Gifu Ken

Capital:	Gifu City	Size:	10,596 km2
Population :	2,099,352	Density:	198 people/km2
Cities:	14	Churches:	P 85, C 6
With 0 church:	1	Church per pop.:	l:24,698
With 1 church:	3	Worship attendance:	2,198
Towns/Villages:	85	Attendance/church:	26
With no churches:	65	Missionaries:	15
With 20,000 pop. & no churches:	4

Geography

Although Gifu is the nation's seventh largest prefecture, the percent of inhabitable land ranks second lowest in the nation (Kochi ranks the lowest). The southern district called Mino meets Aichi prefecture at the Nobi Plains. The northern district called Hida is centered around the small Takayama Basin which is sunounded by tall mountains of over 2,000 meters. The southern and northern regions draw contrasting pictures of geography as well as climate. The Mino district enjoys a relatively warm climate with many sunny days. The Hida district is typical of an inland mountain region with severe winter cold, heavy snowfall in the mountains and year-round rainfall.

Industry & Economy

The cultivated lands centered in the Mino district provide an area for rice and vegetable production. This district used to be plagued by rain disasters but now levees have greatly minimized the problem. Due to its vast forest and mountains, Hida has a thriving forestry industry. Since each district benefits from only one major industry, the overall economy of Gifu ranks neither high nor low in the national averages. As for the mining industry, the Kamioka area is known for lead and zinc production. There are not many large factories in the prefecture.

Cultural Background

During the Sengoku era, the Mino area was combined with Owari and Mikawa (now Aichi prefecture) and found itself in the midst of many power struggles. As a result, it has produced many famous wartime figures including Oda Nobunaga. Despite its colorful history, the people of Gifu are conservative and very content with their way of life. They are also very independent and hard working.

Religious Milieu

Gifu ranks fourth from the bottom on the national scale regarding the number of people who believe in life after death. As for the number of Buddhist believers Gifu ranks fourth from the top, following the three Hokuriku prefectures. Gifu is called the "money box" for Jodo Shinshu Honganji Temple, with its temples found throughout the prefecture. Traditional religious activities include the Takayama Festival, one of the nation' s three main festivals, held every spring and fall. It also is the base for the intemational sanctuary of a fast-growing new religion called Sukyo Mahikari.

The Mission

Rev. Franson from Sweden had a strong burden for Japan, and established the Scandinavian Alliance Mission (now TEAM). They chose the Hida area for their missionary field because it was one of the most remote places in Japan. The resulting Domei Association celebrated its 10Oth anniversary in 1994 at Takayama with more than 1,000 attending. The convenience of present day transportation and modern communication development made it difficult to imagine the sacrifices of those early missionaries.