In 1181 when the Retired Emperor Takakura died, who had taken over the Cloistered Emperor Goshirakawa, since there was no one who was able to rule the government, Goshirakawa again started ruling the cloistered government.
養和元年（1181年）、それまで後白河法皇に代わって院政を敷いていた高倉上皇が崩御すると、ほかに院政をとることのできる上皇がいない為、後白河院政が再開される。