One theory states that with the death of Noritsuna the SHIONOYA family of the FUJIWARA family ended and Takatsuna SHIONOYA, the fourth son of Masatsuna UTSUNOMIYA, succeeded to the family name and came under the influence of the UTSUNOMIYA clan ('Family Tree of the Shionoya Family' printed in "Shimotsuke-kokushi" (the record of Shimotsuke Province)); the other states that Noritsuna had a son called Takatsuna SHIONOYA and that he adopted Yagoro SHIONOYA on March 1, 1478 and had Yagoro succeed to the family ('Family Tree of the Akita Shionoya Family').
教綱の死で藤姓塩谷氏が断絶し、宇都宮正綱の四男塩谷孝綱が名跡を継いで宇都宮氏の影響下に入ったとする説（『下野国誌』所収「塩谷系図」）と、教綱の子に塩谷隆綱があって文明(日本)10年（1478年）正月18日に塩谷弥五郎を養子に迎え家督を継がせたという説（「秋田塩谷系譜」）である。