The Cherry Blossom Festival in Ueda 2014 4/4-4/20 April 4th(Fri.) to April 20th(Sun.) Ueda Castle Park Illumination(Sunset-22:00) 4/4(Fri.)-4/20 (Sun.) Local Product Fair 4/4 (Fri.)-4/20 (Sun.) Free Miso Soup Service 4/4 (Fri.)-4/20 (Sun.) Trained Monkey Performance 4/4 (Fri.)-4/20 (Sun.) Special Stage (Japanese Dance/Song) 4/12(Sat.) Miniature Shrine Performance 4/13 (Sun.) 4/11(Fri.), 12(Sat.), 18(Fri), 19(Sat.) 4/26-27 (Sat. to Sun.) *Candle Light Illumination Ueda Sanada Festival (Ueda Castle Park) (Main Venue : Ueda Castle Park) Live Concert / Local Product Fair (Sat.) Samurai Parade / Ancient Firearm Performance . Drum Performance (Sun.) 4/20 (Sun.) 9:00-16:00 Ueda Castle Park Taiko (Drum) Performance by Children 4/12 (Sat.)-20(San.) Santo-Ueda Hall Hanging Hina-doll Exhibition ★You can get a free English speaking guide at the castle. Contact us in advance! EGG (Volunteer English Guide Group) e-mail :
[email protected] The Cherry Blossom Festival in Ueda 2014 History of Ueda Castle The feudal lord Sanada Masayuki built Ueda Castle in 1583. The castle was built on a cliff along the Chikuma River. The castle became known all over Japan after the Sanada clan defeated the formidable Tokugawa army twice. For the first battle, a small force of 2000 Sanada soldiers fought an enormous 8000-strong Tokugawa army and defeated the Tokugawa in 1585. In the second battle, in 1600, the Sanada again defeated the much bigger Tokugawa army. In the Battle of Sekigahara (1600), the biggest inland battle in Japanese history, the Tokugawa fought against the Toyotomi fiercely.