Sanada Masayuki and the Construction of Ueda Castle
Ueda Castle was constructed in 1583 (Tensho 11) by Sanada Masayuki, a minor Shinano lord who rose to prominence as a Takeda retainer. After Shingen’s death, the Sanada skillfully navigated alliances with multiple powers in succession. Ueda’s strategic position controlling Shinano’s east-west communications gave the castle site clear military-economic logic.
In the First Battle of Ueda (1585), Masayuki broke with the Tokugawa and transferred allegiance to Uesugi Kagekatsu. A Tokugawa force of over seven thousand failed to capture the castle and withdrew. In the Second Battle of Ueda (1600), Masayuki and Yukimura supported the Western Army. Tokugawa Hidetada led approximately 38,000 against Ueda Castle but was again repelled. Multiple sources including the Keicho Kenbunroku record that Hidetada’s delay caused him to miss the main Battle of Sekigahara.
After Sekigahara, Masayuki and Yukimura were exiled to Mt. Koya. Masayuki died in exile in 1611. Yukimura (real name Nobushige) participated in the 1615 Siege of Osaka on the Toyotomi side. His final charge toward Tokugawa Ieyasu’s headquarters is recorded in enemy sources and he became a posthumous hero in warrior chronicles. Ankokuji in Ueda is traditionally associated with Masayuki’s memorial observances. Its eight-sided three-story pagoda (National Treasure) is the only surviving wooden octagonal pagoda in Japan.
Zenkoji (Nagano) became an imperial votive temple in 642. Its principal image circulated among Takeda Shingen, Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu in succession — illustrating how religious symbols functioned as tokens of political legitimacy. Suwa Taisha is the head shrine of approximately 25,000 Suwa shrines nationwide. Its war deity attracted devotion from warriors throughout the medieval period. Hasedera (Nagano) is the clan temple of the Sanada family, located in the original Sanada home territory of Sanada-go.