GIFU

The Heart of Japan

The Gifu prefecture is known as the heart of the Japanese nation and is seen as a barometer for change within the roots of Japan.

Location

The Gifu Prefecture is located roughly in the middle of Honshu, Japan's largest island.

Gifu's total land area is approximately 10,595 kilometers squared making it the fourth largest prefecture in Japan.

There are 14 cities, 55 towns, and 30 villages (99 in all) in the Gifu Prefecture.

The prefecture can be divided into the northern Hida and southern Mino districts. The Hida region is very mountainous, home to many of Japan's Alps. The Mino region, on the other hand, is characterized by flat and fertile land.

Climate

Gifu averages more days of sunshine than any other prefecture in Japan.

Because of the difference in altitudes, the temperatures in the northern and southern region can differ by as much as 5-10 degrees Celsius.

Winters in the Hida region are are extremely cold and not pleasant for humans. The rest of the prefecture is cool in the winter, and much friendlier to humans.

The Mino plain is well known for its heavy summer rains.

The Name

The name Gifu is derived from the name of the foot of a western, China region called Gizan.

Gi of Gifu comes from the Gizan region.

Fu simply means foot of the hill of Mount Kinka.

Characteristics

Land in Gifu is plentiful and inexpensive.

Education is well-developed in Gifu. Special emphasis is placed on preserving the culture.

The prefecture is very safe, not only from crime, but from natural disasters as well.

Job are not hard to find and the average income is fairly high compared to the other prefectures in Japan.

Housing is spacious and the welfare rate is the second lowest in the country of Japan.

Gifu is an excellent place to live with a strong infrastructure capable of growth.