Who is Uesugi Yozan, the man whose portrait hangs in every elementary and junior high school in Yonezawa City? [Yamagata Prefecture]

Did you know that a portrait of Uesugi Yozan hangs in the gymnasium of an elementary and junior high school in Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture?

affectionately known as Lord Takayama"

I also heard rumors that the President of the United States respected him, so I was curious to know who he was, and decided to investigate! I'll also touch on Uesugi Yozan's background and explain why he is so beloved by the citizens of the city!

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Uesugi Yozan and the Yonezawa Uesugi Clan

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

When he was the feudal lord , he called himself Harunori, and Yozan was the name he adopted after retirement, but this is the name he is more well known by.

He was born as the second son of Akizuki Tanemitsu, the lord of Takanabe Domain in Hyuga (present-day Miyazaki Prefecture), and in 1760 was adopted by Uesugi Shigesada, the eighth lord of the Yonezawa Domain, and welcomed into the Yonezawa Domain

The financial situation of the domain was in dire straits as it tried to protect the pride of its distinguished family

a prestigious family descended from Uesugi Kenshin known as the god of war during the Sengoku period, Uesugi Kagekatsu , who served as one of the five elders under the Toyotomi government 1.2 million koku in Aizu . However, after being defeated by the Western Army (Ishida Mitsunari's side) in the Battle of Sekigahara, after the war Tokugawa Ieyasu ordered that the fief be reduced to 300,000 koku

Even after moving to Yonezawa, the Uesugi clan, unable to lose their pride as a prestigious family, did not dismiss their vassals, said to number about 6,000 from their Aizu days, even though their kokudaka fell to less than a quarter of its current size, and the lord and his vassals were unable to change their extravagant lifestyles. As a result, by the mid-18th century, their debts had ballooned to 200,000 ryo (equivalent to about 15 to 20 billion yen in modern currency) , to the point where merchant loans to daimyo (merchant loans) were terminated.

The financial difficulties of such a prestigious family could not be hidden, and the situation was known even to the townspeople of Edo

"How do you remove the metallic smell from new metal fittings? If you stick a piece of paper with 'Uesugi' written on it on the metal fittings, the paper will absorb the metallic smell."

It was even ridiculed as such

Uesugi Yozan, the man who restored the domain's finances from the brink of bankruptcy

Uesugi Yozan who became the ninth lord of the domain , carried out various reforms in the domain's administration and created a foothold for restoring the finances of the Yonezawa domain, which was on the verge of bankruptcy.

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

• Reduction of Edo-shikiryo (living expenses in Edo)
• Promoting emergency food supplies
• Instructions to the feudal lord himself, as well as his retainers and farmers, to be frugal
• Developing new fields to increase income
• Restoration of the domain school, Kojokan
• The restoration of the "Ukogi hedges" (Ukogi can be used for food and medicine) was initiated by Kanetsugu Naoe

Furthermore, aiming for complete self-sufficiency , he attempted to produce as much as possible within the domain.

The contents of the guidebook covered even the smallest details of the lives of ordinary people, from the production of pottery (Narushima ware) to the production of salt from hot spring water, the names and cooking methods of wild plants, how to make miso and soy sauce, and how to preserve fish, birds, and animal meat

The Yonezawa domain finally paid off all its debts during the reign of Uesugi Narisada, the 11th lord of the domain, who succeeded Yozan and his teachings are revered.

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Who respected Uesugi Yozan?

"If you try, it will be done. If you don't try, it won't be done. Nothing gets done because people don't do it," are the words of Uesugi Yozan, known only to those in the know.

People interpret this in different ways, but it is generally interpreted as, "If you try, you can do it. If you don't try, you won't succeed. The reason you can't do something is because you don't try."

Lord Takayama is respected by many for inspiring his subjects with these words and for his efforts in rebuilding the impoverished and struggling Yonezawa domain

Former US President John F. Kennedy . His eldest daughter, Caroline Kennedy, also visited Yonezawa City, a place associated with Uesugi Yozan, whom her father respected, when she visited Japan.

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Why are portraits in elementary and junior high schools?

of Uesugi Yozan hang in elementary and junior high schools in Yonezawa City

The reason why his portrait is displayed Lord Yozan's teachings are suitable for the educational field .

What are Lord Takayama's teachings?

" If you try, it will be done. If you don't try, it won't be done. Nothing gets done because people don't try ." These words sum up the reforms that Yozan carried out, and many of them serve as guidelines for education.

• The feudal lord himself cut living expenses (leading by example)
• Establishing a "postbox" where farmers can voice their opinions (listening to a wide range of opinions)
• Recommending the cultivation of familiar ingredients and the development of local specialties (creativity)
• Revival of the domain school "Kojokan" (the importance of academics)

And the basic policy of the reform is : self-help, mutual help, and public help .

"Work hard with your own strength, help each other with your friends, and help those in need in the local community."

The reason for hanging the portraits in schools, which are educational institutions, is probably to spread these ideas to children

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summary

In Yonezawa, an environment has been created where children can feel close to Uesugi Yozan, a great man who achieved the revival of his hometown, from an early age

In order to motivate people, those in positions of authority should take the lead and set an example. This spirit may be something we should emulate in any era, no matter how much the world changes

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