Around this period, the Emperor's loss of power was remarkable, and the 3rd Shogun of Muromachi Bakufu, Yoshimitsu ASHIKAGA, is said have planned to take over the Imperial throne by making his son, Yoshitsugu ASHIKAGA, heir, but since the death of Yoshimitsu, when the Imperial Court tried to give the honorable title Daijo Tenno to Yoshimitsu, the 4th Shogun of Muromachi Bakufu, Yoshimochi ASHIKAGA, strongly refused to accept this (it is said that it was because he didn't like his father since Yoshimitsu cared more about Yoshitsugu than himself), the truth is not yet certain.
この頃は天皇の権威の低下が著しく、室町幕府三代将軍足利義満は、自分の子足利義嗣を皇位継承者とする皇位簒奪計画を持ったと言われるが、義満の死後、朝廷が義満に太上（だいじょう）天皇の尊号を贈ろうとした際には、室町幕府四代将軍足利義持がこれを固辞している（義満が自分より義嗣をかわいがっていたため、父を快く思わなかったためといわれている）ので、その真相については未だ定かではない。