Gifu

Gifu Castle sits atop Mt. Kinka, and the main attraction is a 360-degree panoramic view from the top floor. The castle was historically significant as Oda Nobunaga used it as a headquarters when unifying Japan, however the castle was destroyed in 1601, after the Battle of Sekigahara. The current castle was completed in 1956 and underwent a major renovation in 1997. Inside the castle is a small museum with armor, swords, maps, etc. The castle is open for night viewing in the summer. Getting to the top of Mt. Kinka requires either a ropeway ride or a hike.

There are exhibition corners where you can experience history while being introduced to it. In particular, the Castle Town of the Warring States Period is displayed in-scale and the Rakuichi-ba has been restored. (Rakuichi-ba is the Free Market established by Oda Nobunaga for the promotion of the Castle Town economy by drawing in merchants.

The Nawa Insect Museum has been open since 1919 and is the oldest insect museum in Japan. In this museum, familiar insects, as well as rare and attractive species from all over the world, are exhibited. The museum also sells entomology tools and there are also talks about insects. Because the building is very important for historical value, the museum is a Registered Tangible Cultural Property.

It was established in 1991 as a place to admire the well-known Japanese artists, Eizo and Toichi Kato, who were both born in Gifu. It houses paintings by the Kato brothers and holds a variety of exhibitions for the locals.

See beautiful scenery all year round. Places of interest in Gifu Park are a statue of Nobunaga, the Oda Nobunaga Palace Ruins, the Kabukimon, the Gifu City Museum of History, and the Nawa Insect Museum.

The Gifu Daibutsu (Great Statue of Buddha) is located southwest of Gifu Park in the Colossal Hall of the Great Buddha here at Kinpōzan Shōhō-ji Temple. It is basketwork-style, painted with lacquer, and plated gold. It is the largest Buddha statue of this type in Japan. The statue is 13.7 meters tall. The ears are 2.1 meters long and the nose is 0.4 meters wide. It contains an image of the Yakushi-nyorai made by Jikaku-daishi.

The Sankō Art Museum is located on a hill and affords a view of Mt. Kinka. It is in a quiet area surrounded by Sarastewartia trees (similar to camellias). The museum houses tea utensils and paintings, including those by Renoir, Chagall, and Ryuzaburo Umehara in a lavish setting. Every admittance includes your choice of coffee, tea, green tea, cola or juice, served with a view of the central garden.

A historic shrine that is said to bring monetary fortune. It's famous for its unique gold torii gate. The shrine is located within Kogane Park, a popular place for locals to gather, but they typically don't venture onto the shrine grounds, so it's still quite peaceful in spite of the hustle and bustle surrounding it.