The Emperor had wished to abdicate his throne in favor of his younger brother Imperial Prince Toshihito HACHIJONOMIYA, but the Bakufu, the arch enemy of the Toyotomi family, was against his wish, as the Prince had been once a yushi (an adopted son in an old Japanese way) of Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI, and it also was the intention of Ieyasu who wanted judai (entering the Imperial Palace after an official ceremony) of Kazuko TOKUGAWA, a daughter of Hidetada TOKUGAWA, as a consort of Emperor Gomizunoo, a son of Emperor Goyozei, with the consequence that the Emperor was not free even to abdicate.
以前から天皇は、弟宮の八条宮智仁親王への譲位を望んでいたが、豊臣秀吉の猶子となったことがある親王への譲位は、豊臣家と敵対する幕府が難色を示し、また後陽成帝の皇子・後水尾天皇へ徳川秀忠の娘徳川和子を入内させようとしていた家康の意向に沿わなかったため、譲位すらもままならない状況が続いた。