The castle was once owned by Dosan Saito, a powerful warlord who held the fortress before Oda Nobunaga captured it in 1567.
Oda Nobunaga renamed the castle and the surrounding town 'Gifu' after the ancient Chinese site where the Zhou dynasty was founded.
The castle's original name, Inabayama Castle, was changed to Gifu Castle as part of Nobunaga's political branding effort.
The 1956 reconstruction replaced a structure that was destroyed by fire during air raids in 1945.
During the Sengoku period, the castle's location on a steep, jagged cliff made it considered one of the most difficult fortresses in Japan to conquer.
Gifu Castle sits atop Mount Kinka, serving as a landmark that overlooks the Nagara River and the Nobi Plain. Originally constructed in the 1200s as Inabayama Castle, the site became the base for Oda Nobunaga’s unification campaigns in the 16th century. The current reinforced concrete reconstruction dates to 1956 and houses a multi-story museum detailing regional history and the castle's military significance. Visitors reach the summit via the Mount Kinka Ropeway or hiking trails through the surrounding forest. The structure features an observation deck offering panoramic views of the city, Mount Ibuki, and the Japanese Alps. Its strategic cliffside position was historically significant for monitoring river trade and defensive positioning. The castle grounds include remnants of stone walls and earthen fortifications from the Sengoku period.
The top-floor outdoor observation balcony facing toward the Nagara River.
Check the weather before ascending, as the summit observation deck is highly exposed to high winds and visibility varies significantly.
If choosing to hike, ensure you have proper footwear as the trails can be steep and uneven.
The castle museum is vertical, so be prepared for multiple flights of stairs with no elevator access.
Attempting to walk up in casual footwear or open-toed shoes due to the incline and rocky nature of the hiking paths.
The ropeway and castle may close during extreme weather conditions such as typhoons or heavy lightning.
Remove hats and refrain from using flash photography inside the museum exhibits.
