The Ruins of Ueda Castle, Nagano

The Ruins of Ueda Castle, Nagano

The ruins of Ueda Castle is one of the most popular castle in Japan. Ueda Castle was built in 1585 by SANADA Masayuski(1547? - 1611). SANADA Masayuki was a small feudal lord in this area. After Ueda Castle was built, SANADA Masayuki beat TOKUGAWA Ieyasu (1543 - 1616) twice. TOKUGAWA Ieyasu was the first "Shogun" in the "Edo" Age(1603 - 1868).

Because of this history, SANADA Masayuki and his younger son, SANADA Nobushige(1567 - 1615) are very popular in Japan.

The second battle between SANADA and TOKUGAWA broke out in 1600, just before the Sekigahara Battle, which was one of the most decisive battles in Japanese History. As TOKUGAWA won Sekigahara Battle, Ueda Castle was completely broken by TOKUGAWA in 1601. SENGOKU Tadamasa(1578 - 1628) was assigned to the feudal domain lord of Ueda in 1622 and rebuilt Ueda Castle.

Please refer the page of "Sekigahara Battlefield"
http://handejapan19.html.xdomain.jp/TravelDestinations/Chubu/Sekigahara_E.html

The ruins of Ueda Castle are located in the northern part of Japan. If you take a Hokuriku Shinkansen, you will see the ruins of Ueda Castle on your right, just before you will arrive at Ueda Station from Nagano.

The ruins of Ueda Castle are located approximately one kilometer to the west from Ueda Station. It takes you fifteen minutes on foot. To the east of the ruins of Ueda castle, the dry moat of the second bailey is located. The bailey lies north and south. There used to be a railroad track in the moat.

The train line opened in 1927 and it was abandoned in 1972. A station was located at the location shown in the above pictures. Beyond the arched bridge, the dry moat continues to the north. It was in Autumn, leaves have just started turning red.

The arched bridge is the entrance to Ueda Castle. There used to be the east gate of the second bailey of Ueda Castle.

To the north of the arched bridge, "Peace Bell" Tower is located.

The bell was originally used to announce the time at Ueda Castle from the "Edo" Age. It was levied by Japan Imperial Army during World War II. After the war, people in Ueda City revived the bell and named "Peace Bell" in order not to repeat a stupid and horrible war. That was in 1973.

If you walk in the second baily from the site of the east gate to the west, you will see "Higashi-Koguchi" Gate.

"Higashi-Koguchi" Gate is the main gate of the main bailey. Beside the gate, two turrets are located. The righthand side is the North Turret and the lefthand side is the South Turret. These castle buildings were built at the beginning of the Edo Age.

At the foundation of "Higashi-Koguchi" Gate, a big stone was used. This big stone was named "Kagami-Ishi", which means a mirror stone. This is the symbol of power of the castle lord. Even though these castle building were built by SENGOKU Tadamasa and SANADA Clan had left Ueda, people named the stone as "SANADA-Ishi". This anecdote shows the popularity of SANADA.

The South Turret, the North Turret and "Higashi-Koguchi" Gate are open for the public. You are able to visit these three castle buildings from the South Turret. The view to the south of Ueda Castle from the South Turret is wonderful.

Now, the Chikuma River flows to one kilometers south of the ruins of Ueda Castle. But, in the "Edo" Age, it used to flow just south side of Ueda Castle and the south side of Ueda Castle was an abyss.

The South Turret was built in 1620s. After the Edo Age was ended, the South and the North Turrets were once sold to a red-light district. They were planned to sell to Hotel Meguro-Gajyoen in Tokyo, in 1940s. But, citizens in Ueda purchased them back and they came back to Ueda Castle.

Original castle building is very imposing. As there are few windows, it was dark inside.

You will see "Higashi-Koguchi" Gate from the South Turret. "Higashi-Koguchi" Gate was destroyed in 1874, but it was rebuilt as it was in 1994. You will look down the main approach to the Main Bailey from "Higashi-Koguchi" Gate.

The first Ueda Battle between SANADA and TOKUGAWA broken out in 1585. TOKUGAWA soldiers came to the main bailey, shown in the above picture, through the main gate of the second bailey. SANADA soldiers surrounded the TOKUGAWA soldiers and many of TOKUGAWA soldiers were killed in this place.

The below picture shows the view of the North Turret from "Higashi-Koguchi" Gate.

The North Turret was also built in the late 1620s.Inside the North Turret, the dolls of SANADA Masayuki, his younger son SANADA Nobushige and SANADA Yukimasa(1601 - 1615), the grandchild of SANADA Masayuki are displaced. They were the heroes for people in Ueda.

In the main bailey of the ruins of Ueda Castle, SANADA Shrine is located. It was founded in 1879.

After SENGOKU Tadamasa died in 1628, MATSUDAIRA Tadachika(1661 - 1728) became the feudal lord of Ueda Domain. His descendants were also the feudal lords of Ueda Domain, for generations until the "Edo" Age was ended.

Originally the shrine enshrined Ueda Castle lords of MATSUDAIRA clan and the name of the shrine was MATSUDAIRA Shrine. Later, all the castle lords of Ueda Castle including SANADA clan and SENGOKU clan were also enshrined. It renamed as SANADA Shrine in 1963.

At the south-west corner of the main bailey, the West Turret is located. It was built in the late 1620s.

You will see the West Turret from "Amagafuchi", which used to be an abyss to the south side of the ruins of Ueda Castle.

"Amagafuchi" is approximately thirty meters below the main bailey. The view of the West Turret from Amagafuchi is impressive.