Kennyo allied with the Shogun Yoshiaki ASHIKAGA, who was in conflict with Nobunaga, and made alliances with anti-Oda groups such as the Takeda clan, the Asakura clan, the Asai clan and the Mori clan, joining them in laying siege to Nobunaga, although Kennyo himself remained at Ishiyama Hongan-ji Temple, attacking Nobunaga by mobilizing peasants, who were closely allied with the Ikko adherents of Saiga, and local groups of followers.
顕如は信長と対立するようになっていた将軍足利義昭と結んで武田氏、朝倉氏、浅井氏、毛利氏などの反織田勢力と同盟を組み、信長包囲網の構築に加わる一方、自らは石山本願寺に篭城し、雑賀衆などの友好を結ぶ土豪勢力や地方の門徒組織を動員して信長を苦しめた。