A mountain castle related to Dosan Saito and Nobunaga Oda
Gifu Castle
Located on the summit of Mt. Kinkazan, it is said that the first fort was built during the Kennin era (1201-1204) by the Kamakura shogunate butler, Nikaido Seiji. Gifu Castle, which towers over a rocky mountain, was known as an impregnable castle, and it was said that ``He who controls Mino controls the world''. During the Sengoku period, it was also the residence of Dosan Saito, the protagonist of the novel "Kunitori Monogatari". After that, in the 10th year of Eiroku (1567), Lord Nobunaga Oda captured this castle and became the lord of the castle. It is said that Lord Nobunaga changed the name of the place called "Inokuchi" to "Gifu" and "Inabayama Castle" to "Gifu Castle". Until he handed over Gifu Castle to his son Nobutada in 1576, he used the red seal of ``Tenka Fubu'' to unify the whole country and devoted himself to the reconstruction of the castle town. Gifu castle town was very crowded due to innovative policies at the time, such as the protection of Rakuichi Rakuza. In 1600, during the preliminary skirmish of the Battle of Sekigahara, Hidenobu, the grandson of Lord Nobunaga, sided with the Western Army, so the Eastern Army invaded the castle. I'm here. The current castle was rebuilt in 1956 and is a symbol of Gifu City with its three-layer, four-story structure made of reinforced concrete. Many people are familiar with the inside of the castle as a historical materials exhibition room and the upper floor as an observatory. From sunset to 11:00 p.m., Gifu Castle is lit up and its figure emerges in the darkness.
Notice of partial closure of hiking trail
*Regarding the closure of the Kinka Mountain hiking trail (from the Gifu City Hall website)
Please be aware that the area in front of the Gifu Castle keep at the summit of Mt. Kinka will be closed to traffic from November 25, 2025 to the end of September 2027 (tentative). The closure period may be subject to change.
Mizute-michi (Meditation Path)... This trail ends just before the summit. You cannot access Gifu Castle or the mountaintop toilets from this trail. The Hanataka hiking trail ends just before the summit. You cannot access Gifu Castle or the mountaintop toilets from this trail.
View from the observatory (Nagara River direction)
From the observatory, you can enjoy a magnificent view of the clear Nagara River below, Mt. Ena and Mt. Kiso Mitake to the east, Norikura and the Japan Alps to the north, Mt. can do.
Gifu castle panorama night view
Gifu Castle panoramic night view (Nagara River direction)
We will be extending the opening hours of Gifu Castle into the evening for the "Gifu Castle Panorama Night View" event!
When it comes to night views in Gifu, the view from Mount Kinka and Gifu Castle is a must-see. Take the Gifu Kinka Mountain Ropeway to the top of the mountain and reach Gifu Castle. From the castle tower, you can enjoy a 360-degree panoramic view, often compared to the aurora borealis.
Gifu Castle panoramic night view (Nagoya area)
"Gifu Castle Panoramic Night View Schedule for Fiscal Year 2026" From Saturday, April 4, 2026 to Sunday, April 5, 2026 From Saturday, April 11, 2026 to Sunday, April 12, 2026 From Saturday, April 18, 2026 to Sunday, April 19, 2026 From Saturday, April 25, 2026 to Wednesday, May 6, 2026 (Public Holiday)
*Please note that the schedule may be changed or the event may be canceled due to weather conditions or other reasons. *During the night view period, the illumination of Gifu Castle will be reduced.
Even when Gifu Castle is closed at night, you can still enjoy the night view from the Kinka Mountain Observatory (on the rooftop of the observation restaurant).
Friday, April 3rd to Sunday, April 26th (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) Every day from Monday, April 27th to Wednesday, May 6th Friday, May 8th to Sunday, May 31st (Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays) Every day from July 10th (Friday) to September 30th (Wednesday) Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays from October 2nd (Friday) to November 29th (Sunday) Friday, March 19th to Sunday, March 28th (Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays)
From April to May, until 8 PM. From July to September, until 9:30 PM From October to November, until 8 PM. In March, the ropeway is open until 8 PM. The last descent is 30 minutes after the observation deck closes.
The "Sky Flower Garden" event is being held for a limited time! [Event period] Every day from May 2nd (Saturday) to May 6th (Wednesday) Saturdays and Sundays from October 3rd to November 29th. For details, please see the Gifu Kinka Mountain Ropeway website.
Gifu Castle panoramic night view promotional movie
The foothills of the Metaverse Gifu Castle have been revealed!
Based on the results of excavation surveys and documentary records, Gifu Castle from the time of Nobunaga was recreated in a virtual space (metaverse) using the latest digital technology.
Scenery/surrounding information (Click to enlarge the image.)
Gifu Castle Museum <br />Currently closed
Moon rising over Gifu Castle
Map around Gifu Castle
Detail
Opening hours
*Renovation work, including seismic reinforcement, will begin soon on the castle tower and museum. Please note the opening days!
- Castle Tower: Open to visitors until May 18, 2026. - Museum: Closed.
----------------------------------
March 16th - October 16th, 9:30 AM - 5:30 PM* October 17th - March 15th, 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM*
*Those wishing to enter should arrive at least 15 minutes before closing time. Please note that it takes approximately 8 minutes to walk from the ropeway's mountaintop station to Gifu Castle's main tower.
Admission fee
Adults (16 years and older): 200 yen; Children (4 years and older, under 16 years old): 100 yen; Group discount: 20% off for groups of 30 or more.
*The following individuals will be admitted free of charge; please present your disability certificate or other identification.
1. Persons with a physical disability certificate, mental disability health and welfare certificate, intellectual disability certificate, designated intractable disease recipient certificate, registered person for medical care for patients with intractable diseases, certified recipient for medical expense benefits for chronic childhood diseases, registered person for certification of persons requiring support for chronic childhood diseases, and their caregivers. 2. Persons aged 70 and over. 3. Family members accompanying junior high school students or younger who enter on Family Day (the third Sunday of every month). 4. Junior high school students or younger residing in the city.
[Gifu Kinka Mountain Ropeway Fare] Adults (12 years old and older, junior high school students and above): 1,300 yen round trip. Children (4 years old and older, under 12 years old): 650 yen round trip.
closing day
Closure due to construction: Gifu Castle Main Tower... May 19, 2026 to late October 2027 (scheduled)
Gifu Castle Museum... April 1, 2026 to late October 2027 (tentative)
*During the period leading up to the temporary closure for construction, temporary construction work will be carried out to transport materials to the mountaintop. Construction work on the interior and exterior of the facility will begin after the closure.
Access
From JR Gifu Station (platforms 11, 12, or 13) or Meitetsu Gifu Station (platform 4), take the N-line bus (towards Nagarabashi) or the city loop bus (counter-clockwise). Get off at "Gifu Park/Gifu Castle" bus stop. Gifu Park is a 3-minute walk from there. (To Gifu Castle, take the Kinka Mountain Ropeway within the park (4 minutes) → 8-minute walk → Gifu Castle) Fare: 250 yen one way. Frequency: Approximately every 5 minutes. Travel time: 15 minutes. Fares may change due to revisions in the consumption tax rate. *It is not possible to drive to the summit of Mt. Kinka or Gifu Castle.
Gifu Castle is located on the summit of Mt. Kinka, so we recommend using the Gifu Kinka Ropeway, which departs from Gifu Park, when visiting. (There are many slopes and stairs even from the ropeway's summit station.)
Please note that the Gifu Kinka Mountain Ropeway will be unavailable on the following dates (tentative) due to maintenance work and inspections.
June 1st (Monday) - June 5th (Friday), 2026 December 1st (Tuesday), 2026 - December 28th (Monday), 2026 January 7th (Thursday), 2027 - February 16th (Tuesday), 2027
Parking
Gifu Park Parking Lot *The number of parking lots is limited, so please use public transportation as much as possible when you come.
