Explore the Sanada Collection
A Wide Range of Exhibits Spanning Centuries
The museum is divided into an old building and a new building, each offering a different perspective on the history and lifestyle of the Sanada family.
New Building
Exhibition Room 1: This gallery introduces the history of the Sanada family, tracing its development from the Sengoku period through the Meiji era.
Armor and Weapons: Visitors can see armor, swords, and other military equipment associated with the Sanada family and its samurai tradition.
Old Building
Exhibition Room 2: Displays formal daimyo furnishings, known as omote-dogu, which were used for official occasions and public settings.
Exhibition Room 3: Features oku-dogu, furnishings and personal belongings used in the private quarters of the daimyo household.
Exhibition Room 4: Hosts special exhibitions and seasonal displays focusing on different themes related to the history and culture of Matsushiro.
A Collection of Approximately 50,000 Objects
From Samurai Armor to Historical Documents
The Sanada Treasures Museum holds approximately 50,000 cultural objects. The collection encompasses an extraordinary variety of materials, including samurai armor, swords, household furnishings, paintings, calligraphy, historical documents, and other objects associated with the Sanada family.
Among these, the museum’s collection of historical documents is particularly significant in both its size and quality. These records provide valuable evidence for understanding the political, social, and everyday history of the Sanada family and the Matsushiro Domain.
For researchers as well as general visitors, the collection offers an unusually detailed window into the lives of a daimyo family and the society surrounding them.
The Museum’s Origins
A Gift from the Sanada Family
The museum’s history began in 1966, when Sanada Koji, the 12th head of the Sanada family, donated a large collection of family treasures to the former town of Matsushiro. The donation included daimyo furnishings, historical documents, and many other objects that had been passed down through the family.
When Matsushiro later became part of Nagano City, the collection was transferred to the city and preserved as an important cultural resource.
In 1969, a former school building of Nagano Prefectural Matsushiro High School was renovated and opened as the Sanada Treasures Museum. Since then, the museum has continued to preserve and exhibit objects connected with the Sanada family for visitors, historians, and people interested in Japan’s samurai heritage.
History of the Museum
1966: Sanada Koji donates a large collection of cultural treasures to Matsushiro.
1968: Matsushiro High School moves to a new location.
1969: The former school building is renovated and opened as the Sanada Treasures Museum.
1977: A new building is added, expanding the museum’s exhibition space.
The Sanada Family
From Sengoku Warriors to Lords of Matsushiro
The Sanada were a samurai family that began establishing influence in the region of Shinano, corresponding roughly to northeastern Nagano Prefecture today, from around the 14th century.
During the Sengoku period, when Japan was divided among competing warlords, the family served the powerful Takeda clan and expanded its influence. After the fall of the Takeda, the Sanada survived as an independent political force before eventually entering the service of the Tokugawa shogunate.
Sanada Nobuyuki, the elder brother of the famous warrior Sanada Yukimura, became lord of the Matsushiro Domain. From that point, the Sanada family ruled the Matsushiro area for approximately 250 years.
The Sanada at the Battle of Sekigahara
One of the most famous episodes in Sanada history occurred during the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600. Members of the same family found themselves on opposing sides of the conflict. Sanada Nobuyuki supported the Eastern Army associated with Tokugawa Ieyasu, while his father Sanada Masayuki and younger brother Sanada Nobushige, better known as Sanada Yukimura, supported the opposing Western Army.
This extraordinary division within the family became one of the best-known stories associated with the Sanada and remains an important part of their enduring popularity in Japan.
The Origins of the Sanada Family
A Lineage Surrounded by Mystery
The precise origins of the Sanada family remain uncertain, and several different theories have been proposed.
One tradition traces the family to the Shigeno clan, which is said to have descended from the Seiwa Genji lineage. The Sanada family genealogy records connections with the powerful Unno clan of Chiisagata District in Shinano and identifies Yukitsuna, the son of Sanada Yorimasa, as an early figure to adopt the Sanada surname.
However, genealogies created or revised during the Edo period sometimes connected daimyo families to prestigious ancient lineages in order to emphasize their status. For this reason, the historical reliability of some elements of the Sanada genealogy remains open to debate.
Other theories have linked the family to descendants of the royal family of Baekje on the Korean Peninsula or to the ancient Otomo clan, but no definitive evidence has established any of these theories as fact.
The Earliest Historically Documented Sanada
References from the Early 15th Century
One of the earliest references thought to relate to the Sanada family appears in historical records from the Oei era in the early 15th century. The name “Sanada,” written with different characters as 実田, appears in accounts concerning regional conflicts such as the Battle of Oto Castle and the Yuki War.
These references suggest that the family or its predecessors were already established as a local warrior family in the Shinano region during the Muromachi period.
The Sanada in the Sengoku Period
Service under Takeda Shingen
During the Sengoku period, Sanada Yukitsuna, later known as Sanada Yukitaka or Yukitaka, was forced from his ancestral lands during the political struggles of the time. He eventually entered the service of Takeda Shingen, one of the most powerful warlords of 16th-century Japan.
Under Takeda rule, the Sanada developed their military and political influence. Yukitaka’s son Sanada Masayuki, followed by his sons Nobuyuki and Nobushige, continued the family’s rise and established the Sanada name as one of the most memorable samurai lineages in Japanese history.
Why Visit the Sanada Treasures Museum?
A Window into Samurai Life
The Sanada Treasures Museum offers an opportunity to move beyond famous names and battle stories and discover the everyday world of a daimyo family.
Visitors can see furnishings that reveal the lifestyle of a high-ranking samurai household, armor and weapons connected with warfare, and letters and documents that preserve the thoughts, decisions, and activities of people who lived during periods of profound political change.
The objects on display help transform historical figures such as Sanada Yukimura and Sanada Nobuyuki from legendary names into people who lived within a complex world of family relationships, political alliances, military obligations, and daily life.
Explore Matsushiro’s Samurai Heritage
A Historic District to Explore on Foot
The Sanada Treasures Museum is particularly rewarding when combined with the surrounding historic sites of Matsushiro. The Former Sanada Residence, Bunbu School, and Matsushiro Castle ruins are all closely connected with the history of the Sanada family and the Matsushiro Domain.
Together, these sites allow visitors to explore different aspects of samurai society: the private residence of a daimyo family, the education of samurai children, the political and military center of the domain, and the material culture preserved in the museum.
A full day spent exploring Matsushiro can therefore provide a remarkably detailed picture of life in a Japanese castle town during the Edo period.
A Museum for History Lovers and Curious Travelers
The Sanada Treasures Museum is more than a collection of famous samurai artifacts. Its approximately 50,000 objects preserve the history of a family that survived the turbulent Sengoku period, became lords of Matsushiro, and governed the region for around 250 years.
With its extensive collection of weapons, furnishings, artwork, and historical documents, the museum offers both a fascinating introduction to the Sanada family and valuable material for deeper historical study. Special exhibitions also change over time, giving returning visitors new perspectives on the collection.
For travelers interested in samurai culture, Japanese castles, the Sengoku period, or the history of Matsushiro, the museum is an essential stop for understanding the people and stories behind this historic town.