Who is Uesugi Takayama, the portrait figure that is always displayed at elementary and junior high schools in Yonezawa City? [Yamagata Prefecture]

Did you know that the elementary and junior high school gymnasium in Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture is decorated with a portrait of Uesugi Takayama?

It seems that Yonezawa citizens are familiar with him and are known as " Kimi Takayama"

And did the President of the United States respect him? I also heard this rumor, so I was really curious about who it was, so I looked into it! He also mentioned Uesugi Takayama's history, and why is he familiar with the citizens? I would like to introduce you to this!

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Who is Takayama Uesugi?

Uesugi Yozan the 9th lord of the Yonezawa domain in Dewa (now Yamagata Prefecture) .

During his time as a feudal lord, he called himself Harunori, and Takayama was the name he called himself after his retirement, but this is more well known to the public.

Originally born as the second son of Akizuki Tanemichi, the lord of Takanabe Domain in Hinata (now Miyazaki Prefecture), he was adopted by Uesugi Shigesada, the 8th lord of Yonezawa Domain, and in 1760 he was welcomed by the Yonezawa Domain.

a prestigious family following the traditions of Uesugi Kenshin , who was called the war god during the Warring States period, Uesugi Kagekatsu , who served as one of the five great elders under the Toyotomi government they ruled a great territory of Aizu at 1.2 million koku However, after being defeated by the Western Army (Ishida Mitsunari side) at the Battle of Sekigahara, after the war, order was to be reduced to Yonezawa 300,000 koku

Even after moving to Yonezawa, the Uesugi family was unable to lose their prestigious pride, and despite the fact that the Ishigai reached less than 1/4, they did not dismiss the vassals, which were said to be about 6,000 from the Aizu period, and neither the feudal lord nor the vassals were able to change their luxurious lives. As a result, by the mid-18th century, borrowed goods had swelled to 200,000 ryo (approximately 15 to 20 billion yen in modern currencies) , and daimyo loans from merchants (loans made by merchants to daimyo) were even ceased.

There is no way it would be possible to hide the financial difficulties of such prestigious schools, and this is known to the townspeople in Edo.

"How can I remove the iron smell of a new hardware? If you stick a piece of paper with the words "Uesugi" written on it on the hardware, the paper will automatically suck out the metal."

It was even ridiculed as such.

Meanwhile, Uesugi Takayama , who became the ninth lord of the feudal domain, undertook various reforms in feudal government and created a foothold for the financial reconstruction of the Yonezawa domain, which was on the verge of bankruptcy.

Takayama has advocated the fundamental policy of reform "three assistance: self-help, mutual assistance, and assistance," and implemented the following measures:

• Reduction in Edo partition fees (living expenses in Edo)
• Promoting emergency food
• Instructing frugality to samurai and farmers, including the feudal lord himself
• New rice development to increase revenue
• Revival of the domain school, Kojokan
• The revival of the "Hedgee Hedge of the Ukogi" (Naoe Kanetsugu's policy) (Ukogi can be used for edible and medicinal purposes)

Furthermore, we aimed to create a thorough self-sufficiency system , and tried to produce as much as possible what could be produced within the domain.

The contents focused on the details of the daily lives of ordinary people, starting with the production of pottery (Narushima-yaki), including salt production from hot spring water, the names and cooking methods of wild plants, the method of making miso and soy sauce, and the storage of fish and birds and animals.

then achieved the completion of its debts during the era of Uesugi Saisada, the 11th lord of Takayama . For this reason, Uesugi Takayama is still respected by the citizens and respected his teachings as a great man who protected the domain.

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Who respected Yozan Uesugi?

``If you do it, it will happen, if you don't do it, it will happen. Anything that doesn't happen is because of the people who don't do it.'' are the words of Yozan Uesugi, which are well known to those in the know.

Everyone has different ways of perceiving it, but it is interpreted as "If you do it, you can do it. If you don't do anything, you won't be able to succeed. The reason you can't do it is because you don't try to do it."

Takayama, who encouraged the people of the territory with these words and worked hard to rebuild the Yonezawa domain, which had been in a poor and difficult situation, is respected by many people.

I was impressed by his attitude and way of thinking from the previous US President John F. Kennedy . his eldest daughter, Caroline Kennedy , also visited Yonezawa City, a place associated with Uesugi Takayama, which his father respected.

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Why are portraits in elementary and junior high schools?

of Uesugi Takayama are displayed at elementary and junior high schools in Yonezawa City

Why are portraits on display? That is because Takayama's teachings are suitable for the field of education .

What are the teachings of Lord Takayama?

" If you do it, you will have to do it, and nothing will happen, and it is a human being that does not exist ." However, many of the reforms that Takayama undertakes include guidelines for education.

• The feudal lord himself cuts his living expenses (the spirit of taking the initiative)
• An overbook box is established for farmers to express their opinions (hear the wide range of opinions)
• Recommendations for cultivating familiar ingredients and developing specialty products (creativity)
• Revival of the domain school "Kojokan" (importance of academic studies)

the philosophy of Sansuke, which is the basic policy of reform, is the self-help, mutual assistance, and public assistance

"We strive on our own, help each other with each other, and help those who are struggling in our community."

This is probably because in order to spread these ideas to children, portraits are being held in schools, which are educational settings.

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summary

Yonezawa has created an environment that gives people a sense of familiarity with Uesugi Takayama, a great man who has been able to revive his hometown since he was in elementary school.

In any era, the spirit that in order to move people, those who are the ones who should take the initiative to act as examples should be emulated, no matter how much the world changes.

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