In 1382 on April 11 he passed the throne to his son, Emperor Gokomatsu and started ruling the cloistered government, however, he did not have control of politics since Yoshimitsu was actively involved in the Imperial Palace's business, the following year incidents happened where he beat the Empress Takako after she returned to the Imperial Palace after giving birth to her child, or his favorite mistress, Azechi no Tsubone became a nun after an affair with Yoshimitsu became apparent, and rumors were spreading that Yoshimitsu tried to sentence the retired Emperor to deportation and so on, he attempted to commit suicide inside the Jibutsu-do.
1382年（永徳2年）4月11日に息子の後小松天皇に譲位して、上皇として院政を開始するが、義満が朝廷の事務に積極的に介入したため実権は無く、翌年には出産を終えて宮中へ戻った妃の厳子を殴打する事件や、愛妾の按察局が義満との密通を疑われて出家する事件、義満が上皇を配流するという噂が流れると、持仏堂に篭って自殺未遂を起こすなどの騒動を起こしている。