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is a
Japanese castle are fortresses constructed primarily of wood and stone. They evolved from the wooden stockades of earlier centuries, and came into their best-known form in the 16th century. Castles in Japan were built to guard important or strategic sites, such ...
located in Ueda, northern
Nagano Prefecture is a landlocked prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Nagano Prefecture has a population of 2,052,493 () and has a geographic area of . Nagano Prefecture borders Niigata Prefecture to the north, Gunma Prefecture to the ...
,
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
. At the end of the
Edo period The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characteriz ...
, Ueda Castle was home to a cadet branch of the
Matsudaira clan The was a Japanese samurai clan that descended from the Minamoto clan. It originated in and took its name from Matsudaira village, in Mikawa Province (modern-day Aichi Prefecture). During the Sengoku period, the chieftain of the main line of th ...
, ''
daimyō were powerful Japanese magnates, feudal lords who, from the 10th century to the early Meiji era, Meiji period in the middle 19th century, ruled most of Japan from their vast, hereditary land holdings. They were subordinate to the shogun and n ...
'' of
Ueda Domain Ueda Castle, administrative centre of Ueda Domain was a feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan. It is located in Shinano Province, Honshū. The domain was centered at Ueda Castle, located in what is now part of the city ...
, but the castle is better known for its association with the
Sengoku period The was a period in History of Japan, Japanese history of near-constant civil war and social upheaval from 1467 to 1615. The Sengoku period was initiated by the Ōnin War in 1467 which collapsed the Feudalism, feudal system of Japan under the ...
Sanada clan The is a Japanese clan. Papinot, Jacques Edmond Joseph. (1906). ''Dictionnaire d'histoire et de géographie du Japon''; Papinot, (2003).html" ;"title="DF 56 of 80">("Sanada," ''Nobiliare du Japon'', p. 52 DF_56_of_80">("S_...
._It_was_also_called__or_._The_castle_was_designated_a__Monuments_of_Japan.html" ;"title="DF 56 of 80/nowiki>">DF 56 of 80">("S ...
. It was also called or . The castle was designated a National_Historic_Site_of_Japan_in_1934.


__Situation_

file:Burg_Ueda_Plan.jpg.html" ;"title="Monuments of Japan">National Historic Site of Japan in 1934.


Situation

thumb.html" ;"title="file:Burg Ueda Plan.jpg">thumb">270px, plan of Ueda Castle Ueda Castle is located on a hill overlooking a branch of the Chikuma_River_at_the_northeast_edge_of_the_Nagano_plain,_which_forms_part_of_its_southern_defences_and_acts_as_a_moat. The_Central_Bailey_(''Hon-Maru'')_[1originally_had_seven_two-story_''Yagura_(tower).html" "title=".html" ;"title="Chikuma River at the northeast edge of the Nagano plain, which forms part of its southern defences and acts as a moat. The Central Bailey (''Hon-Maru'') [1">Chikuma River at the northeast edge of the Nagano plain, which forms part of its southern defences and acts as a moat. The Central Bailey (''Hon-Maru'') [1originally had seven two-story ''Yagura (tower)">yagura Yagura may refer to: * Yagura castle * Yagura opening * Yagura (tombs) * Yagura (tower) is the Japanese word for "tower", "turret", "keep", or "scaffold". The word is most often seen in reference to structures in Japanese castle compounds bu ...
'', but no ''tenshu'' and was protected by a moat as well as stone ramparts. The Central Bailey is also surrounded by a Second Bailey (''Ni-no-Maru'') [2], also with moats and earthen ramparts. The adjacent Third Bailey (''San-no-maru'') had additional ''yagura'', of which only the foundation bases remain, and contained the main residence of the ''daimyō'' (which was also protected by a moat), gardens and work area and the main gate (''Ōtemon'') of the castle Most of the area of the former Third Bailey is now occupied by the Ueda High School.


History

During the
Sengoku period The was a period in History of Japan, Japanese history of near-constant civil war and social upheaval from 1467 to 1615. The Sengoku period was initiated by the Ōnin War in 1467 which collapsed the Feudalism, feudal system of Japan under the ...
, the area around Ueda was under the control of the Sanada clan, a minor local warlord in the service of the
Takeda clan The was a Japanese samurai clan active from the late Heian period until the late 16th century. The clan was historically based in Kai Province in present-day Yamanashi Prefecture. The clan reached its greatest influence under the rule of Taked ...
. After the fall of the Takeda clan to the combined forces of
Oda Nobunaga was a Japanese ''daimyō'' and one of the leading figures of the Sengoku period. He is regarded as the first "Great Unifier" of Japan. Nobunaga was head of the very powerful Oda clan, and launched a war against other ''daimyō'' to unify ...
and
Tokugawa Ieyasu was the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan, which ruled Japan from 1603 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was one of the three "Great Unifiers" of Japan, along with his former lord Oda Nobunaga and fellow ...
, the Sanada switched side with bewildering rapidity between the
Uesugi clan The is a Japanese samurai clan which was at its peak one of the most powerful during the Muromachi and Sengoku periods (14th to 17th centuries). Appert, Georges. (1888) ''Ancien Japon,'' p. 79./ref> At its height, the clan had three main branch ...
, the Hōjō clan,
Oda Nobunaga was a Japanese ''daimyō'' and one of the leading figures of the Sengoku period. He is regarded as the first "Great Unifier" of Japan. Nobunaga was head of the very powerful Oda clan, and launched a war against other ''daimyō'' to unify ...
and
Toyotomi Hideyoshi , otherwise known as and , was a Japanese samurai and ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the late Sengoku period regarded as the second "Great Unifier" of Japan.Richard Holmes, The World Atlas of Warfare: Military Innovations that Changed the Cour ...
in an effort to preserve their territory and independence. The construction of the castle began in 1583 by
Tokugawa Ieyasu was the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan, which ruled Japan from 1603 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was one of the three "Great Unifiers" of Japan, along with his former lord Oda Nobunaga and fellow ...
's order. Two years later,
Sanada Masayuki was a Japanese Sengoku period lord and ''daimyō''. He was the head of Sanada clan,_a_regional_house_of_Shinano_Province.html" ;"title="DF 56 of 80/nowiki>">DF 56 of 80">("S ..., a regional house of Shinano Province">DF 56 of 80/nowiki>">DF 56 ...
moved their main bastion from
Sanada-shi Yakata is the remains of a fortified residence of the Sanada clan_in_ ">DF_56_of_80">("S_..._in_Ueda,_Nagano">Ueda,_Nagano_Prefecture.html" ;"title="Ueda,_Nagano.html" ;"title="DF 56 of 80/nowiki>">DF 56 of 80">("S ... in Ueda, Nagano">Ueda, Nagano Pref ...
to Ueda Castle. In the same year, the castle was attacked by Tokugawa Ieyasu but the greatly outnumbered Sanada defeated the forces of Tokugawa Ieyasu in the Battle at Kami River, which greatly enhanced Sanada Masayuki’s reputation. However, under Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the Sanada were forced to submit fealty to Tokugawa Ieyasu and Sanada Masayuki's first son,
Sanada Nobuyuki was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period. He was the son of ''daimyō'' Sanada Masayuki and the older brother of Sanada Yukimura. Early life He was the first son of Sanada Masayuki and his wife, Kansho-in. His younger brother was Sanada ...
, was married to
Komatsuhime (1573 – March 27, 1620) was a female warrior (''onna-musha'') during late-Sengoku period and early Edo period . Born the daughter of Honda Tadakatsu, she was adopted by Tokugawa Ieyasu, before marrying Sanada Nobuyuki. She is described as h ...
, an adopted daughter of Ieyasu; while his second son,
Sanada Yukimura , also known as , was a Japanese samurai warrior of the Sengoku period. He was especially known as the leading general on the defending side of the Siege of Osaka. Yukimura was called "A Hero who may appear once in a hundred years", "Crimson D ...
(Nobushige), was married to Chikurin-in, an adopted daughter of Hideyoshi. After the death of Hideyoshi, the Tokugawa ordered the Sanada to participate in their invasion of Aizu against the Uesugi clan. Sanada Nobuyuki chose to remain on the Tokugawa side, while Sanada Masayuki and his younger son,
Sanada Yukimura , also known as , was a Japanese samurai warrior of the Sengoku period. He was especially known as the leading general on the defending side of the Siege of Osaka. Yukimura was called "A Hero who may appear once in a hundred years", "Crimson D ...
chose to join the Toyotomi armies under
Ishida Mitsunari Ishida Mitsunari (, 1559 – November 6, 1600) was a Japanese samurai and military commander of the late Sengoku period of Japan. He is probably best remembered as the commander of the Western army in the Battle of Sekigahara following the A ...
against the Tokugawa. This led to the
Siege of Ueda The siege of Ueda was staged in 1600 by Tokugawa Hidetada, son of the warlord Tokugawa Ieyasu, against Ueda castle garrison in Shinano province, which was controlled by the Sanada family. Hidetada came across the castle as he marched his army a ...
in 1600, a side battle to the
Battle of Sekigahara The Battle of Sekigahara (Shinjitai: ; Kyūjitai: , Hepburn romanization: ''Sekigahara no Tatakai'') was a decisive battle on October 21, 1600 (Keichō 5, 15th day of the 9th month) in what is now Gifu prefecture, Japan, at the end of ...
. The army of
Tokugawa Hidetada was the second ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa dynasty, who ruled from 1605 until his abdication in 1623. He was the third son of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa shogunate. Early life (1579–1593) Tokugawa Hidetada was bo ...
, while on their way to Sekigahara was ordered to reduce Ueda Castle along the away. Again, the greatly outnumbered Sanada forces inflicted severe casualties on the Tokugawa and delayed Hidetada so long that he was forced to break off the siege and his forces thus arrived at Sekigahara too late to make a contribution to the battle. After the Battle of Sekigahara and the establishment of the
Tokugawa shogunate The Tokugawa shogunate (, Japanese 徳川幕府 ''Tokugawa bakufu''), also known as the , was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Tokugawa-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia ...
, Sanada Masayuki submitted to Tokugawa Ieyasu, but was dispossessed and Ueda Castle was partially demolished. Sanada Nobuyuki was made ''
daimyō were powerful Japanese magnates, feudal lords who, from the 10th century to the early Meiji era, Meiji period in the middle 19th century, ruled most of Japan from their vast, hereditary land holdings. They were subordinate to the shogun and n ...
'' of
Ueda Domain Ueda Castle, administrative centre of Ueda Domain was a feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan. It is located in Shinano Province, Honshū. The domain was centered at Ueda Castle, located in what is now part of the city ...
, and returned to build a residence in the former ''San-no-maru'' area. He was transferred to nearby
Matsushiro Domain 300px, Matsushiro Castle Part of the Matsushiro domain's Edo estate, relocated to Kamakura and used as a hall at Ryuko-ji Temple was a feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan. It is located in Shinano Province, Hons ...
in 1622, and replaced by the
Sengoku clan was a Japanese samurai family which descended from the Seiwa-Genji. Papinot, Jacques Edmond Joseph. (1906). ''Dictionnaire d’histoire et de géographie du Japon''; Papinot, (2003)"Ina" at ''Nobiliare du Japon'', p. 54 retrieved 2013-4-11. Hist ...
, who rebuilt parts of the Main Bailey and Second Bailey from 1628, but the ''tenshu'' was not restored. The Sengoku were in turn replaced by a branch of the Matsudaira clan in 1706, who remained in control of the castle until the end of the
Edo period The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characteriz ...
. Following the
Meiji restoration The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored practical imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Although there were ...
and the
abolition of the han system The in the Empire of Japan and its replacement by a system of prefectures in 1871 was the culmination of the Meiji Restoration begun in 1868, the starting year of the Meiji period. Under the reform, all daimyos (, ''daimyō'', feudal lords) ...
, the castle was dismantled, leaving only the stone ramparts and one ''yagura''. The site was made into a public park, with two
Shinto shrine A is a structure whose main purpose is to house ("enshrine") one or more ''kami'', the deities of the Shinto religion. Overview Structurally, a Shinto shrine typically comprises several buildings. The '' honden''Also called (本殿, meani ...
s (one dedicated to the Sanada clan, and the other to the war dead), and a local history museum. In 1949, two ''yagura'' were reconstructed, and in the 1990s one of the gates was rebuilt. Ueda Castle was listed as one of the 100 Fine Castles of Japan by the Japan Castle Foundation in 2006.Japan Castle Foundation
 The castle is a ten-minute walk from Ueda Station on the
Nagano Shinkansen The is a high-speed Shinkansen railway line jointly operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and West Japan Railway Company (JR West), connecting Tokyo with in the Hokuriku region of Japan. The first section, between and in Nagano Pr ...
.


Gallery

Entrance to Ueda Castle.JPG, Entrance to Ueda Castle Sanada Shrine Ueda.JPG, Sanada Jinja Ueda Castle South Turret.jpg, South Yagura 上田城 - panoramio (3).jpg, Otemon Gate Ueda Castle.JPG, Ueda Castle


See also

*
List of Historic Sites of Japan (Nagano) This list is of the Historic Sites of Japan located within the Prefecture of Nagano. National Historic Sites As of 1 August 2020, thirty-eight Sites have been designated as being of national significance (including one * Special Historic Site) ...


Literature

* * Takada, Toru: Ueda-jo in: Miura, Masayuki (eds): Shiro to Jinya. Tokoku-hen. Gakken, 2006. , S. 100th * Nishigaya, Yasuhiro (eds): Ueda-jo. In: Nihon Meijo Zukan, Rikogaku-sha, 1993. . * * * *


References


External links


Official home pageUeda Castle
- Guide to Japanese Castles, with photos

{{Authority control Castles in Nagano Prefecture 100 Fine Castles of Japan Historic Sites of Japan Ueda, Nagano Sanada clan