In Higo Province before Kiyomasa, no influential Daimyo had appeared and the age of rival Kokujin (local lords) continued, and even Narimasa SASSA was unable to get the situation under control, leaving the province devastated.
清正以前の肥後は有力大名が現われず国人が割拠する時代が続き、佐々成政でさえも収拾できず荒廃していた。