Asakura clan
During most of the Muromachi period, the Shiba clan ruled as "shugo" of Echizen. The Shiba were displaced by the Asakura clan towards the start of the Sengoku period, who made Ichijōdani their headquarters. Under Asakura Yoshikage, Echizen enjoyed a peace and stability far greater than the rest of Japan during this chaotic period, partly due to his negotiations with the "Ikkō-ikki". As a result, Echizen became a refuge for people fleeing the violence to the south.