Daihōji

The Daihoji were a warrior house of Shonai in Dewa, who claimed Fujiwara blood through the Muto clan. Muto Ujihira entered as jito of the Oizumi estate in the early Kamakura period; the family was first called Oizumi and then Daihoji after its castle.

In 1462 Atsuuji received the title Dewa no kami from Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa. The lords held the betto office of Mount Haguro, but restive kokujin and pressure from the Mogami forced them into Uesugi vassalage in 1568.

The lord Yoshiuji rebuilt the house by force, but in 1583 his retainers, the Tozenji brothers, murdered him at Mogami Yoshiaki's instigation. His adopted heir Yoshikatsu recovered Shonai in 1588 but was attainted in 1591 over the Fujishima rising; he became a Uesugi retainer and the Daihoji name died out.