The Story of the Japanese 01004 [Early Northern and Southern Courts Period] Expansion of the Rebellion
Even when Emperor Go-Daigo fled to Yoshino, Takauji underestimated the situation, and he has severely underestimated Tadayoshi's flight this time as well. It feels as though the Takauji administration is a collection of people with very poor political sense. Tadayoshi seems to have been the only one with a strong grasp of politics...
Upon receiving news of Tadayoshi's flight, the high-ranking officials of the shogunate gathered at Moronao's mansion and advised, "We do not know what disasters may arise now that Lord Tadayoshi has fled. We should postpone the Kyushu expedition and investigate Lord Tadayoshi's whereabouts." However, Moronao replied, "Why make such a fuss? Even if he has fled to Yoshino, the depths of Totsukawa, Kikai Island, or Goryeo, who would become an ally of Lord Tadayoshi? Anyone who becomes an ally will surely be beheaded immediately. Moreover, the Shogun's departure has already been announced to the provinces. It would be troublesome to break our word. Let us depart immediately," stating that there was no need for a postponement. He is certainly underestimating the situation quite a bit.
Thus, on October 28, 1350 (the 5th year of Shohei, 1st year of Kanno, 6th year of Jowa), Takauji and Moronao departed from Kyoto. This departure felt ominous from the very beginning.
This is because, immediately after setting out, the soldier serving as Moronao's flag-bearer fell from his horse in front of the south gate of To-ji Temple and was injured. Surprisingly, this is not a description from the Taiheiki but from the diary of Kinkata Toin, so it must be a historical fact.
The ominous premonition was immediately proven correct. On November 3, Tadayoshi raised an army to overthrow the brothers Ko no Moronao and Moroyasu, and on November 21, he entered Ishikawajo Castle in Kawachi Province (Kanan Town, Osaka Prefecture), where Hatakeyama Kunikiyo was stationed. Ishikawajo Castle was the front line for suppressing the Kusunoki forces, and Hatakeyama Kunikiyo was a warrior who had been fighting precisely on that front line. The fact that he joined Tadayoshi's faction must have been an event far beyond the expectations of Takauji and Moronao.
Bad things continued to happen. On November 12, Uesugi Yoshinori raised an army as part of Tadayoshi's faction at the Shida Manor in Hitachi Province (Tsuchiura City, Ibaraki Prefecture). Since Yoshinori held a deep grudge because his father-in-law, Shigenori, had been killed on Moronao's orders, it was only natural for him to join Tadayoshi's faction. Since Hitachi Province was a front line where the wars of the Northern and Southern Courts were particularly intense, having a rebellion break out there must have been a significant blow to the shogunate.
The Kamakura-based Kamakura-fu army was tasked with responding to this rebellion in Hitachi Province, and on November 25, Ko no Morofuyu and Ashikaga Motouji set out to suppress it. For the ten-year-old Motouji, this was his first battle.
Meanwhile, Takauji had arrived in Fukuoka, Bizen Province (Setouchi City, Okayama Prefecture) on November 19. He had planned to head to Kyushu by sea from there, but the sea was rough and he could not launch his ships.
At this point, Hosokawa Akiuji, who had been part of Takauji's army, suddenly deserted and fled to his home province of Sanuki. It is believed he did so to support Tadayoshi.
Takauji hurriedly ordered Hosokawa Yoriharu, a cousin of Akiuji, to pursue him, but the shogunate was already in a state of collapse.