When Takauji moved into Kamakura and began establishing the bakufu while the Imperial court sent the subjugating army led by the grand leader Yoshisada NITTA to defeat Takauji, Doyo, as the Takauji army, fought against the Yoshisada army in the Yahagi-gawa River but was defeated, and his younger brother Mitsusada SASAKI was also defeated by Yoshisada in the Tegoegawara river to once yield, but in the next battle of Hakone they fought on the side of the Takauji army that ended in victory for them.
尊氏が鎌倉に入り幕府設立の動きを見せ、朝廷が新田義貞を総大将とする尊氏の討伐軍を発すると、道誉は尊氏軍として義貞軍と矢作川で戦うが敗れ、手超河原では弟の佐々木貞満も討たれ一旦は義貞に下るが、次の箱根の戦いでは尊氏方として戦い勝利する。