is a public park located at the base of Mount Kinka

Mount Kinka (Gifu)

, also known as Kinkazan, is located in the heart of the city of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan, and rises to a height of . Previously called Mt. Inaba , it has long served as the representative symbol of Gifu. It stands along the Nagara River, creating bountiful nature within the city...

 in the city of Gifu

Gifu, Gifu

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 role in Japan's history because of its location in the middle of the country. During the Sengoku period, various warlords, including Oda Nobunaga, used...

, Gifu Prefecture

Gifu Prefecture

is a prefecture located in the Chūbu region of central Japan. Its capital is the city of Gifu.Located in the center of Japan, it has long played an important part as the crossroads of Japan, connecting the east to the west through such routes as the Nakasendō...

, Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

. Inside the park, there are many attractions, including Gifu Castle

Gifu Castle

is a castle located in the city of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Along with Mount Kinka and the Nagara River, it is one of the main symbols of the city.-History:Gifu Castle was first built by the Nikaidō clan between 1201 and 1204 during the Kamakura Period....

, Mount Kinka, the Mt. Kinka Ropeway

Mt. Kinka Ropeway

The is Japanese aerial lift line in Gifu, Gifu. This is the only line operates. The company belongs to Meitetsu Group. The line, opened in 1955, climbs Mount Kinka, linking Gifu Park and Gifu Castle.-Background:...

, the Gifu City Museum of History

Gifu City Museum of History

The is a city-supported history museum located in the city of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Located in Gifu Park at the base of Mount Kinka, it is in the heart of Gifu City's sightseeing area....

, the Eizō & Tōichi Katō Memorial Art Museum

Eizo & Toichi Kato Memorial Art Museum

The is a museum located in Gifu Park in the city of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. It is dedicated to the works of the brothers Eizō and Tōichi Katō, who were born in the city. It is part of the Gifu City Museum of History.-Facility layout:...

, and the Nawa Insect Museum

Nawa Insect Museum

The is a museum in the city of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. It is operated by the Nawa Insect Research Center.-History:Yasushi Nawa, the man who discovered the Gifu Butterfly and is known as "The Insect Man," opened the Nawa Insect Research Center in April 1896...

. In 2006, it was selected as one of Japan's Top 100 Public Historical Parks.

History

The area that makes up Gifu Park has a long and important role in the history of Gifu City. Though Mount Kinka was strategically important for military purposes, living in the castle atop the mountain would have made daily life very difficult. As such, many important rulers built their main residences at the base of the mountain in modern day Gifu Park.

One of those residences used to belong to Oda Nobunaga

Oda Nobunaga

was the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...

. It was called Senjō-jiki (千畳敷), which literally means "one-thousand tatami

Tatami

A is a type of mat used as a flooring material in traditional Japanese-style rooms. Traditionally made of rice straw to form the core , with a covering of woven soft rush straw, tatami are made in standard sizes, with the length exactly twice the width...

 mats." The residence was so large that it covered approximately two-thirds of the present day park. Much was known about the residence because the Portuguese Jesuit Missionary Luis Frois wrote about it extensively in his journals during his time visiting with Nobunaga, even going so far as to say that Gifu was "as bustling as Babylon." However, until excavation began in 1984, it was unknown whether or not this was actually Nobunaga's Senjō-jiki.Additionally, the park has also been home to a zoo, an aquarium, the Gifu Prefectural Library, and the Gifu City Science Museum

Gifu City Science Museum

is a city-supported museum in Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. It was built in 1955 and was moved to its present location and renamed the Gifu City Children’s Science Center in 1980. When the planetarium was added in 1988, the name was again changed to the Gifu City Science Museum...

. However, all those facilities have been closed or moved.

• 1882 Permission to open the park was granted.
• 1882 Taisuke Itagaki
  Itagaki Taisuke
  Count was a Japanese politician and leader of the , which evolved into Japan's first political party.- Early life :Itagaki Taisuke was born into a middle-ranking samurai family in Tosa Domain, , After studies in Kōchi and in Edo, he was appointed as sobayonin to Tosa daimyo Yamauchi Toyoshige,...
  
   was attacked at the Shintō
  Shinto
  or Shintoism, also kami-no-michi, is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the Japanese people. It is a set of practices, to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present day Japan and its ancient past. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written...
  
   Chūkyō-in Shrine.
• 1888 Gifu Park was opened.
• 1904 Nawa Insect Museum
  Nawa Insect Museum
  The is a museum in the city of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. It is operated by the Nawa Insect Research Center.-History:Yasushi Nawa, the man who discovered the Gifu Butterfly and is known as "The Insect Man," opened the Nawa Insect Research Center in April 1896...
  
   moved to its present location in the park.
• 1917 The Taisuke Itagaki Statue was erected.
• 1935 The Shintō Chūkyō-in Shrine was moved.
• 1955 Mount Kinka Ropeway was opened.
• 1957 The Gifu Prefectural Library was opened.
• 1985 The Gifu City Museum of History was opened.
• 1995 The library was closed and moved.
• 2001 Oda Nobunaga's Former Residence was excavated.

Events

Gifu Park plays host to numerous events throughout the year. Two popular events are the Gifu Park Illumination, which runs from the end of July to the end of August, and the Chrysanthemum Doll and Flower Festival, which runs from the end of October to the end of November. The park is also known for its smaller events throughout the year, too, including firefly viewing in the summer.

Current facilities

• Oda Nobunaga's Former Residence
• Nobunaga Rakuichi
• Japan-China Friendship Garden
• Gifu Park Visitors' Rest Area
• Three-storied Pagoda
• Taisuke Itagaki Statue
• Wellspring Area

Access

From JR Gifu Station

Gifu Station

is a train station operated by Central Japan Railway Company and is located in the heart of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Along with Meitetsu Gifu Station, it is one of the two main rail stations in Gifu City.-History:...

 (Bus Platform 11) or Meitetsu Gifu Station

Meitetsu Gifu Station

is the main terminal of Nagoya Railroad in the city of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. It is one of the two major train stations of the city along with JR Gifu Station....

 (Bus Platform 4), board a bus operated by Gifu Bus

Gifu Bus

is a public transportation company based in Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. It is a subsidiary of Nagoya Railroad and primarily operates within Gifu Prefecture. Some of its public transportation routes within the city of Gifu were handed over by Meitetsu Bus on October 1, 2004. On April 1, 2005, it...

that is heading towards Nagara. Get off the bus at "Gifu Koen, Rekishi Hakubutsukan-mae," approximately 15 minutes from the train stations.