The local lords of Yamato Province were either monk-soldiers of Daijo-in or Ichijo-in, the two biggest monzeki (temple formerly led by founder of sect, temple in which resided a member of nobility or imperial family) of Kofuku-ji Temple, or kokumin who were jinin (associates of Shinto shrines) of Kasuga-sha Shrine, but in the period of the Northern and Southern Courts (Japan), they fought each other divided into the Southern Court (Japan) side led by the Ochi clan of kokumin and the Northern Court (Japan) side led by the Tsutsui clan of Ichijo-in monk-soldier.
大和国国人は、興福寺の二大門跡である大乗院・一乗院の衆徒、あるいは春日社の神人（国民）として組織されていたが、南北朝時代(日本)には、南朝(日本)方であった国民の越智氏と北朝(日本)方であった一乗院衆徒の筒井氏を中心とし激しく争っていた。