightseeing spots. However, it also serves as a gathering place because of its large shaded areas that include ponds, waterfalls and other peaceful escapes. Cherry trees and wisteria vines in the spring attract many visitors, too. Next to Gifu Park is Mt. Kinka, which serves as one of the main symbols of Gifu City. It rises 329m into the sky along the banks of the Nagara River and serves as the home of Gifu Castle and many hiking trails.

Other places to rest include Bairin Park, a local park that is filled with over fifty types of plum trees[5] which bloom in an array of colors, from white to dark pink, each Spring. For those who would like to rest indoors, Nagaragawa Onsen is a popular choice. This is a collection of onsen and ryokan located along the Nagara River in central Gifu City.[11] Its many springs are filled with a variety of minerals for different ailments. Also, its close ___location to the Nagaragawa Convention Center and various high class hotels make it a popular area for guests.

For shopping, Yanagase is able to fill most people's needs. This covered shopping arcade is the primary shopping district of Gifu City and, in addition to its many smaller retail shops and restaurants, Yanagase is also home to Takashimaya, Muji, and two movie theaters. It was made famous throughout the country when Kenichi Mikawa's hit, "Yanagase Blues," was released in the 1960s.

Industry

 
A closeup of Gifu's skyline

Gifu City's first major industry was textiles. For a long period of time it rivaled Tokyo and Osaka to lead the Japanese fashion industry. The area just north of JR Gifu Station is open to many smaller clothing stores catering to many types of consumers. Furthermore, the city's main downtown covered shopping arcade, Yanagase, encloses many of clothing, shoes, and accessories shops that carry both domestic and overseas goods. Over the past decade, though, Gifu's fashion industry went into a steep decline, the city has began looking for other industries to prop up the local economy.

One such industry that Gifu has been able to depend on is the manufacturing industry. Because the city is located close to Aichi Prefecture and its many major automotive and heavy industry companies, such as Toyota, Gifu City has become a prosperous area for many metalworking, mold and die, and parts subcontractors. Its ease of access to neighboring areas using public transportation and highways has allowed companies to set up many factories and facilities in the Gifu City area.

In addition to the modern industries upon which Gifu's economy rests, the city also has a wide array of traditional industries, which include traditional Japanese fans, Gifu paper, and ayu-based food goods. Many shops, both small and large, can be found throughout the city which produce these goods. The most well-known local industries, though, are traditional lanterns and umbrellas. There are approximately 15 businesses that make lanterns in Gifu City, the most famous of which is the Ozeki Lantern, Co. In the Kanō area, visitors have the opportunity to take a course and make their own paper umbrellas.

Education

  • Colleges and Universities
    • Gifu City Women's College
    • Gifu Pharmaceutical University
    • Gifu Shotoku Gakuen University
    • Gifu University
    • Gifu Women's University

These post-secondary educational facilities are augmented by five technical post-secondary institutions. There are 18 high schools in Gifu City (12 public and six private) to serve the students coming out of the city's 27 junior high schools (22 public, one national, and four private).[12]

Transportation

Bicycle

  • Rent-a-Cycle: Bicycles can be rented through this city-supported bicycle rental program. Bicycles are available for rental at JR Gifu Station, Gifu City Hall (South Branch), Gifu Park (Museum of History), and the Cormorant Fishing Boat Viewing Office. Bicycles cost 100 yen for one day's use.

Bus

Railroad

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

National Highways

  • Highway 21, Highway 22 (overlapping)
  • Highway 156
  • Highway 157
  • Highway 248
  • Highway 256
  • Highway 303

Sister Cities/Friendship Cities

  •   Florence, Italy (est. February 8, 1978, Sister City)
  •   Hangzhou, Zhejian Province, China (est. February 21, 1979, Friendship City)
  •   Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil (est. February 22, 1982, Sister City)
  •   Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America (est. May 11, 1988, Sister City)
  •   Meidling District, Vienna, Austria (est. March 22, 1994, Sister City)
  •   Thunder Bay, Canada (est. May 28, 2007, Sister City)

Citizens' Charter

The Citizens' Charter is as follows:

We, the citizens of Gifu City, respect the traditional culture created in the majestic natural beauty of Mt. Kinka and the Nagara River. Here, we delcare to strengthen common bonds and endeavor to create a city of freedom and peace with characteristics as follows:

  • A comfortable city where people have respect for nature and mankind;
  • A warm-hearted city where youth have dreams and the aged peacefully enjoy their golden years;
  • A vigorous city where people enjoy both work and play;
  • A cooperative city where people are true to their word and considerate to others;
  • A prosperous city where people mingle freely, improve cultivation and develop individuality.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b Slow Life City Gifu, Gifu City Hall. Accessed June 7, 2007.
  2. ^ Cormorant Fishing on the Nagara River. Gifu City Cormorant Fishing Viewing Boat Office, 2007.
  3. ^ a b c d e Gifu Prefecture: Japan's Beautiful Heartland. Gifu International Center, 1994.
  4. ^ Museum of Fine Arts, Gifu. Museum of Fine Arts, Gifu. Accessed June 5, 2007.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i Gifu City Walking Map. Gifu Lively City Public Corporation, 2007.
  6. ^ a b c d e Gifu City Event Calendar, Gifu Convention and Visitors Bureau. Accessed June 5, 2007.
  7. ^ a b Outline of Gifu City 2007. Gifu City Hall, April 2007.
  8. ^ Flag Art Display, Sōhō Japan. Accessed June 5, 2007.
  9. ^ Gifu Great Buddha. Gifu Convention and Visitors Bureau. Accessed June 5, 2007.
  10. ^ a b World Event and Convention Complex. World Event Village Gifu. Accessed June 7, 2007.
  11. ^ Gifu Nagaragawa Onsen. Gifu Nagaragawa Onsen and Ryokan Cooperative. Accessed June 6, 2007.
  12. ^ Map of Gifu City. Gifu City Hall International Affairs Division, January 15, 2003.
 
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