Matsugasaki Park (Yonezawa Castle Ruins)
松が岬公園/米沢城址
Yonezawa Castle site, the Uesugi clan's seat for about 270 years: moats, Uesugi Shrine, Date Masamune's birthplace stone and about 200 cherry trees.
Where Date Masamune was born and the Uesugi ruled
Matsugasaki Park is laid out on the site of Yonezawa Castle in Yonezawa, Yamagata Prefecture. The castle is said to have been built in 1238, in the Kamakura period, by Nagai Tokihiro, and it later passed through the hands of the Date, Gamo and Uesugi clans.
The warlord Date Masamune was born here in 1567 and spent his youth in Yonezawa until the age of 24, when Toyotomi Hideyoshi ordered him to move to Iwadeyama (in today's Miyagi Prefecture). After the Battle of Sekigahara, Uesugi Kagekatsu, heir to the famous general Uesugi Kenshin, moved into Yonezawa, and it remained the Uesugi family's base until the start of the Meiji era.
A castle site without a keep, and Uesugi Shrine
Yonezawa Castle never had a tenshu (the tall central tower most people picture when they think of a Japanese castle). Rather than relying on stone walls, it was defended by moats and dorui (earthen ramparts). The water-filled moats are still here, and they give you a good sense of what the castle was like.
On the site of the honmaru (the castle's innermost enclosure) stands Uesugi Shrine, dedicated to Uesugi Kenshin. Its treasure hall, Keishoden, displays swords, armour and other heirlooms handed down in the Uesugi family. Keishoden reopened in March 2026 after closing for renovation work.
The park is also home to Matsugasaki Shrine, which honours Uesugi Yozan, the Yonezawa domain lord known for the saying "Naseba naru" (roughly, "If you try, you can do it"). Beside the approach to Uesugi Shrine is a stone marking the birthplace of Lord Date Masamune, and nearby stands a statue of Uesugi Kenshin.
Cherry blossoms and seasonal festivals
Around 200 cherry trees line the moats and are at their best from mid- to late April. The blossoms reflected in the water together with the red bridge are a favourite view. From October to November the same trees turn autumn colours.
In spring the park hosts the Yonezawa Uesugi Festival, and in February the Uesugi Snow Lantern Festival (yuki-doro means snow lanterns); there is also a fireworks display in summer.
Getting there
It takes about 10 minutes by bus or taxi from JR Yonezawa Station. If you take the city's loop bus, get off at Uesugi Jinja-mae. The park is free to wander and has a car park. Check the Uesugi Shrine official website for Keishoden's opening hours and admission fees.
Tips
- Combine the park's Uesugi Shrine and Matsugasaki Shrine with the neighbouring Uesugi Museum and you will come away with a good grasp of the history of Yonezawa and the Uesugi family.
- A study by Yonezawa City suggests that Date Masamune may actually have been born at a different castle (Tateyama Castle), so treat the stone as marking the traditional birthplace rather than a proven one.
Sources
Updated 30 September 2026. Opening hours and prices change, so check the official site before you go.
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