Ueda is located in Chiisagata-gun in eastern Shinano, and this area had been unstable before Ueda-jo Castle was built because it was the border of the Takeda clan, Uesugi clan, and the Gohojo clan.
上田は東信濃の小県郡にあり、この付近は上田城築城以前から武田氏・上杉氏・後北条氏の国境として不安定な地域であった。