According to internal information (the diary of a court lady's who had served at Seiryo-den), "Oyu-dono no ue no nikki," the Emperor's intention to abdicate the throne was passed to Nobunaga on March 9, just after Nobunaga organized a massive function of Kyoto Oumazoroe in 1581.
朝廷の内部資料（清涼殿に仕える女官の日誌）である『お湯殿の上の日記』に基づけば、天正9年（1581年）信長が京都で大規模な京都御馬揃えを行った直後の3月9日に、正親町天皇から退位の意向が信長に伝えられた。