city and prefecture (ken), central Honshu, Japan, occupying an area of 4,091 sq mi (10,596 sq km). It is landlocked and dominated by mountains except in the south, where the inner part of Nōbi-heiya (Nōbi Plain) is drained by the Nagara, Hida, and Kiso rivers. The plain supports most of the area's agriculture and contains the prefectural capital, Gifu, and other leading cities (Ōgaki, Seki, Mino). Economic ties with neighbouring Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, are strong, and many industries (producing textiles, pottery, cutlery, automobiles, paper, machinery, and chemicals) are branches or subsidiaries of Nagoya companies. Forestry is the main occupation in the mountains.