Hōjō Ujiyasu
Norimasa's campaigns only continued to be less and less successful. In 1551, he was defeated once again at Siege of Hirai castle by Hōjō Ujiyasu, and fled to Echigo Province, where he sought asylum with his vassal Nagao Kagetora. Nagao agreed to grant his lord shelter and protection, but only under certain conditions. Norimasa was forced to name Nagao his heir, and to grant him the titles of Lord of Echigo and Kantō Kanrei. Nagao then changed his name to Uesugi, to reflect his inheritance of Norimasa's lineage; he took the given name Terutora for a short time before choosing to be called Uesugi Kenshin.