Uesugi Clan Mausoleum

As I wrote in the previous post, on 13th July hubby and I had been to Uesugi Jinja Shrine in Yonezawa City of Yamagata prefecture. Afterwards we visited Uesugi Clan Mausoleum located in the same city. Uesugi Clan Mausoleum is the final resting place for a long line of the Uesugi Clan. The tomb of the clan founder, Uesugi Kenshin, is located in the center of the mausoleum. And the tombs housing the remains of up to 12 generations of his descendants, who were the lords of Yonezawa domain Uesugi Clan, are spread out to both sides of the central tomb. A small shrine is built on each tomb. Uesugi Clan Mausoleum is spread over an area of two hectares, and covers 110 meters from east to west and 181 meters from south to north. The mausoleum was designated as a national important cultural asset in January 1984.

At about 2 pm on the afternoon of 13th July, hubby and I left Uesugi Jinja Shrine and next visited Uesugi Clan Mausoleum. The mausoleum is located just 1.5 kilometers west of Uesugi Shrine, and it took us only a few minutes of car ride to reach the car parking area located adjacent to the mausoleum. We walked up to the entrance area of the mausoleum, and saw ‘Uesugi Bamboo’ crest adorned on a banner that is displayed at the entrance gate of the mausoleum. ‘Uesugi Bamboo’ was the family crest of Uesugi Clan, and the crest is also known as ‘Bamboo and Sparrow’ crest because it is a combination of bamboo and sparrows. We loved the design of the crest.

I am standing in front of the entrance gate of Uesugi Clan Mausoleum

‘Uesugi Bamboo’ crest adorned on a banner displayed at the entrance gate

‘Uesugi Bamboo’ crest

We walked past the entrance gate and entered inside the mausoleum premises. Inside the premises, we saw a ticket counter located to our left side just next to the entrance area. We bought tickets worth 350 yen per person as admission fee to enter further into the premises. Next we walked along a gravel pathway surrounded by huge cryptomeria trees all around. In fact, the tomb-shrines are located in the midst of a dense cryptomeria grove which provides a hushed and tranquil atmosphere to the sacred site of the mausoleum. While walking, we also saw blooming hydrangea flowers along the pathway.

Hubby standing on the gravel pathway surrounded by huge cryptomeria trees inside the mausoleum premises

I am standing on the gravel pathway

I am standing next to blue blooming hydrangea flowers

Towards the end of the 100 meters long gravel pathway, we saw another gate leading to the most sacred area of the mausoleum where the tomb-shrines of Uesugi Clan are located. Right in front of the gate, we saw two banner flags located at either end of the gate. The banner to our left side had the Kanji character of ‘Dragon’ written on it, and the one to our right side had the first character ‘Bi’ of ‘Bishamonten’ written on it. Uesugi Kenshin was a skillful warrior known for being fond of various war banners. The 'Dragon' banner flags were raised on the battlefield when Kenshin wanted his army to charge and attack the enemy. The 'Bishamonten' banner was Kenshin's personal standard and was said to have been reserved for his entrances and victory marches.

'Dragon' (left) and 'Bishamonten' (right) banners located at either end of the second gate. This gate leads to the most sacred area of the mausoleum premises.

We saw the tomb-shrine of the clan founder Uesugi Kenshin located in the center of the most sacred area of the mausoleum premises. And the tomb-shrines housing the remains of up to 12 generations of his descendants are spread out to both sides of the central tomb. The tomb-shrines of odd-numbered descendant successors are located to the right side (orientation with respect to us) of the central tomb. And the tomb-shrines of even-numbered descendant successors are located to the left side of the central tomb.

View of the most sacred area of the mausoleum premises right in front of us. Uesugi Kenshin’s tomb-shrine is in the center, and the tomb-shrines of two of his descendants are also seen.

View of the mausoleum premises with the tomb-shrines of odd-numbered descendant successors to our right side

View of the mausoleum premises with the tomb-shrines of even-numbered descendant successors to our left side

In the mausoleum standing by itself in the recess at the center is the tomb-shrine of Uesugi Kenshin. Uesugi Kenshin was a warlord during Sengoku period and was the most prominent Samurai and founder of Uesugi Clan. He passed away at Kasugayama Castle in Joetsu City in 1578. During the funeral ceremony, his remains were clad in armor and laid in a large pot-shaped earthenware coffin, and then placed in a tomb in the castle. His successor Uesugi Kagekatsu relocated to Aizu in 1598 and to Yonezawa in 1601 where he founded Yonezawa Domain Uesugi Clan. Accordingly the body of Uesugi Kenshin was also moved to Yonezawa Castle. A small Buddhist temple was built in the castle premises in 1612 where Uesugi Kenshin’s remains were buried. During Meiji period in 1871, the Buddhist temple rites were changed to Shinto style shrine rituals. Yonezawa Castle was destroyed by the order of the Meiji government in 1873, and then the shrine buildings were moved to what used to be the inner palace of the main enclosure of the castle in 1876. At that time Uesugi Kenshin’s remains along with the remains of the descendant successors were moved to the present sacred location in the mausoleum premises. In front of the tomb-shrine of Uesugi Kenshin, there is a wooden roofed Mon Gate with an offertory box placed in front of it. The tomb-shrine is a small elegant wooden building built in Nagare-zukuri architectural style. A simple stone monument is erected in front of the building. The atmosphere around the tomb-shrine was so peaceful and serene. I prayed in front of the tomb for peace and happiness.

Hubby standing in front of the tomb-shrine of Uesugi Kenshin

Wooden Mon Gate of the tomb-shrine

I am praying standing near the Mon Gate

Wooden tomb-shrine building containing the remains of Uesugi Kenshin is seen (partly) in the background and a stone monument is seen in the foreground

Hubby and the tomb-shrine building of Uesugi Kenshin

The tomb-shrines housing the remains of up to 12 generations of Uesugi Kenshin’s descendants are spread out to both sides of the central tomb-shrine of Kenshin. Five tomb-shrines of odd-numbered descendant successors are located to the right side (orientation with respect to us) of the central tomb-shrine. The first tomb-shrine adjacent to the central tomb enshrines the third generation descendant Uesugi Sadakatsu. Likewise, the second, the third, the fourth, and the fifth tomb-shrines enshrine the fifth generation descendant Uesugi Tsunanori, the seventh generation descendant Uesugi Munenori, the ninth generation descendant Uesugi Shigesada, and the eleventh generation descendant Uesugi Haruhiro, respectively. The 3rd, 5th, and 7th generation descendants were deposited in the tomb after cremation. Their tomb-shrines are made of Japanese zelkova and built in Irimoya-zukuri architectural style. The remains of the 9th and 11th generation descendants were buried. Their tomb-shrines are made from Japanese cedar and cypress and built in simple Hogyo-zukuri architectural style, which shows the clan’s weaker financial condition at that time.

First tomb-shrine located to the right side of the central tomb enshrines the third generation descendant Uesugi Sadakatsu

Second tomb-shrine enshrines the fifth generation descendant Uesugi Tsunanori

Third tomb-shrine enshrines the seventh generation descendant Uesugi Munenori

Fourth tomb-shrine enshrines the ninth generation descendant Uesugi Shigesada

Fifth tomb-shrine enshrines the eleventh generation descendant Uesugi Haruhiro

Six tomb-shrines of even-numbered descendant successors are located to the left side (orientation with respect to us) of the central tomb-shrine. The first tomb-shrine adjacent to the central tomb enshrines the second generation descendant Uesugi Kagekatsu. Likewise, the second, the third, the fourth, the fifth, and the sixth tomb-shrines enshrine the fourth generation descendant Uesugi Tsunakatsu, the sixth generation descendant Uesugi Yoshinori, the eighth generation descendant Uesugi Munefusa, the tenth generation descendant Uesugi Harunori (Yozan), and the twelfth generation descendant Uesugi Narisada, respectively. The 2nd, 4th, 6th, and 8th generation descendants were deposited in the tomb after cremation, and their tomb-shrines are built in Irimoya-zukuri architectural style. The remains of the 10th and 12th generation descendants were buried, and their tomb-shrines are built in simple Hogyo-zukuri architectural style, which shows the personality and the weaker financial condition of the clan at that time. Also, in between the tomb-shrines of the second and the fourth generation descendant successors, there is a simple stone monument erected in memory of the fourteenth generation descendant Uesugi Mochinori. In addition, in between the tomb-shrines of the tenth and the twelfth generation descendant successors, there is a tomb-shrine of Uesugi Akitaka. He was the biological oldest son of the tenth generation descendant Uesugi Harunori (Yozan), and the adopted son of the eleventh generation descendant Uesugi Haruhiro. Uesugi Akitaka was not the successor lord of the clan as he passed away when he was just 19 years old. The tomb-shrine of Uesugi Akitaka is also built in Hogyo-zukuri architectural style.

First tomb-shrine located to the left side of the central tomb enshrines the second generation descendant Uesugi Kagekatsu

A stone monument (behind the wooden gate) erected in memory of the fourteenth generation descendant Uesugi Mochinori

Second tomb-shrine enshrines the fourth generation descendant Uesugi Tsunakatsu

Third tomb-shrine enshrines the sixth generation descendant Uesugi Yoshinori

Fourth tomb-shrine enshrines the eighth generation descendant Uesugi Munefusa

Fifth tomb-shrine enshrines the tenth generation descendant Uesugi Harunori (Yozan)

A tomb-shrine located in the recess enshrines Uesugi Akitaka

Sixth tomb-shrine enshrines the twelfth generation descendant Uesugi Narisada

We enjoyed the views and the hushed atmosphere of the sacred enclosure for some more time. We saw a stone Stupa located at the west end of the mausoleum premises. Just next to the tomb-shrine of the twelfth generation descendant successor, we saw a massive cryptomeria tree with huge trunk.

Sacred area of the mausoleum premises as viewed from the southwest corner

A stone Stupa

Hubby standing next to a cryptomeria tree located next to the tomb-shrine of Uesugi Narisada

The trunk of the tree is huge

At this point, we finished the tour of Uesugi Clan Mausoleum. At about 4 pm, we started back on our drive home to Yurihonjo City. We had dinner of beef curry with rice and Oyakodon with Miso soup at a restaurant in a highway rest stop. It took us about four hours of car ride to reach our home.

Beef curry with rice

Oyakodon and Miso soup

Hubby having dinner

We loved visiting Uesugi Clan Mausoleum and learning the historical facts about Uesugi Clan.