Gifu is a city located in the south-central portion of Gifu Prefecture in Japan. It serves as the prefectural capital and is designated as a core city by the national government. Geographically, it is part of the Chūkyō metropolitan area, which is centered around Nagoya.
The city has held significant strategic importance throughout Japanese history due to its central location. During the Sengoku period, various warlords utilized the area as a base for efforts to unify and control the country; notably, Oda Nobunaga gave the region its current name. Following Japan's unification, Gifu flourished as an important shukuba along the Nakasendō during the Edo period and later became recognized as one of the nation's fashion centers.