* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Ueda City Museum (Ueda Castle Ruins Park)
上田市立博物館（上田城跡公園内）
Overview
Museum and Ueda Castle Overview
Ueda City Museum is located within the ruins of Ueda Castle (Ueda Castle Ruins Park), built by Sanada Masayuki in Tensho 11 (1583), and comprehensively displays the history, culture, and folklore of the Ueda region, centered on the Sanada clan. Ueda Castle is renowned as the "Castle of the Sanada" for repelling Tokugawa Ieyasu's forces twice. Sanada Masayuki's superior military strategies during the First Siege of Ueda (1585) and the Second Siege of Ueda (1600) are recorded as remarkable achievements in Japanese castle and military history. The museum's exhibitions cover approximately 400 years of history, centered on the Sanada clan but also including the periods of the Ueda domain under the Sengoku and Matsudaira clans.
Sanada Clan Swords and Armor
The museum's greatest highlights are collections of swords, armor, and weapons related to the Sanada family. Sanada Masayuki, Yukimura (Nobushige), and Nobuyuki—this father and two sons—constitute one of the most legendary samurai families in Japanese Sengoku history and remain extraordinarily popular today. Most notably, Sanada Yukimura (Nobushige), as a commander of the Toyotomi faction during the Siege of Osaka (1615), launched a fierce assault on Tokugawa Ieyasu's main camp and became known as "Japan's greatest warrior." The museum preserves and displays precious heirlooms from the Sanada family, including long swords (tachi), short swords (wakizashi), spears, and armor. The armor bearing the six-mon crest and the red-dyed armor and weapons captivate visitors.
The Ten Brave Warriors of Sanada and Ninja Culture
The Sanada clan, rooted in Ueda and Numata, was also known for employing ninja (covert agents). The legends of the "Ten Brave Warriors of Sanada," including Sarutobi Sasuke and Kirigakure Saizou, have been widely cherished since the Edo period. The museum also displays ninja weapons and tools, allowing visitors to explore the relationship between swords and ninjutsu. Replicas of Sanada Yukimura's helmet (with the six-mon ornament) and reconstructions of red-dyed armor are also on display, evoking the romance of the Sengoku period.
Ueda Castle Ruins and Surrounding Attractions
Around the museum stand the surviving East Tiger Gate (Kokumon) (Nagano Prefecture treasure), South Turret, and North Turret of Ueda Castle. In spring, approximately 1,000 cherry trees bloom here, making it one of Japan's Top 100 Cherry Blossom Viewing Spots. The town of Ueda offers abundant tourist attractions, including Bessho Hot Spring (Nagano Prefecture's oldest hot spring) and Shiota Plain (also called "Kamakura of Shinshū"), home to important cultural properties such as the three-story pagoda of Maeyamaji Temple. From Tokyo/Ueno area, Ueda Station on the Hokuriku Shinkansen is approximately 1 hour 20 minutes away, making it easily accessible for day trips from the Greater Tokyo Area.
Highlights
- Sanada clan swords, armor, and relics including Yukimura's restored helmet
- Historical documents of the First and Second Battles of Ueda Castle
- Surviving castle turrets and East Tiger-Mouth Gate (Nagano Prefectural Treasure)
- Cherry blossom viewpoint (100 Best Cherry Blossom Sites in Japan)
* Opening hours and exhibitions are subject to change. Please check the official website before visiting.