Yonezawa City Uesugi Museum
Special Exhibition: Prayers and Faith of Uesugi Kenshin
September 13 (Sat) – November 16 (Sun), 2025
Exhibition Overview
The turbulent Sengoku period was not only an age of constant warfare, but also a time when countless war deities emerged, worshipped to ensure victory in battle.
The belief in these deities can be seen reflected in the designs of the armor, weapons, and swords carried by samurai. Uesugi Kenshin, one of the most renowned warlords of the era, was a devout believer in deities such as Izuna Gongen and Bishamonten (Vaiśravaṇa). Many of the artifacts connected to Kenshin reveal this deep faith through their craftsmanship and symbolic motifs.
The Uesugi clan also stood out as one of the few daimyo families in Japan to maintain a strong devotion to Shingon Buddhism. This spiritual connection began with Kenshin’s close ties to Mount Kōya, the sacred center of Shingon practice, and continued to be revered and passed down through the Edo period. A prime example of this devotion is the Buddhist hall built within the inner citadel of Yonezawa Castle, a rare architectural feature among Japanese castles that testifies to the Uesugi family’s unique faith.
This exhibition focuses on the gods, deities, and religious traditions that Kenshin revered, and explores how these beliefs were inherited by the Uesugi clan of Yonezawa. Through a diverse selection of cultural treasures closely tied to Kenshin, visitors will gain new insights into the spiritual life of one of Japan’s most iconic warlords.
Exhibition Information
Dates
- First Term: September 13 (Sat) – October 13 (Mon, Holiday)
- Second Term: October 18 (Sat) – November 16 (Sun)
- Hours: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (last entry 4:30 PM)
Closed Days
- September 24 (Wed)
- October 22 (Wed)
Free Admission Day
- November 3 (Mon, Holiday) – Tohoku Culture Day (admission free for all visitors)
Admission Fees
- Adults: ¥800 (¥640 for groups of 20 or more)
- University / High school students: ¥500 (¥400 for groups)
- Junior high / Elementary school students: ¥300 (¥240 for groups)
Admission includes access to the permanent exhibition.
Special Programs
Gallery Talks (Curator’s Guided Explanations)
- First Term: September 13 (Sat), October 4 (Sat)
- Second Term: October 18 (Sat), November 8 (Sat)
- Time: 2:00 PM
- Venue: Special Exhibition Gallery
- Included with special exhibition admission. No reservation required.
Special Lecture
“Kenshin and the War Gods, the War Gods and Kenshin”
- Date: October 25 (Sat), 2:00 PM
- Venue: Denkoku-no-Mori, 2F Large Conference Room
- Capacity: 80 people
- Lecturer: Prof. Satoshi Kuroda (Faculty of Social Sciences, Waseda University)
- Free admission. Reservation required. Applications open from September 10 (Wed), 9:00 AM.
Contact Information
Yonezawa City Uesugi Museum
Tel: +81-238-26-8001
1-2-1 Marunouchi, Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture
Postal Code: 992-0052 Japan
