During the period of the Northern and Southern Courts, as real power of the government affairs moved from the Imperial Court to bakufu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun), the denso's duty changed to relaying petitions from temples and shrines to the Muromachi bakufu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun during the Muromachi period) and Seitaishogun (commander-in-chief of the expeditionary force against the barbarians, great, unifying leader) although appointment and dismissal were still done by In and the Emperor.
南北朝時代(日本)に入ると、政務の実権が朝廷から幕府に移るようになると、依然として任免は院や天皇が行っていたものの、その職務は寺社からの奏請を受けて室町幕府及び征夷大将軍への取り次ぎを行う役に転じるようになる。