Gifu Prefecture facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gifu Prefecture |
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| Capital | Gifu | ||||||||
| Region | Chūbu | ||||||||
| Island | Honshū | ||||||||
| Governor | Hajime Furuta | ||||||||
| Area (rank) | 10,621.17 km² (7th) | ||||||||
| - % water | 0.2% | ||||||||
| Population (August 1, 2010) | |||||||||
| - Population | 2,078,286 (18th) | ||||||||
| - Density | 196 /km² | ||||||||
| Districts | 9 | ||||||||
| Municipalities | 42 | ||||||||
| ISO 3166-2 | JP-21 | ||||||||
| Website | www.pref.gifu.lg.jp | ||||||||
| Prefectural Symbols | |||||||||
| - Flower | Chinese milk vetch (Astragalus sinicus) |
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| - Tree | Japanese Yew (Taxus cuspidata) |
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| - Bird | Rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta) |
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| - Fish | {{{Fish}}} | ||||||||
 Symbol of Gifu Prefecture |
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Gifu Prefecture (岐阜県, Gifu-ken) is a special area in the Chūbu region of Japan. It is like a state or province. Gifu is located on Honshu, which is the largest island of Japan. The main city and capital of Gifu Prefecture is Gifu City.
Gifu is also part of the Tōkai region. One very famous place in Gifu is Shirakawa. It is so special that it is listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. This means it is a place of great importance to the world.
Contents
History of Gifu Prefecture
Gifu Prefecture was created a long time ago, during a period called the Meiji period. This happened when several older areas, known as provinces, were joined together. These included Hida Province and Mino Province.
The name "Gifu" might have been given by a very famous historical leader named Oda Nobunaga. He was a powerful samurai who lived many centuries ago.
Geography and Neighbors
Gifu Prefecture is located in the middle of Japan. It is surrounded by many other prefectures. Gifu shares its borders with seven different prefectures. These are Aichi Prefecture, Fukui Prefecture, Ishikawa Prefecture, Mie Prefecture, Nagano Prefecture, Shiga Prefecture, and Toyama Prefecture.
Famous Places to Visit
Gifu Prefecture has many interesting places that people like to visit. Here are some of them:
- Kinkazan and Gifu Castle: Gifu Castle sits on top of Mount Kinka. It's a historic castle with amazing views.
- Takayama: This city is known for its old town area, which has traditional wooden houses and temples.
- Shirakawa-go: This village is famous for its unique houses with steep, thatched roofs. They are called "joining hands" structures because of their shape. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Gero Hot Springs: These are natural hot springs where people can relax in warm, mineral-rich water.
Special Foods and Products
Gifu is also known for some delicious local foods and unique products:
- Ayu-cuisine: Ayu is a type of fish often grilled or prepared in special ways.
- Eel: Eel is another popular dish, often served grilled with a sweet sauce.
- Hida beef: This is a very famous type of beef from the Hida region of Gifu. It is known for being very tender and flavorful.
Cities in Gifu
Gifu Prefecture has many cities, each with its own unique features. The capital city is Gifu City. Here is a list of some of the cities in Gifu:
- Ena, Gifu
- Gero, Gifu
- Gifu, Gifu (the capital city)
- Gujō, Gifu
- Hashima, Gifu
- Hida, Gifu
- Kakamigahara, Gifu
- Kani, Gifu
- Kaizu, Gifu
- Mino, Gifu
- Minokama, Gifu
- Mizuho, Gifu
- Mizunami, Gifu
- Motosu, Gifu
- Nakatsugawa, Gifu
- Ōgaki, Gifu
- Seki, Gifu
- Tajimi, Gifu
- Takayama, Gifu
- Toki, Gifu
- Yamagata, Gifu
National Parks and Nature
Gifu Prefecture is a very natural place. About 18% of all the land in Gifu is covered by national parks. These parks help protect the beautiful mountains, forests, and wildlife.
Otaki Limestone Cave
The Otaki Limestone Cave is one of the largest limestone caves in Japan. When you go inside, there is no daylight, so it feels very quiet and still. The temperature inside the cave stays pretty much the same all year. This means it feels cool in the summer and warmer than outside in the winter. The walls of the cave are made of milky white limestone, which looks really cool!
Shrines and Temples
Japan has many special religious sites. Hidaichinomiya-Minashi jinja is the most important Shinto shrine in Gifu Prefecture. Shinto is a traditional Japanese religion.
Related pages
- Provinces of Japan
- Prefectures of Japan
- List of regions of Japan
- List of islands of Japan
- F.C. Gifu (a local soccer team)
Images for kids
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A beautiful view from the top of a hill in Magome-juku, Nakatsugawa.
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A scenic view of Minokamo with Mount Ontake in the background.
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Mount Kinshō as seen from Mount Ikeda, near Ōgaki.
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A view of the city of Takayama from Mount Kurai.
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Cormorant fishing in the Nagara River, a traditional fishing method.
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Traditional houses in Shirakawa-gō, known for their unique roofs.
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The Faculty of Engineering building at Gifu University covered in snow.
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The official logo of Gifu Prefecture.
See also
In Spanish: Prefectura de Gifu para niños
