Exploring the World of the National Treasure “Uesugi Family Documents” VIII
“Letters from the Uesugi Clan: Kenshin, Kagekatsu, and Their Retainers”
📅 From Saturday, February 14
The “Uesugi Family Documents,” handed down through generations of the Uesugi clan of the Yonezawa Domain and now housed in the Yonezawa Uesugi Museum, were treasured above all else as proof of the family’s history and lineage.
In 1989, the collection was donated to Yonezawa City, and in 2001 it was designated a National Treasure.
Comprising more than 2,000 historical documents spanning from the Kamakura period through the Meiji and Taishō eras, the collection is highly valued not only for its rich and comprehensive content, but also because many documents have been preserved in the exact form in which they were originally exchanged.
This exceptional state of preservation allows us to understand how these documents were handled at the time, and also provides important insight into the significance of the paper itself on which they were written.
In this exhibition, focusing on the Sengoku period through the early Edo period, we examine letters written by Uesugi Kenshin, Uesugi Kagekatsu, and their retainers. Drawing primarily from the National Treasure Uesugi Family Documents held by the museum, the exhibition explores distinctive features such as writing styles, as well as the form and quality of the paper used.
What kinds of characteristics will emerge from these letters?
Exhibition Period
📅 Saturday, February 14 – Sunday, March 15, 2026
Opening Hours
🕘 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
(Last admission at 4:30 p.m.)
Closed Days
❌ February 16 (Mon), February 24 (Tue)
❌ March 2 (Mon), March 9 (Mon)
Admission Fees
- Adults: ¥500 (¥400)
- High school & university students: ¥300 (¥240)
- Elementary & junior high school students: ¥200 (¥160)
* Prices in parentheses apply to groups of 20 or more
* Admission includes access to the permanent exhibition galleries
Gallery Talks
(Exhibition commentary by the curator in charge)
🗓 Dates:
- Saturday, February 14
- Saturday, March 14
🕑 Time: From 2:00 p.m.
📍 Location: Special Exhibition Gallery
* No advance reservation required
* Admission fee required
Inquiries
Yonezawa Uesugi Museum
📞 TEL: +81-238-26-8001
