Also known as the "Viper of Mino", Saitō Dōsan ruthlessly overcame his enemies, expelled the Toki clan, and defeated an invasion from neighboring Owari Province led by Oda Nobuhide.

Although Yoshiyasu showed promise as a ruler, he died at the age of 34, leaving Inabayama Castle to his son Saitō Tatsuoki.

During the Sengoku period a samurai in the service of the Saitō clan by the name of Takenaka Hanbei went to Inabayama Castle, ostensibly to visit his sick brother.

Even though the defenders were demoralized to see the banners of Saitō retainers among the attacking army, the mountaintop castle was still in a nearly impregnable position.

Luis Frois, a renowned Jesuit Missionary from Portugal, was personally invited by Nobunaga to visit the castle.

Gifu Castle was given to his son, Oda Nobutada, who was also killed along with his father by the forces of Akechi Mitsuhide at the Honnō-ji Incident in 1582.

After Hideyoshi's death, Hidenobu overruled the objections of his retainers, and sided with Ishida Mitsunari against the forces of Tokugawa Ieyasu.

With the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate, Gifu Castle was awarded to Ieyasu's son-in-law, Okudaira Nobumasa.

The current version of the main keep of Gifu Castle is a concrete and steel structure that was built in the 1950s based on original drawings and plans, albeit with some changes.

On the top floor of the castle, an observation deck,[3] with a 360-degree panoramic view of the surrounding area, including the Nagara River and Nagoya.

Lights, walkways and signs that were added during 2005's beautification campaign make visiting the castle even more convenient and informative.

Mount Kinkazan offers hiking trails of varying difficulty to Gifu Castle and take approximately one hour.