Gifu City Cormorant Fishing and Gifu Castle Course

Gifu City is a castle town that Oda Nobunaga made his base for unifying the country. With Gifu Castle rising on the summit of Kinkazan, the spreading Gifu Park at its foot, and the traditional cormorant fishing that colors the Nagara River at night, this course lets you enjoy the history and atmosphere of Gifu in a single day, with mountain and park by day and the fire baskets on the water by night.

Course Route

10:00 Start at Gifu Park Begin at the park spreading at the foot of Kinkazan. The Nobunaga residence ruins and the history museum are dotted about, letting you feel the history of the castle town. 10:30 Up to the summit by the Kinkazan Ropeway (round trip 1,300 yen for adults, 650 yen for children; about a 4 minute ride) The ropeway runs from the base to the summit in about four minutes, with the first car at 9:00. The Nagara River and the townscape of Gifu spread out below. 11:00 On to Gifu Castle (the keep and museum are closed for renovation work; normal admission is 200 yen for ages 16 and over, 100 yen for ages 4 to 15; open 9:30 to 17:15, last entry 17:00)

⚠️ The Gifu Castle keep is closed for renovation work from 19 May 2026 until late October 2027 (planned), and the Gifu Castle Museum is closed from 1 April 2026 for the same period. Please check the Gifu City official website for the latest information before you go.

The castle that Nobunaga named Gifu as he aimed to unify the country. While it is closed you cannot go inside the keep, but you can still enjoy the view over the Nobi Plain from the summit of Kinkazan and the exterior of the keep (part of the summit area is closed to through traffic until the end of September 2027, planned). 12:30 Lunch and a summit stroll including Squirrel Village Wander the summit area, then head back down for lunch. 14:00 Stroll the old streets of Kawaramachi A charming street lined with latticed townhouses. Walk past shops of paper umbrellas and washi paper and look in at townhouse cafes. 18:00 Board the cormorant fishing viewing boat (shared boat from 4,200 yen for adults, from 2,100 yen for children) Cormorant fishing on the Nagara River runs each year from May 11 to October 15. Watch up close as cormorants guided by their masters catch sweetfish beneath the fire baskets, a tradition more than a thousand years old. 20:30 Disembark to finish Soak in the lingering glow of the fire baskets swaying on the water and round off the day.

Highlights

Gifu Castle is known as a castle linked to Nobunaga, and the wide panorama from the summit is its highlight. The night cormorant fishing is a dreamlike scene woven from the fire baskets floating in the darkness and the skill of the masters guiding their birds. Enjoying the contrast of a mountain castle by day and river fishing by night in one day is the real pleasure of this course.

Access and Tips

Gifu Park is the base, reachable by bus from JR Gifu Station or Meitetsu Gifu Station. Using the ropeway to Gifu Castle is easy, but there is a short walk from the summit station, so wear comfortable shoes. The cormorant fishing boat requires a reservation, so secure a seat early once your date is set.

Practical Travel Notes

This course is built around mid May to mid October, when the cormorant fishing takes place. The shared boat fare runs about 4,200 yen for adults and 2,100 yen for children on regular days, and from 2026 it rises slightly on busy days. Adding the ropeway round trip (1,300 yen for adults) and Gifu Castle admission (200 yen), the two main daytime and evening attractions alone come to around 6,000 yen per person as a budget guide. Gifu Castle by day gives the best views from morning to early afternoon when the air is clear, and in summer a hat and water are wise against the strong sun. The fishing begins around 18:00, so a rest in Kawaramachi between day and evening keeps the flow smooth. Nearby, the Gifu City Museum of History in Gifu Park and the paper umbrella and washi workshops in Kawaramachi are real spots to visit while you wait.

A Quick Tip

Cormorant fishing can be canceled when rain raises the river, so checking the operation status for the day brings peace of mind. The viewing boat is by reservation and popular, so book early once your date is fixed. Arranging Gifu Castle by day and cormorant fishing by night keeps waiting short and lets you enjoy the history and tradition of Gifu efficiently.