Stories of the Japanese 01589 [Muromachi/Saigoku/Onin War] The Decline of Shiba Yoshitoshi

The year 1475 (Bunmei 7) was a year in which the fate of the Shiba family shifted dramatically. The Shiba family were the heads of the three Kanrei (shogunal deputies) and held the positions of Shugo (military governors) for provinces such as Echizen, Owari, and Totomi. However, as they split into the Eastern Army led by Yoshitoshi and the Western Army led by Yoshikado, the presence of Asakura Takakage, a powerful vassal of the Western Army's Yoshikado, grew inevitably. Thanks to Hosokawa Katsumoto saying things like, "If you defect to the Eastern Army, I will grant you the position of Shugo of Echizen," the Shiba father-son duo of Yoshitoshi and Yoshihiro were losing their place within the Eastern Army.
Subsequently, within Echizen Province, Asakura Takakage, who had defected to the Eastern Army, and Kai Toshimitsu of the Western Army were in conflict. However, in February 1475, Kai Toshimitsu, persuaded by Shiba Yoshihiro, finally surrendered to the Eastern Army and had an audience with Shogun Yoshimasa. The Kai clan were originally the Shugo-dai (deputy military governors) native to Echizen Province, but Yoshimasa granted Kai Toshimitsu the position of Shugo-dai of Totomi. This was likely out of consideration for the Asakura clan, who held Echizen.
The only ones left in Echizen Province who opposed Asakura Takakage, who had gained the support of the Shogunate, were the Ninomiya clan of Inuyama Castle (Ono City, Fukui Prefecture). On February 14, Takakage sent his vassal, Kanemaki Hirotsugu, to Inuyama Castle, where they launched a night attack and successfully captured it. The Ninomiya clan fled to Dobashi Castle (Ono City, Fukui Prefecture).
Takakage was next planning a strategy to take Dobashi Castle, but a surprising event occurred. On the night of April 10, his lord, Shiba Yoshitoshi, suddenly rushed into Dobashi Castle to support the Ninomiya clan. Takakage was deeply bewildered by this "betrayal" of a vassal by his own lord.
From Shiba Yoshitoshi's perspective, he must have been greatly dissatisfied with the situation where Takakage, a mere vassal, was being heavily favored by the Shogunate and was on the verge of usurping the position of Shugo of Echizen. Nevertheless, siding with the Ninomiya clan, who were rebelling against the Shogunate, was an extreme upset.
Yoshitoshi's father, Shiba Mochitane (1413–1475), died of illness on July 16 while worrying about his son's decline. Taking advantage of the fact that Yoshitoshi was in mourning, Takakage lured the forces of Dobashi Castle outside on July 23 and defeated them one after another.
Facing a situation where defeat was imminent, Yoshitoshi received an official letter from Yoshimasa on October 19 that was akin to a recommendation to surrender, telling him to "leave the castle." Yoshitoshi had no choice but to leave the castle on December 3, and against his will, he was sent to Kyoto by Takakage. Yoshitoshi had succumbed to the military and political power of his vassal, Asakura Takakage.
Having lost their lord Yoshitoshi, the Ninomiya clan fled the province, and thus Takakage's control over Echizen was completed.
Although the theory that "Takakage was appointed Shugo of Echizen" has been denied in recent years, there is no doubt that he exercised the same authority as a Shugo in practice. Furthermore, Takakage issued laws within his territory known as the "Asakura Takakage Jojo" (though some theories suggest these may be from a later era), which are known as a precursor to the "Bunkoku-ho" (provincial laws) created by Sengoku daimyo.
In any case, Takakage, who rose from a mere local warrior to the de facto leader of the province, can be said to have been a pioneer of gekokujo (the lower overcoming the higher).