During the Sengoku period (period of warring states), Masatora KUSUNOKI, who calls himself as the descendant of Masashige KUSUNOKI appeared and made efforts on restoring impaired reputation of the Kusunoki clan, who he thought was treated as gyakuzoku (rebel) by the Imperial court as having done them an ill office during the era of Ashikaga Shogunate that backed up the Northern Court, seeking assistance from Imperial court and Nobunaga ODA.
戦国時代(日本)には楠木正成の末裔と自称する楠木正虎なる人物が現れ、北朝を擁立した足利幕府の時代に朝廷（北朝）に仇をなしたとして逆賊扱いであった楠木氏の名誉回復のために、朝廷や織田信長に援助を求めて名誉回復に尽力した。