Ueda City, Nagano Pref., Koh-Shin-Etsu region

Ueda, the third largest city in Nagano Prefecture, is located in the center of Koh-Shin-Etsu region as above. Its population is more than 150 thousands. Ueda City developed as a castle town surrounding Ueda-jo Castle.

Also Ueda used be a station of Hokkoku Kaido, which connected the Sea of Japan and Edo ( Tokyo now ). So lots of people had walked through Ueda. Yanagimach Street, a part of Hokkoku Kaido, near Ueda-jo Castle, offers historic landscape.

The site of Ueda-jo Castle is so popular among tourists all the year round. The most impressive is Sakura ( Cherry Blossoms ) in the site of the castle ( above ). So it is highly recommended to visit the castle site in the season of Hanami ( Sakura Viewing ), though so many or too many people visit the site.

Ueda-jo Castle is surrounded by moats, along which there are lots of cherry trees. So my most favorite landscape of the castle is the above - moats and Sakura in the season of Hanami.

Sanada Shrine is located in the site of Ueda-jo Castle, which enshrines Masayuki Sanada, who built the castle in A.D.1583 as a warring lord. In A.D.1585 and A.D.1600, to attack the castle Ieyasu Tokugawa sent large forces, which Masayuki Sanada repelled.

However the allied forces of Masayuki Sanada were defeated in the battle of Sekigahara by Ieyasu Tokugawa. So Masayuki Sanada lost the castle and the domain, he was confined in Kudoyama and the castle was destroyed by Ieyasu Tokugawa, who established Tokugawa Shogunate in Edo ( now Tokyo ) in A.D.1603. ( ==> A History of Japan vol.2 Samurai Age )

Ieyasu Tokugawa gave the Ueda Domain to Tadamasa Sengoku, who started the reconstruction of Ueda-jo Castle in A.D.1626. The only remaining structures of the castle is the West Turret ( above ).

In A.D.1868 Tokugawa Shogunate was overthrown and in A.D.1874 the structures and site of Ueda-jo Castle were sold and demolished except the above West Turret. The North and South Turrets were moved to the outside of the castle and in A.D.1943 they were moved back to the site of the castle.

There is no main keep in the site of Ueda-jo Castle. However it is unknown whether the main keep had been built in the site or not. In any case, Ueda-jo is one of popular castles in Japan.

Within ten minutes walk from Ueda-jo Castle, there is the Yanagimachi Street ( above ), which used to be a part of the former Hokkoku Kaido, which connected the Sea of Japan and Edo ( now Tokyo ) during Tokugawa Period. Ueda was one of the stations of the former Hokkoku Kaido.

Along the Yanagimachi Street, there are old shops and buildings, which offer a historic and traditional view. One of the old shops is Okazaki Sake Brewery ( above ), which was establised in A.D.1665 and offers sake tasting. It would be a good opportunity to buy fine souvenirs.

Along the Yanagimachi Street, there are a old soybean paste shop, soba ( buckwheat noodles ) restautants, traditional Japanese sweets shop and so on. It could be fun to walk around.

There is a three storied padoga in the site of Shinano Kokubun-ji Temple. The pagoda is one of the designated National Important Cultural Properties of Japan. It is said that the pagoda was built in the 15-16th century.

Also its is said that the temple was founded in the 8th century. However structures were burnt down in a battle in the 10th century. Then the temple was rebuilt later in the present site.

In Ueda City, there is Ueda High School, which was built in the site of residence of Feudal Lords of Ueda Domain and the main gate of the high school used to be the main gate of the residence of the Feudal Lords. The gate, its moat and Sakura ( Cherry Blossoms ) are worth viewing as above on the way to/from the castle.

After walking around the city, it would be recommended to go back to Ueda-jo Castle after dark. The castle and Sakura would be lit up after dark just temporarily in the season of Hanami ( Sakura Viewing ) as above.

Ueda is located in Nagano Prefecture, which is famous for Soba ( Buckwheat Noodles ). So there are many Soba restaurants in the city. The above shows Soba served with grated yam, walnut paste and nameko mushrooms. In the prefecture, foods of the mountains are tasty as well as Soba noodles are.

Also Nagano Prefecture is famous for Horse Meat. Nagano is one of some prefectures where people eat horse meats so often. So in Ueda there are many restaurants which serve horse meat dishes such as Basashi ( Horse Meat Sashimi - above ).

In Japan, raw horse meat is sometimes called "sakura" ( cherry blossoms ) because of its colour, they say. Needless to say, visitors could enjoy Hanami without eating "sakura", which is one of local specialty disehs.