Career
Yoshikiyo was also a very close ally under Uesugi Kenshin and one of Shingen" bitterest opponent for his high kill-counts in their conflicts
Before he came into conflict with Takeda he was on good terms with them, Yoshikiyo even sent back Oi Sadataka, their enemies who fled to Yoshikiyo domain to Takeda"s home city of Kōfu as a prisoner, where he was then killed. At first he was joined the collaboration with Ogasawara Nagatoki, Suwa Yorishige, and Kiso Yoshiyasu in opposing Shingen in the 1542 Battle of Sezawa, but they suffered defeat in this battle. In 1546, when Shingen arrived to attack Toishi Castle.
Yoshikiyo came to the rescue commanding 6000 warriors, crushing Harunobu"s spearhead and claiming the life of some commanders such as Amari Bizen and Yokota Bitchu.
Yoshikiyo caught him off guard and attacked him with entire force and routed him. One year later in 1548 he provided more severe defeats for Takeda by killing 3 of Shingen"s generals Itagaki Nobukata, Amari Torayasu, and Hajikano Den"emon in Battle of Uedahara in similar full-scale counterattack as before and causing Shingen to retreat into Kai after losing 700 men
In 1550 he held Toishi Castle for 1 year against Sanada Yukitaka and suffered a loss but not before inflicting a loss with the death one of Takeda"s general, Yokota Takatoshi.
Then in 1553, he lost Katsurao. In 1553 he was forced to abandon Shinano after losing to Takeda in Siege of Kannomine and forced to seek aid to Kenshin and serve as his retainer.
Murakami was granted Nechi castle in Echigo for his service at the Battles of Kawanakajima as center division commander of the Uesugi army.
One source says at the fourth battle of Kawanakajima he had killed Takeda Nobushige, Shingen"s brother and one of his most important generals and strategists although another source was saying it was Kenshin himself who personally slew Nobushige.