During the Warring States Period, control of Kanto was gradually taken over by the newly arising force of the Gohojo clan, and the head of the Yamanouchi-Uesugi family, Norimasa UESUGI, passed on the Uesugi name to Kagetora NAGAO (later Kenshin UESUGI) of the Nagao clan, who was gaining power as the Governor of Echigo.
戦国時代(日本)には関東における覇権を、次第に新興勢力である後北条氏に押され、山内上杉家の当主上杉憲政は、越後守護代として勢力を台頭させていた長尾氏の長尾景虎（後の上杉謙信）に上杉の名跡を譲った。