For Takeda, the Kawanakajima area was a strategic place that was connected to Echizen Province via the northern Shinano area in the north of Zenko-ji Temple, and for Uesugi, it was also a strategic place that, when going to east from there would enable reaching Kozuke and Kai via Oagata and Saku, and when going to south from there, would enable reaching the middle-Shinano area (present Matsumotodaira).
武田にとっては善光寺平以北の北信濃から越後国へとつながる要地であり、上杉にとっては千曲川沿いに東に進めば小県・佐久を通って上野・甲斐に至り、そのまま南下すれば中信地方（現在の松本平）に至る要地であった。