What is Japan Heritage?
The Agency for Cultural Affairs certifies stories that tell the culture and traditions of each region as Japan Heritage, and aims to revitalize the region by comprehensively utilizing the various attractive tangible and intangible cultural assets that are essential to telling those stories and disseminating information about them.

What is a certified story?
The story focuses on the various "forms of prayer" seen at the numerous shrines, temples and rain-making festivals that are distributed along the ley line (a line of light created on the ground as the sun rises on the morning of the summer solstice) that runs from Shinano Kokubunji to Ikushima Tashima Shrine and Bessho Onsen, and tells the story of the lives of the people of Shiodaira, who have a close relationship with the dragon gods that dwell in the mountains nearby, in a climate with little precipitation.

Aoki Village's forefather, Goto Keita, was a businessman who built the foundation of the Tokyu Group, and also an educator who devoted himself to nurturing the next generation. Although he left his hometown at a young age and pursued a wide range of careers, he maintained a connection to his hometown, Shinshu, throughout his life.
The Goto Keita Future Creation Hall is a facility located in Aoki Village, the hometown of Goto Keita, that looks back on his great achievements and connects the aspirations of this ancestor who made his mark from a small mountain village into the business world to people living in the future.

Built by Sanada Masayuki in 1583, this flatland castle is also known as Amagafuchi Castle and is known as a historic castle that twice repelled the Tokugawa army.
It is now maintained as a park.
You can also enjoy the beautiful changing of the seasons with events such as the Ueda Castle Senbonzakura Festival in spring and the Ueda Castle Momiji Festival in autumn.

This street still retains the row of houses along the old Hokkoku Kaido road. This street was lined with willow trees and was lined with inns and merchants, with as many as 25 kimono shops alone. The street still retains its former appearance, with houses with white earthen walls and latticed doors, antique shops, and sake breweries with cedar balls.

This is one of the Kokubunji temples built all over Japan at the request of Emperor Shomu during the Nara period. It is said to have been burned down during the Johei Rebellion, but was rebuilt in its current location during the Muromachi period. The three-story pagoda within the temple grounds is the oldest of the existing Kokubunji temple towers and is designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan. In addition, the main hall (Yakushido) is designated as a prefectural treasure.
Kokubunji Temple is also known as the Yokkado Hall, and the Somin Shorai amulet, which can be obtained at the festival on January 7th and 8th, is famous as a talisman for praying for the health, peace and prosperity of one's family.

Image courtesy of Ueda City Multimedia Information Center

The exhibition features handwritten manuscripts and research notes from "Sanada Taiheiki," a masterpiece by Naoki Prize-winning author Ikenami Shotaro.
There is also a theater where you can enjoy videos such as "The Attack on Ueda" recreated using paper cuttings, and an illustration gallery.

Two deities, Ikushima-no-kami and Arushima-no-kami. Their sacred object is the earth.
A total of 94 ancient documents remain, including Takeda Shingen's "Prayer for Victory in Battle and Letter of Assurance of Shrine Lands," eleven prayers and red seal letters from Sanada Masayuki and others, and 83 "Oaths" in which subordinate generals pledged loyalty, and the shrine has been designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan.

The name comes from the fact that the main hall faces north, facing Zenkoji Temple in Nagano City.
It is said that you will receive even more benefits if you visit both Zenkoji Temple and this shrine.

A must-see for Sanada fans, this museum displays ancient documents and weapons related to the Sanada clan.
Why not follow in the footsteps of the three generations of Sanada who survived the turbulent Warring States period and reflect on their achievements?