Uesugi Tomomune (上杉朝宗)
Tomomune UESUGI (1334 - October 8, 1414) was a busho (Japanese military commander) from the period of the Northern and Southern Courts (Japan) to the early Muromachi period. Son of Norifuji UESUGI. Father of Zenshu UESUGI, Ujiaki Uesugi and Ujitomo Uesugi (Shijo-Uesugi family). His official court rank was Shuri no suke (assistant officer of the Office of Palace Repairs).
Nakatsukasa no taifu (Senior Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Central Affairs)
Zenjo.
He was from Inukake-Uesugi family (or Shijo-Uesugi family). His childhood name was Kowaka-maru. When his father died in 1338, he was still in his childhood, so he was raised by the vassal, Kakudo ISHIKAWA, together with his older brother, Tomofusa UESUGI. From 1365 to 1376, he was appointed as shugo (constable) of Kazusa Province, and in 1377, he received the family estate from his brother and became the family head of Inukake-Uesugi family. He was assigned to be a Kanto Kanrei (shogunal deputy for the Kanto region) in March, 1395. At the same time, he was assigned to be shugo of Musashi Province. In 1399, when Kamakura kubo (governor-general of the Kanto region), Mitsukane ASHIKAGA, planned to conspire with Yoshihiro OUCHI to raise an army in the Oei War, Tomomune remonstrated against his plan. It is said that due to this, Mitsukane was long delayed with sending his troops, and Yoshihiro was defeated by Yoshimitsu ASHIKAGA. He resigned the Kanryo shoku (a post of Chief Adviser) in September, 1405.
In 1409, with the death of Mitsukane, he becomes a monk named Zenjo and withdrew to Kazusa. He gave the family estate to his son, Zenshu UESUGI. He died on August 25, 1414. His age at death was 81. His hogo (a Buddhist name) is 徳泉寺道元禅助 (Tokusen-ji Temple Dogen Zenjo). His graveyard is located at Genzo-ji Temple in Nagara-yama, Nagara-gun, Kazusa Province (present Nagara-yama, Nagara-cho, Chosei District, Chiba Prefecture).
There are many different stories regarding his birth, and some say that he was born in 1339 after the death of his father.