Letter from Uesugi Akisada

1507-09 (Eishō 4-6)

Important Art Object, “Anazawa Documents”

Donated by the Homma family

This is a letter of appreciation from the Kantō region deputy Uesugi Akisada (1454-1510), who governed the region from Hachigata Castle in Musashi Province (modern Saitama Prefecture). It allows us to see how pleased he was to have received a gift of the first Pacific cod of the season.

The Important Art Objects known as the “Anazawa Documents” are a collection of samurai documents (totalling one scroll and 24 letters) from the era of the southern and northern imperial courts to the Muromachi period. They were passed on to the powerful local Anzawa clan, which was based around Hirose Village in Uonuma district in Echigo Province (modern Minamiuonuma City, Niigata Prefecture). 

In 1934, these documents were given to the Homma family by local historian Shirasaki Ryōya.