Ueda, Nagano Prefecture, Chūbu Region, Japan

🇯🇵 Ueda is a city located in Nagano Prefecture, Japan.It is the fifth largest city in Nagano Prefecture.

History Ueda is located in former Shinano Province and during the Nara period was the provincial capital. The ruins of the Shinano Kokubunji (provincial temple) are also located within Ueda. However, the provincial capital was shifted to Matsumoto during the early Heian period. During the Sengoku period, the area was the centre of the powerful Sanada clan. During the Edo period, Ueda was a castle town and headquarters of Ueda Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate. During the post-Meiji restoration cadastral reform of April 1, 1889, the modern town of Ueda was established. Ueda was elevated to city status on May 1, 1919. On March 6, 2006, Ueda absorbed the neighbouring towns of Maruko and Sanada, and the village of Takeshi (all from Chiisagata District).

Geography Ueda is located in central Nagano Prefecture, some 40 km from the prefectural capital of Nagano City and 190 km from Tokyo. The Chikuma River divides the city into two parts.

Surrounding municipalities • Nagano Prefecture: ◦ Matsumoto ◦ Tōmi ◦ Suzaka ◦ Nagano ◦ Chikuma ◦ Nagawa ◦ Aoki ◦ Chikuhoku • Gunma Prefecture: ◦ Tsumagoi.

Economy Ueda is a regional commercial centre with a mixed agricultural and light industrial economy. The main crops include rice, apples, grapes, cabbage and walnuts. The traditional industry of Ueda was sericulture and cotton-weaving. The city now hosts automobile components and electronics manufacturing.

University and colleges • Shinshu University • Nagano University • Ueda Women's Junior College.

Local attractions • Ueda Castle • Sanada-shi Yakata - A fortified residence of the Sanada clan, main bastion of the Sanada clan until Sanada Masayuki moved their base to Ueda Castle in 1585. • Anraku-ji in Bessho Onsen, Ueda has the only extant octagonal pagoda in Japan. The pagoda has been designated as National Treasure. • Utsukushigahara Open-Air Museum – An open-air museum with sculptures on the Utsukushigahara plateau, which opened in June 1981 • Bessho Onsen.

Transport: Rail • East Japan Railway Company - Hokuriku Shinkansen ◦ Ueda • Shinano Railway - Shinano Railway Line ◦ Ōya – Shinano-Kokubunji – Ueda – Nishi-Ueda • Ueda Electric Railway Bessho Line ◦ Ueda – Shiroshita – Miyoshichō – Akasakaue – Uedahara – Terashita – Kabatake – Daigakumae – Shimonogō – Nakashioda – Shiodamachi – Nakano – Maita – Yagisawa – Bessho-Onsen.

Transport: Road • Jōshin-etsu Expressway • National Route 18 • National Route 141 • National Route 143 • National Route 144 • National Route 152 • National Route 254 • National Route 406.