When Fuyusuke was the head of the Shoni clan, the Southern Court (Japan) in Kyushu which included the Kikuchi clan and the imperial prince, Kanenaga Shino, was gaining power while the Northern Court (Japan), which was the bakufu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun), was losing power.
冬資が当主を務めていた頃、九州では菊池氏や懐良親王などの南朝(日本)勢力が台頭し、北朝(日本)勢力、すなわち幕府側の勢力は押されていた。