The are descendants of Prince Kusakabe (662-689), son of Emperor Temmu

Emperor Temmu

was the 40th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Temmu's reign lasted from 672 until his death in 686.-Traditional narrative:...

 (631-686).

The family was a line of daimyō

Daimyo

is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...

(feudal lords) which, along with the Azai clan, opposed Oda Nobunaga

Oda Nobunaga

was the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...

 in the late 16th century. They were defeated by Nobunaga at the battle of Anegawa

Battle of Anegawa

The 1570 came as a reaction to Oda Nobunaga's sieges of the castles of Odani and Yokoyama, which belonged to the Azai and Asakura clans. It was also referred to as the Battle of Nomura by the Oda and Azai clans and the Battle of Mitamura by the Asakura clan.As warriors sallied forth from the...

 in 1570, and all but eliminated when their home castle of Ichijōdani

Ichijodani Asakura Family Historic Ruins

The are historic ruins located in the Kidonouchi section of Fukui, Fukui Prefecture, Japan. This area was controlled by the Asakura clan for 103 years during the Sengoku period....

 was taken three years later.

Asakura of Note

• Asakura Toshikage (1428-1481)
• Asakura Sadakage
  Asakura Sadakage
  was the son of Asakura Ujikage and proclaimed 9th head of Asakura during the early Sengoku Period of Feudal Japan....
  
   (1473-1512)
• Asakura Norikage
  Asakura Norikage
  , also known as Asakura Sōteki , was the eighth son of Asakura Toshikage and one of the prime entities of power, under headship, during the early Sengoku Period of Feudal Japan....
  
   (1474-1552)
• Asakura Takakage (1493-1546)
• Asakura Yoshikage
  Asakura Yoshikage
  ) was a Japanese daimyo of the Sengoku period, who ruled a part of Echizen Province.Born in Ichijodani Echizen, Yoshikage ascended to the head of the Asakura clan in 1548. He proved to be adept at political and diplomatic management, markedly demonstrated by the Asakura negotiations with the...
  
   (1533-1573)
• Asakura Kagetake
  Asakura Kagetake
  was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku era....
  
  (1536-1575)