Lindsey’s Reviews > A History of Japan, 1334-1615 > Status Update

Section 1: Takauji in Kyoto, 1336.

Section 1 describes Takauji’s initial settling in Kyōto. Go-Daigo fled to the nearby monasteries, and Takauji’s forces burned much of the city, targeting his rivals and court nobles especially. However, loyalist forces had not given up, and Takauji was eventually driven to retreat, ending up escaping to Kyūshū. The Emperor returned to Kyōto soon after.

Section 2: Retreat to the West.

Section 2 covers Takauji’s time in Kyūshū as he and his troops recovered and bolstered their forces. First, he obtained an order (Inzen) from Kōgon-In, the sitting cloistered emperor of the senior line, commissioning Takauji to act in his name and destroy “the rebel Nitta Yoshisada”. He gathered allies from the powerful Ōtomo, Shōni, and Shimazu families (among others) whom he already had good will with. Not all powerful families aligned with Takauji, the most notable of which was the Kikuchi family. They attacked a Shōni stronghold early in April of 1336, defeating their forces and causing their chieftain Sadatsune to kill himself. Later that month, Takauji and Kikuchi’s forces clashed at Hakata Bay, ending in a win for Takauji’s forces. Many of the men Kikuchi recruited joined the Ashikaga cause. In this, Ashikaga Takauji essentially ruled Kyūshū; he gathered important leaders in the region such as Nabeshima and Gotō at Dazaifu, and there was nothing between them and the Western Defence Region of Chinzei.

Section 3: Return from Kyūshū.

Section 3 details the Ashikaga forces’ march back east. The loyalist forces did not have much in the west to impede their march, so they faced little opposition at first. However, they prepared troops in the North and East, as well as sending Nitta Yoshisada west to attack Takauji. Nitta’s forces attacked several key positions that would let the Ashikaga move into the east, but the most important of these, the fort at Shirohata, held out. Receiving news of Nitta’s attacks, Takauji decided to head out a little earlier than intended. They decided to split into two groups: one by sea, led by Takauji, and one by land, led by Tadayoshi. Shortly after, forces led by Hosokawa were spotted moving towards their position. Despite this, both bodies of the Ashikaga forces were able to reach Ōkurandi, where the battle was soon to dawn.