Ishiyama Hongan-ji War participant Oda clan
Siege
In August 1570, Oda Nobunaga left Gifu Castle in Gifu with 30,000 troops, and ordered his generals to build fortresses around Ishiyama, while Nobunaga himself focused on the Sieges of Nagashima fortress and other campaigns. 
On September 12, the Ikkō-ikki launched a midnight stealth attack against Nobunaga's forces at Kawaguchi and Takadono. The Ikko were reinforced by warrior monks from Negoro-ji in Kii Province and 3,000 musketeers, pushing Oda's army back. 
Nobunaga's armies remained camped out, assigned to monitor the Ikki's fortress, and take it if they could.
In 1574, after destroying the Nagashima complex and reducing the threat from the Ikki's supporters, Oda attempted to starve out the fortress. This was no easy task, however, because the Ishiyama fortress sat on the coast, which was guarded by the fleet of the Mōri clan, masters of naval combat and Oda's enemies.
By early 1575, however, the fortress was already in urgent need of supplies, and the Abbot Kōsa was ready to begin peaceful overtures with Nobunaga to end the siege. But the ousted shōgun Ashikaga Yoshiaki sent a letter to Mōri Terumoto asking for his aid in supplying the cathedral fortress.: 288–289  Yoshiaki eventually raised some troops himself to aid the besieged.