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105-513: Located on the alluvial plain of the Nagara River , Gifu has taken advantage of the surrounding natural resources to create both traditional industries (including Mino washi and agriculture) and tourism opportunities such as cormorant fishing . Mount Kinka , one of the city's major symbols, is home to a nationally designated forest and Gifu Castle , a replica of Nobunaga's former castle. Gifu also hosts many festivals and events throughout

210-596: 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. The Nagara River and cormorant fishing feature prominently in a number of their pieces. The Yanaizu Folklore Museum in

315-405: A decreasing total population, internal migration results in only eight prefectures showing an increase in population. These are Okinawa (2.9%), Tokyo (2.7%), Aichi (1.0%), Saitama (1.0%), Kanagawa (0.9%), Fukuoka (0.6%), Shiga (0.2%), and Chiba (0.1%). About 663,300 Japanese were living abroad, approximately 75,000 of whom had permanent foreign residency, more than six times

420-591: A different theme (such as the beauty of Gifu or AIDS Awareness) or are created by a specific group of persons (for example, local school students or local artists). The main sporting facility in the city is the Gifu Memorial Center , whose complex includes facilities for athletic and other events. Its athletic facilities include a track and field complex, a baseball stadium, and plazas for tennis and swimming, as well as martial arts and traditional arts facilities. There are also two large multi-purpose domes:

525-416: A directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature. The mayor serves a four-year term. Supporting the mayor are two vice-mayors and the city treasurer, all of whom are appointed by the mayor. The city legislature has 38 seats. No members of the city council are selected through at-large election. Like the mayor, each member of the city council serves a four-year term and all seats are up for election at

630-589: A falling birth rate and a large share of its inhabitants reaching old age, Japan's total population is expected to continue declining, a trend that has been seen since 2010. Japanese is a major language of the Japonic language family spoken by Japanese people , which is separated into several dialects with the Tokyo dialect considered Standard Japanese. It has around 128 million speakers in total, primarily in Japan,

735-491: A few years fell 60% below their peak. After a decade of declining land prices, residents began moving back into central city areas (especially Tokyo's 23 wards), as evidenced by 2005 census figures. Despite nearly 70% of Japan being covered by forests, parks in many major cities—especially Tokyo and Osaka—are smaller and scarcer than in major West European or North American cities. As of 2014, parkland per inhabitant in Tokyo

840-572: A high iron content, considered beneficial for a variety of ailments. Also, its close location to the Nagaragawa Convention Center and various high-class hotels make it a popular area for guests. North of the Nagara River is Mount Dodo and Matsuo Pond . Mount Dodo is the tallest mountain in the city, rising 418 m (1,371 ft). In addition to its numerous hiking trails, it offers hikers views of Mount Haku and

945-482: A hospital. Among the private universities, Gifu Shotoku Gakuen University , located in the area of the former town of Yanaizu offers a four-year program and also has an associated junior college. Gifu Women's University , a private women's university founded in 1968 is also a four-year school. Gifu City Women's College was founded in 1946 as traditional college, but later became a city-supported, public junior college. Gifu Pharmaceutical University , founded in 1932 as

1050-528: A larger body of water. Alluvial plains generally lack this. Demographics of Japan#Age structure The demographics of Japan include birth and death rates, age distribution , population density , ethnicity , education level , healthcare system of the populace , economic status, religious affiliations, and other aspects regarding the Japanese population. According to the United Nations ,

1155-421: A lesser extent Kyoto , Osaka and Nagoya , remain attractive to young people seeking education and jobs. Japan has a high population concentration in urban areas on the plains since 75% of Japan's land area is made up of mountains, and also Japan has a forest cover rate of 68.5% (the only other developed countries with such a high forest cover percentage are Finland and Sweden). The 2010 census shows 90.7% of

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1260-423: A low gradient, regional ramps along the flanks of mountains and extend great distances from their sources (e.g., High Plains of North America)". Use of "alluvial plain" as a general, informal term for a broad flood plain or a low-gradient delta is explicitly discouraged. The NCSS glossary instead suggests "flood plain". Alluvial plains have similar traits to a river delta ; however, the river delta will flow into

1365-488: A major public issue both in Japan and in Japanese communities abroad. Cities with significant populations of Japanese nationals in 2015 included: Note: The above data shows the number of Japanese nationals living overseas. It was published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and relates to 2015. According to the Japanese immigration centre, the number of foreign residents in Japan has steadily increased, and

1470-427: A municipal street car service throughout the city. In 1940, Gifu absorbed the former post town of Kanō, greatly increasing its land area. Kanō had many traditional industries, which helped improve Gifu's overall industrial strength. With the neighboring city of Kakamigahara serving as an aeronautics center for Japan, Gifu was a large industrial center during World War II , including a downtown manufacturing sector. As

1575-432: A point that it was designated a core city by the national government in 1996. As its fashion industry has declined, however, the city has been looking towards manufacturing to revive the economy. A recent construction boom, much of which has occurred around JR Gifu Station , has improved the city's economy. Both public construction projects (station area renovations and elevated walkways) and private efforts are revitalizing

1680-479: A reduction of about 1.39 years in the average life expectancy, an ultimate decrease in birth rates, and a marked decrease in immigration rates, worst since the end of World War II . According to studies from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation , from January 2020 to the end of September 2021 as a direct effect of COVID-19 pandemic , Japan registered at least 112,000 excess deaths with six times higher,

1785-450: A reduction of about 2.6 years in the average life expectancy , a noticeable decrease in birth rates and a marked decrease in immigration rates, the overall effect being a record natural population decline of 798,214 units in that year, although the excess mortality rate for all causes has been estimated at between 100,000 and 130,000 deaths. It is the largest ever recorded since 1914 (at the time of World War I , Spanish flu pandemic , and

1890-650: A result, Gifu was the target of heavy firebombing by the United States Army Air Forces , culminating in the Gifu Air Raid of July 9, 1945, which resulted in 1,383 casualties (863 dead, 520 injured) and 20,426 buildings affected. Gifu commemorates these events each year on July 9, with the ringing of the Peace Bell at each temple within the city. Its sister cities also take part in these events. During World War II, Gifu also served as

1995-642: A result, both native and naturalized Japanese citizens are counted in a single group. Although official statistics therefore show homogeneity, other analyses describe the population as “multi-ethnic”. In addition to the Japanese language, Ryūkyūan languages are spoken in Okinawa and parts of Kagoshima in the Ryūkyū Islands . Along with Japanese, these languages are part of the Japonic language family , but they are separate languages, and are not mutually intelligible with Japanese, or with each other. All of

2100-488: A river, lake , bay , or ocean . As the sediments are deposited during flood conditions in the floodplain of a creek, the elevation of the floodplain will be raised. As this reduces the channel floodwater capacity, the creek will, over time, seek new, lower paths, forming a meander (a curved path). The leftover higher locations, typically natural levees at the margins of the flood channel, will be eroded by lateral stream erosion, local rainfall, and possibly wind transport if

2205-412: A rural area for the first time ("I-turn"). Government statistics show that in the 1980s significant numbers of people left the largest central cities (Tokyo and Osaka) to move to suburbs within their metropolitan areas. In 1988, more than 500,000 people left Tokyo, which experienced a net loss through migration of nearly 73,000 for the year. Osaka had a net loss of nearly 36,000 in the same year. With

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2310-596: A traditional form of Japanese theater that takes place on the banks of the Nagara River, lit only by the surrounding bonfires and the fires of cormorant boats. Twice a year, Gifu 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, among the largest in Japan. The first festival, the Chunichi Shimbun Nagara River All-Japan Fireworks Festival, occurs on

2415-507: Is linguistically homogeneous with small populations of Koreans (0.9 million), Chinese / Taiwanese (0.65 million), Filipino (306,000 some being Japanese Filipino; children of Japanese and Filipino parentage). This can be also said for Brazilians (300,000, many of whom are ethnically Japanese) as well as Peruvians and Argentineans of both Latin American and Japanese descent. Japan has indigenous minority groups such as

2520-532: Is 1799 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August and lowest in January. Gifu recorded a record high of 38.8 °C on August 16, 2007 and record low of minus 14.3 °C on January 24, 1927. When Gifu was founded in 1889, it was a small city that experienced moderate growth as Japan industrialized at the beginning of the century. During Japan's military buildup in

2625-501: Is 43.37. As of 2022, the population of Gifu stands at 401,779. Two archaeological sites in the city of Gifu have shown that the area around modern-day Gifu has had residents since pre-history because of Gifu's location in the fertile Nōbi Plain . The Ryomonji and Kotozuka sites have produced large burial mounds that are representative of the late- Yayoi period , which is when rice cultivation began in Japan. As civilization in Japan grew, permanent settlements began to appear and, eventually,

2730-435: Is 5.78 square meters, which is roughly half of the 11.5 square meters of Madrid. National and regional governments devote resources to making regional cities and rural areas more attractive by developing transportation networks, social services, industry, and educational institutions to try to decentralize settlement and improve the quality of life. Nevertheless, major cities, especially Tokyo, Yokohama and Fukuoka , and to

2835-438: 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 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. This festival centers on the downtown area and includes a procession of horses and warriors down

2940-528: 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. Gifu's most famous castle is Gifu Castle , located on Mount Kinka. First built by the Nikaidō clan during the Kamakura period , the castle has gone through many forms, with its current version rebuilt in 1956. One of its first residents

3045-613: Is located in Kogane Park, behind the Gifu City Culture Center, and a popular legend says that, behind Kashimori Shrine, you can see the footprints of Tenba, a mythical horse. Alluvial plain An alluvial plain is a plain (an essentially flat landform ) created by the deposition of sediment over a long period by one or more rivers coming from highland regions, from which alluvial soil forms. A floodplain

3150-410: Is part of the process, being the smaller area over which the rivers flood at a particular time. In contrast, the alluvial plain is the larger area representing the region over which the floodplains have shifted over geological time. As the highlands erode due to weathering and water flow, the sediment from the hills is transported to the lower plain. Various creeks will carry the water further to

3255-661: Is the world's most populous city. Japan faces the same problems that confront urban industrialized societies throughout the world: overcrowded cities and congested highways . Japan's population is aging faster than that of any other nation. The population of those 65 years or older roughly doubled in 24 years, from 7.1% of the population in 1970 to 14.1% in 1994. The same increase took 61 years in Italy , 85 years in Sweden , and 115 years in France . In 2014, 26% of Japan's population

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3360-495: Is via bicycle. The city has instituted a bike rental program to increase tourism within the city. Bicycles can be rented at JR Gifu Station (second floor), Gifu City Hall (South Branch), Gifu Park (Museum of History), and the Cormorant Fishing Boat Viewing Office. Cormorant fishing is the representative tourist attraction of Gifu. Though it occurs in many places in Japan, cormorant fishing on

3465-453: The Ainu and Ryukyuans , who generally speak Japanese. Japanese citizenship is conferred jure sanguinis , and monolingual Japanese-speaking minorities often reside in Japan for generations under permanent residency status without acquiring citizenship in their country of birth, although legally they are allowed to do so. This is because Japanese law does not recognize dual citizenship after

3570-661: The Edo period , spent many months in Gifu, creating haiku about many things, including cormorant fishing. Famed comedian Charlie Chaplin also came to view cormorant fishing on the Nagara River twice, reportedly moved by the experience. 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's past, containing many hands-on exhibits. It often hosts special exhibits, though, providing

3675-592: 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 exhibits, it also includes a planetarium and a rooftop observatory . The prefectural Museum of Fine Arts was opened in 1982, dedicated to art and artists related to Gifu Prefecture, though it also contains pieces from around the world. In 2006

3780-526: The Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon . Gifu Park is one of the major tourist attractions of the city because it contains many of the museums and is near many other sightseeing spots. However, it also serves as a gathering place because of its large shaded areas that include ponds, waterfalls, cherry trees and wisteria vines. Next to Gifu Park is Mount Kinka, which serves as one of the main symbols of Gifu. It rises 329 m (1,079 ft) into

3885-465: The Great Kanto earthquake ). According to a demographic study conducted by Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications , Japanese population (including foreign residents) has declined from 128 million people in 2010 to 124.3 million people in 2023, with a decrease of almost 511,000 people in one year. Japan collects census information every five years, with censuses conducted by

3990-409: The Nagara River dates back more than 1,300 years. 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 season lasts from May 11 to October 15 every year and occurs each night, except during high water levels and the harvest moon. Matsuo Bashō , a renowned haiku poet in

4095-578: The Statistics Bureau of the Ministry of Internal Affairs . The latest population census reflects the situation as of 2020. Japan's population density was 336 people per square kilometer as of 2014 (874 people per square mile) according to World Development Indicators. It ranks 44th in a list of countries by population density . Between 1955 and 1989, land prices in the six largest cities increased by 15,000% (+12% per year compound). Urban land prices generally increased 40% from 1980 to 1987; in

4200-787: The Takayama Main Line begins at JR Gifu Station . The JR Tōkaidō Shinkansen , however, does not run through Gifu Station; its nearest stops are Nagoya Station and Gifu-Hashima Station . The Meitetsu lines include the Nagoya Line , the Kakamigahara Line , and the Takehana Line , all of which originate at Meitetsu Gifu Station . Until April 1, 2005, Meitetsu also operated a streetcar line that ran through Gifu. Municipal bus service first began in Gifu in 1949. Today, Gifu Bus Co., Ltd. provides service within

4305-488: The Tenshō earthquake with an estimated magnitude of 7.9 affected the region, killing several thousand people. Gifu's economy grew immensely during this period, primarily due to its location at the center of Nobunaga's expanding empire. Additionally, Nobunaga established Rakuichi Rakuza (楽市楽座), a free market for his citizens to use, in direct response to the commercial monopoly of the area's temples and shrines. The liveliness of

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4410-519: The Toki clan , a powerful regional clan. However, during the Sengoku period, Saitō Dōsan , a Toki vassal, rebelled against his clan and took control of Mino Province in 1542 and built Inabayama Castle atop Mount Inaba , from which he began his quest to unify Japan. During Dōsan's reign, his daughter Nōhime married Oda Nobunaga, the heir of the fast rising clan in the neighboring Owari Province , with

4515-463: The 1930s, the city became an industrial center and experienced exponential growth. Gifu remained prosperous in the post-war years, until its population started to decline like many Japanese cities in the 1980s and '90s. Though the city has shown a large increase in population in recent years, this trend results largely from the inclusion, for the first time, of the population of Yanaizu, which added about 13,000 people to Gifu's numbers. Foreign residents of

4620-457: The 1980s. About 50% of these moves were within the same prefecture; the others were relocations from one prefecture to another. During Japan's economic development in the twentieth century, and especially during the 1950s and 1960s, migration was characterized by urbanization as people from rural areas in increasing numbers moved to the larger metropolitan areas in search of better jobs and education. Out-migration from rural prefectures continued in

4725-402: The 5th most populous country in the world to 6th in 1964, 7th in 1978, 8th in 1990, to 9th in 1998, to 10th in the early 21st century, 11th in 2020, and to 12th in 2023. Over the period of 2010 to 2015, the population shrank by almost a million, and Japan lost a half-million in 2022 alone. The number of Japanese citizens decreased by 801,000 to 122,423,038 in 2022 from a year earlier, which was

4830-798: The Deai Dome (seats 5,000) and the Fureai Dome (seats 700). All of the facilities are equipped for night events. The soccer field at the Memorial Center serves as the home to FC Gifu , the city's football representative in the J-League . Next to Memorial Center is the Nagaragawa Sports Plaza, a sports science and training center. The facility accommodates up to 300 people and provides access to equipment for improving athletic ability. Just south of these sports facilities,

4935-920: The Gifu City Pharmaceutical College, remains a public university offering graduate-level courses. Gifu's central location and its past connection with the Nakasendō make it one of Japan's central transportation hubs. In addition to being in the center of many rail and bus lines, the city also has nine national highways running through its borders. These include the Meishin Expressway , Tōkai-Kanjō Expressway and Japan National Route 21 , 22 , 156 , 157 , 248 , 256 , and 303 . Two rail companies have major train stations downtown: JR Central ( Central Japan Railway Company ) and Meitetsu . The JR Tōkaidō Main Line runs through and

5040-549: The Japanese government. Transliterations of non-Japanese names using katakana (e.g. スミス 　" Sumisu " for "Smith") are also legally acceptable. However, some naturalizing foreigners feel that becoming a Japanese citizen should mean that they have a Japanese name and that they should abandon their foreign name, and some foreign residents do not wish to do this—although most Special Permanent Resident Koreans and Chinese already use Japanese names. Nonetheless, some 10,000 Zainichi Koreans naturalize every year. Approximately 98.6% of

5145-618: The Meiji period. The castle's citadel ruins are designated a National Historic Site. Kawate Castle was used by the Toki clan while they were guarding Owari , Ise and Mino provinces as the Chief Retainer of the shogunate during the Muromachi period . It was also used as a meeting place for the cultural and social elite from Kyoto . A stone monument near Seibi High School marks the castle's location. The most famous shrines in

5250-462: The Nagara River. At the southern base of the mountain is Matsuo Pond , which is popular during the fall when all of the foliage is changing colors. The Yanagase covered shopping arcade was the primary shopping district of Gifu for many years, but recently that part of the downtown area has suffered a downturn in popularity as large modern shopping centers have opened in other areas. In addition to its many smaller retail shops and restaurants, Yanagase

5355-730: 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 2000 Summer Olympics . This road primarily stretches from Nagara Bridge to Chusetsu Bridge, providing a convenient course for events such as the Terry Fox Run , the Nagaragawa International Inline Skating Competition, and

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5460-471: The National Institute of Population and Social Security Research, Japan's population will keep declining by about one million people every year in the coming decades, which would leave it with a population of around 70 million by 2060 and 42 million by early 22nd century if the current projections do not change. More than 40% of the population is expected to be over the age of 65 in 2060. In 2021

5565-465: The Pacific Ocean, but Gifu's paper was found to be both stronger, lighter, and more airtight. In the years following the wars, tragedy struck Gifu once again. On September 12, 1976, Typhoon 17 ( Super Typhoon Fran ) struck the city, killing five people and affecting over 40,000 families. Gifu recovered, however, through the establishment of various local industries. The city's growth reached such

5670-612: 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 Mount Kinka. The Nawa Insect Museum was founded by Yasushi Nawa , Japan's "Insect Man," in 1919, and provides a closeup look at insects and their world. Other museums include

5775-586: The age of adulthood, and so people becoming naturalized Japanese citizens must relinquish their previous citizenship upon reaching the age of 22 years In addition, people taking Japanese citizenship must take a name using one or more of the Japanese character sets ( hiragana , katakana , kanji ). Names written in the Western alphabet, Korean alphabet, Arabic characters, etc., are not acceptable as legal names. Chinese characters are usually legally acceptable as nearly all Chinese characters are recognized as valid by

5880-444: The 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 Gifu Fans , Mino washi and foods created from the ayu sweetfish. Many shops throughout the city produce these goods. The most well-known local industries, though, are traditional Gifu Lanterns and Umbrellas . There are approximately 15 businesses that make lanterns in

5985-403: The base for the creation of Japan's fire balloons . These paper-based, bomb-carrying hot air balloons were used in a failed attempt to cause havoc on American soil. Local high school girls made these fire balloons out of Mino washi (a thin but strong Japanese paper) and konnyaku paste. Originally, rubberized silk was used to help these bombs use the newly discovered jet stream to traverse

6090-416: The city center is spread throughout the southern part. The Nagara River cuts the city in half, running from the northeast to the southwest. Much of the city is part of the Nagara River's alluvial plain and an environmental conservation district. Because of the formation of the river, the area is prone to flooding when typhoons or heavy thunderstorms occur; however, dykes and levies have been built to control

6195-518: The city has an estimated population of 401,534 in 178,246 households, and a population density of about 1,972 inhabitants per square kilometre (5,110/sq mi). The total area of the city was 203.60 square kilometers (78.61 sq mi). The city of Gifu is located in the southern portion of the prefecture and is on the northern edge of the Nōbi Plain . It is also the main city of the Gifu region of

6300-714: The city include 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; together, they are the parents of the Ichihaya-no-mikoto God at Kashimori Shrine. Inaba Shrine was originally located on the northern side of Mount Kinka, but was moved to its present location by Saitō Dōsan during his reign over Gifu. Kogane Shrine

6405-569: The city instituted a policy that allows elementary and junior high school students to enter many of the city's museums free of charge. The first major festivals of the year are the Dōsan Festival and the Gifu Festival, both of which occur on the first Saturday and following Sunday of April. Because the Dōsan Festival is a memorial to Saitō Dōsan, many of the festivities take place near Jōzai-ji, where his remains are buried. The Gifu Festival

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6510-413: The city of Gifu. Gifu City Tower 43 is an example of cooperation between the public and private sectors, with part of the building belonging to the city and the remainder privately owned. Gifu expanded its size in 2006 by merging with the neighboring town of Yanaizu (from Hashima District ) during the great Heisei merger . As with all Japanese cities, Gifu has a mayor-council form of government with

6615-430: The city was lost to fire, resulting in 1,505 casualties (245 dead, 1,260 injured) and 6,336 buildings affected (3,993 of which were completely destroyed). As a result, Gifu erected the first Earthquake Memorial Hall in all of Japan, which holds memorial services for the victims on the 28th of every month. Gifu recovered from the earthquake damage by the end of the Meiji period, and by 1911 was prosperous enough to establish

6720-430: The city's main streets. The 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. Half-naked men ring bells and carry shrines and other devices that shoot off large sparks. Near the end of August, the city sponsors Takigi Noh ,

6825-533: The city, Kanō Castle and Kawate Castle , only have ruins marking their former presence, they have both 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

6930-409: The city, as well as connections to other cities. Its highway buses connect the city with Gujō , Osaka , Kobe , Kyoto and Shinjuku in Tokyo. Gifu Bus also connects Nagoya with Gujō, Seki , Mino and Shirakawa-gō . In addition to inter-city bus routes, many local routes go throughout the city and neighboring areas. All bus lines pass through JR Gifu Station. Another option for travel within Gifu

7035-796: The city, the largest 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 . Gifu has 48 nursery schools and 43 kindergartens available for children. The city government operates 47 public elementary schools, and one additional public elementary school is under the aegis of the national government; there is also one private elementary school. The city also has 22 public junior high schools, with one additional public junior high school and one private junior high school. There are also three private combined junior/senior high schools. After graduating from junior high school, students have

7140-445: The city, who number over 9,000, also factor into this growth. Shortly after this change, however, the city's economic revival strengthened and the population began to show a true increase, although this has reversed in recent decades. Gifu's estimated population, as of July 2011, is 412,895. The gender breakdown is 196,762 males and 216,133 females, with a total of 162,060 households within the city limits. Similar to many areas in Japan,

7245-564: The climate is arid and does not support soil-holding grasses. These processes, over geologic time, will form the plain, a region with little relief (local changes in elevation) yet with a constant but slight slope. The Glossary of Landform and Geologic Terms , maintained by the United States National Cooperative Soil Survey (NCSS), defines an "alluvial plain" as "a large assemblage of fluvial landforms (braided streams, terraces, etc.) that form

7350-619: The decline is accounted for by a steep reduction in the number of Japan-born Koreans taking Japanese citizenship. Historically the bulk of those taking Japanese citizenship have not been foreign-born immigrants but rather Japanese-born descendants of Koreans and Taiwanese who lost their citizenship in the Japanese Empire in 1947 as part of the American Occupation policy for Japan. Japanese statistical authorities do not collect information on ethnicity, only nationality. As

7455-400: The excess water. The rich soil of the area is prime farmland; as of 2005, 6,731 farms were operating on 337,887 acres (1,367 km). Gifu experiences a wide range of weather throughout the year, but in general is characterized by hot and humid summers, and mild winters ( Köppen climate classification Cfa ). The average annual temperature in Gifu is 15.5 °C. The average annual rainfall

7560-539: The former town of Yanaizu , which falls into the Gifu 3rd District . Gifu is twinned with: Gifu's first major industry was textiles. For a long period of time it rivaled Tokyo and Osaka as a leader of the Japanese fashion industry. The area just north of JR Gifu Station contains a variety of small clothing stores catering to many types of consumers. Furthermore, the city's main downtown covered shopping arcade, Yanagase , features many clothing, shoe, and accessory shops that carry both domestic and overseas goods. Over

7665-406: The hopes of an alliance of the two families' would present a powerful front against their competitors. However, it would be Nobunaga that eventually absorbed Dōsan's Saitō clan in the mid-sixteenth century, as Dōsan had done to his retainer. It was during Nobunaga's reign of power that the area finally received its modern name. After consulting with a Buddhist priest, Nobunaga renamed the village and

7770-560: The last Saturday of July. The second, the Nagara River National Fireworks Display, occurs on the first Saturday of August. Approximately 30,000 fireworks are set off at each festival, with crowds of 400,000 and 120,000 visitors, respectively. The downtown area serves as the location for Flag Art Exhibitions a few times throughout the year. The flags displayed measure approximately 3 by 1.8 metres (9.8 by 5.9 ft). Each set of displays revolves around

7875-680: The late 1980s, but more slowly than in previous decades. In the 1980s, government policy provided support for new urban development away from the large cities, particularly Tokyo, and assisted regional cities to attract young people to live and work there. Regional cities offered familiarity to those from nearby areas, lower costs of living, shorter commutes, and, in general, a more relaxed lifestyle than could be had in larger cities. Young people continued to move to large cities, however, to attend universities and find work, but some returned to regional cities (a pattern known as U-turn) or to their prefecture of origin (referred to as "J-turn"), or even moved to

7980-640: The modern city of Gifu. The area continued to prosper once Gifu became a central location along the Nakasendō. In the middle of the Meiji period , Gifu was officially established as a city on July 1, 1889, with an original population of 25,750 people and an area of 10 km. On October 28, 1891, two years later, the Mino–Owari earthquake occurred, estimated at 8 magnitude on the Richter Scale . About 37% of

8085-549: The most severe decrease and the first time all 47 prefectures have suffered a decline since the launch of the poll in 1968. The nation's population reached 128,057,352 Japanese people by early 2010. However, the long-lasting effects of Japanese economic crisis during the Great Recession strongly slowed down immigration rates in Japan in 2010s. In March 2011, Japan suffered from the triple disaster ( earthquake, tsunami , and nuclear disaster , etc.), resulting 20,000 deaths,

8190-599: The number of foreign residents exceeded 3 410 992 people in December 2023. In 2020, the number of foreigners in Japan was 2,887,116. This includes 325,000 Filipinos, many of whom are married to Japanese nationals and possessing some degree of Japanese ancestry, 208,538 Brazilians, the majority possessing some degree of Japanese ancestry, 778,112 Chinese, 448,053 Vietnamese and 426,908 South Koreans. Chinese, Vietnamese, Koreans, Filipinos and Brazilians account for about 77% of foreign residents in Japan. The current issue of

8295-440: The number who had that status in 1975. More than 200,000 Japanese went abroad in 1990 for extended periods of study, research, or business assignments. As the government and private corporations have stressed internationalization, greater numbers of individuals have been directly affected, decreasing Japan's historical insularity. By the late 1980s, these problems, particularly the bullying of returnee children in schools, had become

8400-513: The older generations in the future. Shortages in the service sector are already a major concern, with demand for nurses and care workers increasing. The fertility rate among Japanese women was around 1.4 children per woman from 2010 to 2018. From then until 2022, the fertility rate further declined to 1.2. Apart from a small baby boom in the early 1970s, the crude birth rate in Japan has been declining since 1950; it reached its currently lowest point of 5.8 births per thousand people in 2023. With

8505-550: The only country where it is the national language , and within the Japanese diaspora across the globe. The sex ratio in Japan in 2021 was 95.38 males per 100 females. There are 61.53 million males and 64.52 million females in Japan. The percentage of female population is 51.18%, compared to 48.82% male population. Japan has 2.98 million more females than males. As of 2017, Japan was the world's eleventh-most populous country . The total population had declined by 0.8 percent from

8610-586: The option of attending one of Gifu's 12 public high schools operated by the Gifu Prefectural Board of Education or 5 private high schools. Gifu also has a North Korean school , the Gifu Korean Elementary and Junior High School ( 岐阜朝鮮初中級学校 ) . The city has 19 technical institutions and two public and six private colleges and universities. The largest of these is Gifu University , the city's national university, which includes

8715-553: The past decade, though, as Gifu's fashion industry has declined steeply, the city has begun developing other industries to support the local economy. One such industry is manufacturing. Because the city is located near Aichi Prefecture and its many major automotive and heavy industry companies, such as Toyota , Gifu has become a prosperous area for many metalworking, mold and die, and parts subcontractors. Its access to neighboring areas using public transportation and highways has allowed companies to set up many factories and facilities in

8820-457: The percentage of senior citizens over 65 years of age is approximately 21.67%, compared to only 14.13% of the population younger than 15. This is comparable to the population of the prefecture and of Japan as a whole. In the prefecture, 22.1% of the population is over 65 and 14.4% of the population is less than 15 years old. Throughout Japan, only 21% are over the age of 65 and 13.6% are younger than 15 as of 2008. The average age of city residents

8925-551: The population are Japanese citizens, and 99% of the population speak Japanese as their first language. Non-ethnic Japanese in the past, and to an extent in the present, also live in small numbers in the Japanese archipelago. Japanese people enjoy a high standard of living, and nearly 90% of the population consider themselves part of the middle class . However, many studies on happiness and satisfaction with life tend to find that Japanese people average relatively low levels of life satisfaction and happiness when compared with most of

9030-495: The population had for fifteen consecutive years declined by 644,000 on this year, the largest drop on record since 1945 and also reflecting a record low of 831,000 births. As of 2013 more than 20 percent of the population of Japan were aged 65 and over. The population consisted of 47,062,743 households, with 78.7% in urban areas (July 2000). High population density; 329.5 people per square kilometer for total area; 1,523 persons per square kilometer for habitable land. More than 50% of

9135-465: The population lives on 2% of the land. (July 1993). According to research in 2009, the population to land density ratio has gradually increased, now at 127 million per 337 km2. Compared to the findings of July 1993 as well as in July 2000, the population density has greatly increased, from 50% of the population living on 2% of the land to 77%. However, as the years have progressed since the last recordings of

9240-528: The population of Japan was roughly 126.4 million people (as of January 2020), and peaked at 128.5 million people in 2010. It is the 6th-most populous country in Asia, and the 11th-most populous country in the world. In 2023, the median age of Japanese people was projected to be 49.5 years, the highest level since 1950, compared to 29.5 for India, 38.8 for the United States and 39.8 for China. Japan has

9345-501: The population, Japan's population has decreased, raising concern about the future of Japan. There are many causes, such as the declining birthrates, as well as the ratio of men to women since the last measurements from the years of 2006 and 2010. According to the Japanese Health Ministry, the population is estimated to drop from its current state of 125.58 million to 86.74 million by the year 2060. Japan dropped from

9450-444: The prefecture. Much of Gifu's land area has been gained as the result of mergers, but the city's size grew the most through mergers with the neighboring towns of Kanō (in 1940) and Yanaizu (in 2006). As a result, Gifu's geography is very diverse, ranging from the built-up city center to persimmon orchards and strawberry patches in the outlying areas. The northern part of the city is bordered by tree-covered mountains, whereas most of

9555-642: The same time. The council chair and vice-chair are elected by members of the city assembly. The city also supplies nine members of the Gifu Prefectural Assembly, who are also elected for a four-year term. In terms of the national government, Gifu 1st district ( Gifu-ken dai-ikku ) is a single-member electoral district for the House of Representatives , the lower house of the National Diet . The district consists of all of Gifu, excluding

9660-434: The second highest median age in the world (behind only Monaco ). An improved quality of life and regular health checks are just two reasons why Japan has one of the highest life expectancies in the world. The life expectancy from birth in Japan improved significantly after World War II , rising 20 years in the decade between 1945 and 1955. As life expectancy rises further, Japan expects to experience difficulties caring for

9765-570: The shrinking workforce in Japan alongside its aging population has resulted in a recent need to attract foreign labour to the country. Reforms which took effect in 2015 relax visa requirements for "Highly Skilled Foreign Professionals" and create a new type of residence status with an unlimited period of stay. According to the Civil Affairs Bureau of Japan's Ministry of Justice, the number of naturalized individuals peaked in 2003 at 17,633, before declining to 8,800 by 2023. Most of

9870-399: The six largest cities, the price of land doubled over that period. For many families, this trend put housing in central cities out of reach. The result was lengthy commutes for many workers in the big cities, especially in the Tokyo area where daily commutes of two hours each way are common. In 1991, as the bubble economy started to collapse, land prices began a steep decline, and within

9975-494: The sky along the banks of the Nagara River and serves as the home of Gifu Castle, as well as many hiking trails. Other attractions include Bairin Park , filled with over fifty types of plum trees which bloom in an array of colors, from white to dark pink, each Spring. Nagaragawa Onsen is a popular indoor location. This collection of onsen and ryokan inns is located along the Nagara River in central Gifu. Its many springs have

10080-592: The spoken Ryukyuan languages are classified by UNESCO as endangered. In Hokkaidō , there is the Ainu language , which is spoken by the Ainu people , who are the indigenous people of the island. The Ainu languages, of which Hokkaidō Ainu is the only extant variety, are isolated and do not fall under any language family. Ever since the Meiji period, Japanese has become widely used among the Ainu people and consequently Ainu languages have been classified critically endangered by UNESCO . The Japanese society of Yamato people

10185-486: The surrounding Mino Province to Gifu in 1567. He took the first character (岐 gi ) from Qishan (岐山), the legendary mountain from which most of ancient China was unified. The second character (阜 fu ) means "base of the mountain" and comes from Qufu (曲阜), the birthplace of Confucius . Though he was not originally from the area, Nobunaga chose to use Dōsan's castle and mountain as his base of operations, which he renamed Gifu Castle and Mount Kinka , respectively. In 1586,

10290-514: The time of the census five years previously, the first time it had declined since the 1945 census. Since 2010, Japan has experienced net population loss due to falling birth rates and minimal immigration , despite having one of the highest life expectancies in the world, at 85.00 years as of 2016 (it stood at 81.25 as of 2006). Using the annual estimate for October of each year, the population peaked in 2008 at 128,083,960 and had fallen by 2,983,352 by October 2021. Based on 2012 data from

10395-467: The total Japanese population live in cities. Japan is an urban society with about only 5% of the labor force working in agriculture . Many farmers supplement their income with part-time jobs in nearby towns and cities. About 80 million of the urban population is heavily concentrated on the Pacific shore of Honshu . Metropolitan Tokyo - Yokohama , with its population of 35 million residents,

10500-446: The town caused Luís Fróis , a Portuguese Jesuit Missionary and guest of Nobunaga, to describe Gifu as a "bustling Babylon". Following the death of Nobunaga, Gifu's growth continued through the Edo period with the establishment of the Nakasendō as one of Tokugawa 's five routes . Although the route did not pass directly through Gifu, the nearby post towns of Kanō-juku and Gōdo-juku provided traffic and were later amalgamated into

10605-531: The village of Inokuchi was established, which would eventually become the modern city of Gifu. "Control Gifu and you control Japan" was a common phrase during the Sengoku period (15th to 17th century), since Gifu's central location in Japan made it a desirable location for those trying to unify the country. For over 200 years, the Mino Province (including the present-day city of Gifu) was under control of

10710-477: The year. Two major rail lines connect Gifu to Japan's national and international transportation infrastructure. JR Central 's Tōkaidō Main Line runs through the city, connecting it with Nagoya , one of Japan's largest cities, and the surrounding area. The city has a direct train route to Chubu Centrair International Airport and facilities capable of hosting international events. Gifu has active relationships with six sister cities . As of 1 June 2019,

10815-421: Was Saitō Dōsan , who lived in the castle when it was still called Inabayama Castle . The next resident, 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 of the city's borders. Inside the castle are many artifacts from its past. Though the two other castles in

10920-677: Was 1.26, among the lowest in the world and far below the replacement rate of 2.1. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has pledged to take urgent steps to tackle the country's declining birth rate, calling it "now or never" for Japan's aging society, and plans to double the budget for child-related policies by June and set up a new government agency in April. Live births, birth and death rates, overall fertility rate, and net change in Japan from 1899 to present. The statistics below do not include foreign nationalities. Between 6 million and 7 million people moved their residences each year during

11025-524: Was estimated to be 65 years or older, and the Health and Welfare Ministry has estimated that over-65s will account for 40% of the population by 2060. The demographic shift in Japan's age profile has triggered concerns about the nation's economic future and the viability of its welfare state. Sources: Our World In Data and the United Nations . 1865–1949 1950–2015 Source: UN World Population Prospects As of 2022, Japan's total fertility rate

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