On February 12, 1333, in the Battle of Tenno-ji, he led the military force (including that of the Kusunoki clan) as 'Dai Shogun' (the great general) and fought with the army of the shogunate ("Kusunoki Kassen Chumon" (Records of the Battle with the Kusunoki clan and gokenin (an immediate vassal of the shogunate in the Kamakura and Muromachi through Edo periods) of Kii Province)
1333年（元弘3年/正慶2年）1月19日(旧暦)の天王寺の戦いでは「大将軍」として楠木氏の軍勢などを率いて幕府軍と戦った（『楠木合戦注文』）。