Stories of the Japanese 01364 [Muromachi/Yoshinori Period] The Behind-the-Scenes Maneuvers of Joshin-in Kosen
This is the first appearance of Joshin-in Kosen. There are claims that "this man is the true mastermind behind the Onin War," and while I think that is an exaggeration, there is no doubt that he was an influential figure capable of moving Yamato Province.
As mentioned above, fierce disputes are unfolding over shugo appointments in Suo (the Ouchi family) and Suruga (the Imagawa family), and in Yamato Province, the Yamato Eikyo Disturbance (the conflict between the Southern Court-aligned Ochi, Toyota, and Hashio clans and the Shogunate-aligned Tsutsui clan: see episode 01354) has still not ended.
September 24, Eikyo 4 (1432). The Ochi clan joined forces with the Hashio clan and attacked Tsutsui Castle (Yamatokoriyama City, Nara Prefecture). They likely targeted this timing because Yoshinori was away from Kyoto for his excursion to Mt. Fuji.
Yoshinori, who returned to the capital on September 29, sought the opinion of Hatakeyama Mitsuie through Mansai regarding the suppression of the Ochi and Hashio clans. This was because, while Hashio, a central figure in the rebel army, was a local warrior serving Kofuku-ji Temple, he also served the Hatakeyama clan. When Yoshinori tried to send a punitive force against Hashio the previous year, Hatakeyama Mitsuie stopped him, so Yoshinori seemed to suspect that:
"The Hashio rebellion might actually be plotted in collusion with the Hatakeyama."
On October 4, Hatakeyama Mitsuie defended himself, stating:
"Regarding the conflict between Hashio and Tsutsui, the Tsutsui side attacked first last year, so Hashio is not at fault."
However, despite Mitsuie's plea, Yoshinori decided to suppress Hashio. This was because at this time, Joshin-in Kosen (1390–1470), the leader of the Kofuku-ji Ropposhu (six-group monks), strongly appealed to Yoshinori about Hashio's tyranny, and Yoshinori trusted him.
Joshin-in Kosen was in a position like a boss of the warrior monks, but he was the second son of Tsutsui Junkaku and was clearly acting to benefit the Tsutsui side. Kyogaku, the betto (administrator) of Kofuku-ji, did not want to bring the Shogunate army into Yamato Province, but Joshin-in Kosen, who was under Kyogaku, started political movements toward the Shogunate on his own, leading to the Shogunate's direct suppression of the Ochi and Hashio clans.
On November 27, the Shogunate army led by Hatakeyama Mochikuni (1398–1455) and Akamatsu Mitsusuke began their march toward the bases of the Ochi and Hashio clans. On November 30, the Ochi and Hashio clans fled without engaging in a single battle, but Yoshinori ordered them to "find their hiding places and annihilate them at all costs."
No matter how much they searched, the Ochi and Hashio clans could not be found, and on December 19, the Shogunate army withdrew their camps in vain and began their return to the capital. On their way back, they were attacked by a peasant uprising (tsuchi-ikki) acting on the intentions of the Ochi and Hashio clans. The Shogunate army tried to counterattack, but the enemy was fast, and they suffered damage without achieving any military results.
In the end, despite the Shogunate's intervention, the Yamato Eikyo Disturbance showed no signs of ending.
In the battles within Yamato Province, there are many cases where the given names of the characters are unknown. The specific personal names of the Ochi and Hashio are also unknown.