Shō

The Shō began as a warrior band of Musashi Province and a leading house of the Kodama party. Kodama Iehiro settled at Kurisaki and took the name Shō. His son Ienaga captured Taira no Shigehira at Ichinotani in 1184 and received the Kusakabe manor in Bitchū, where the main line moved and built Sarukake Castle.

Under the Nanboku-chō disorders the Bitchū Shō grew stronger under Hosokawa command. Shō Motosuke fought on the Hosokawa side in the Ōnin War, then raised the Bitchū War of 1491 and was defeated the next year.

In the Sengoku age Shō Tamesuke allied with the Amago in 1533, took Matsuyama Castle and held half of Bitchū. The Shō submitted to Ukita Naoie in 1568, helped the Mōri destroy the Mimura in 1574 to 1575, and finally left the stage when Shō Katsusuke fell fighting the Ukita.