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Guide to Japanese Castles

Ueda Castle

上田城

reconstructued gate and yagura
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Alternate Name Amagafuchi-jo, Isesaki-jo, Matsuo-jo, Sanada-jo
Founder Sanada Masayuki
Year 1583
Type Flatland
Condition Other Buildings
Admin's Rating ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Historical Site National Historic Site
Historical Value Top 100 Castles
Location Ueda, Nagano Pref.
Map Google Map
Access Ueda Sta. (Nagano Shinkansen, 15 min walk)
Website Ueda City Sightseeing
Visited October 16, 2008; April 4, 2009
Notes This was a great castle to visit. The large tough gate flanked by 2 yagura is quite impressive. There is also a well on the temple grounds that also supposedly hid a secret passage out to the north of the castle.
History

Sanada Masayuki built Ueda Castle in 1583. In 1585 and 1600 he turned back two attacks by Tokugawa Ieyasu. Before the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, Sanada met the forces of Tokugawa Hidetada at Ueda Castle. He repelled the 38,000 warriors of the Tokugawa with only 2500 castle defenders. The castle town was very well planned and the castle deftly made use of the rivers and landscape for its defense. This battle sufficiently delayed Hidetada so that he didn't arrive in time for the battle of Sekigahara.

After the Battle of Sekigahara, Ueda Castle was given over to Sanada Nobuyuki who was ordered to destroy it by the Tokugawa. He razed the castle and moved to Matsushiro Castle. Sengoku Tadamasa started rebuilding Ueda Castle in 1622. He redug the moat and started restoring the Honmaru and Ninomaru before he died. His work was not continued after his death, but the structures you see today date to this time period.

The North, South and West yagura are all original.
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Viewer Comments

(4) | Post Comment
  • Raymond    September 12, 2009 at 11:15 AM
    This castle is about a 15 minute walk from the train station. There isn’t much here except for the main gate and some turrets. Two of the turrets are original. The main gate has been reconstructed (very new inside.) Go down into the carpark and look up at the Nishi Yagura for a great view of the turret and ishigaki (stone walls).There is the Ueno City Museum on the Ninomaru grounds. It’s has the most extensive display of samurai armour and weapons out of all the museums that I visited in Nagano. Entry to main gate and museum cost 250yen. Ueda is a good place to base yourself for visiting the castles in this part of Nagano. I went to Ueda, Komoro, and Matsushiro Castle in one day after having stayed overnight at a business hotel in Ueda. I did not have enough time to visit a fourth castle in one day, but you can also see Arato Castle from the Shinano Line as you pass one of the train stations (sorry, forgot its name) heading towards Yashiro.
  • furinkazan    August 04, 2009 at 03:02 AM
    I went there in last april. This site is really worth a visit, especially when the sakura are blooming. The musea in the towers and on the precincts of the castlesite are certainly to be commended.
  • Webmaster    April 29, 2008 at 05:55 AM
    The below as translated by babelfish-- Babel Fish Translation Help In English: Splendid excellently well conserved castle in harmony with the naturalezal Thank you very much by permiyir to me to appreciate this one sample of culture and art of the Jopón. I hope to have the luck, someday, of being able to visit the castles. Hugo Quintero Miño arpon@vtr.net
  • Hugo Quintero Miño    April 28, 2008 at 10:36 PM
    Espléndido castillo excelentemente bien conservado en armonía con la naturalezal Muchas gracias por permiyirme apreciar ésta muestra de cultura y arte del Jopón. Espero tener la suerte, algún día, de poder visitar los castillos. Hugo Quintero Miño arpon@vtr.net