Gifu Castle, located in Gifu Prefecture, was conquered by Oda Nobunaga in 1567 and was the home base for the unification of the country.
It is located on the summit of Mount Kinkazan and has an unparalleled view of the city of Gifu.
Gifu Castle has one of the best night views of any castle in Japan.
This summer, I hope you will be able to taste the night view of Gifu Castle, which is worth visiting from afar.
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Take the ropeway to Gifu Castle!
Gifu Castle is located on the summit of Mount Kinkazan.
You can reach the castle by taking the Mt. Kinkazan ropeway, which leaves every 10 minutes.
It connects Gifu Park at the foot of the mountain and the summit station of Mount Kinkazan in about 4 minutes.
It is possible to walk from Gifu Park through the trail, but I recommend taking the ropeway because it is safer at night.
If you ride at night, you can see the night view as soon as the ropeway goes up, while listening to the guide(japanese).
Lit up Gifu Castle welcomes you
Then, get off the ropeway and walk for 5 minutes to the summit of Mt.
At night, the castle is lit up and the view of Gifu Castle is different from that of daytime.
Unlike in the daytime, there are fewer visitors at night, so the inside of Gifu Castle is quiet and calm.
This is the powerful night view you can see from Gifu Castle!
If you go up to the “Bourou-no-ma(Watchtower Room)” on the top floor, you can see the vast and powerful night view of the city of Gifu and Kakamigahara, which stretches across the dark plains.
It is truly a carpet of light.
From the town at the foot of it, you can see all the way to Ise Bay in the distance, which is spanning Aichi and Mie prefectures.
There are many castles in Japan today, but the only one that offers such a vast night view is Gifu Castle!
The nighttime opening of Gifu Castle was started in 2001 as a project to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the construction of Gifu Castle.
It was so popular at that time that it is now open at night every year.
The night view from Gifu Castle can be seen at certain times of the year, from spring to autumn.
Night view from all 360 degrees from the castle tower
The night view from Gifu Castle can be seen from the castle keep, so you can see the night view from all directions!
The area where the amount of light is particularly high is in the western direction, towards Gifu City.
If you want to see the night view of Gifu city from the west, you can see it not only from the castle tower but also from the observation deck.
Since it is not crowded at night, you can appreciate it in a calm atmosphere rather than in the middle of a crowd.
There are not many places in Japan where you can see a 360-degree panoramic view even though there are many night spots in Japan.
That’s why it’s a sight worth visiting, even from afar!
Night view around the Nagaragawa River is distinctive
The Nagaragawa River is one of the most famous night views from Gifu Castle.
There is no light at the part of the river where the river flows through a carpet of light, and the 3 bridges along the river make the shape of the Nagaragawa River stand out beautifully, a fantastic sight.
The ropeway is open until 10:30 pm.
So, the view at sunset and the night view after sunset are different.
You can enjoy it not only once, but many times if you change your time to visit!
Opening Hours
This information is as of 2020.
Normal operation
*The last ride on the ropeway is 30 minutes before the operation time.
| Business Period | Ropeway Business Hour | Gifu Castle Opening Hours Last entry is 15 minutes before closing time) |
| 4/1 ～ 5/11 | 9：00～18：00 | 9：30～17：30 |
| 5/12 ～ 10/16 | 8：00～18：00 | 8：30～17：30 |
| 10/17 ～ 3/15 | 9：00～17：00 | 9：30～16：30 |
| 3/16 ～ 3/31 | 9：00～18：00 | 9：30～17：30 |
Night time operation:
*The last time the ropeway goes up is 30 minutes before the opening time.
| Business Period | Ropeway Business Hour | Gifu Castle Opening Hours Last entry is 15 minutes before closing time) |
| April 29 (Wed.) – May 6 (Wed.) | 18：00～22：00 | 17：30～21：30 |
| The event has been cancelled for 2020. | ||
| July 18 (Sat) – August 31 (Mon) | 18：00～22：30 | 17：30～22：00 |
| Saturday, Sunday and holidays from September 1 to October 16 | 18：00～22：00 | 17：30～21：30 |
| December 24 (Thu) – December 25 (Fri) | 18：00～21：00 | 17：30～20：30 |
In the end
The view may change depending on the season and temperature of the day, so there are many repeat visitors to this night view.
In addition to simply learning about the history of Gifu Castle, if you want to visit at night, why not visit at night and take in the powerful night view of Gifu City?
Please check official website for more information about the ropeway schedule and fare.
