Then, in the 1567, a warlord by the name Oda Nobunaga overtook the castle from the deceased Dōsan's grandson, Saito Tatsuoki.

To defend against all possibilities, Hidenobu set up fortifications throughout the area, with Gifu Castle at the center, dividing his forces and weakening their total strength.

Early in the morning of September 29, the combined eastern forces moved from Haguri District's Kōda (present-day city of Ichinomiya, Aichi Prefecture) in Owari Province to the neighboring Haguri District's Kōdajima (present-day city of Kakamigahara, Gifu Prefecture) in Mino Province.

Around the same time, Masanori's forces tried to cross the Kiso River near Owari Province's Nakashima District (present-day Ichinomiya), but they found western forces deeply entrenched on the opposite banks and decided to head further south to cross the river.

After the victories by Terumasa and Masanori, the two forces joined at the Arata River (荒田川 Arata-gawa) south of Gifu Castle to begin their final advance.

Hidenobu and his brother Oda Hidenori (織田秀則) were put in charge of the men at Gifu Castle, with Tsuda Tōsaburō (津田藤三郎), Kozukuri Tomoyasu (木造具康), and Dodo Tsunaie in charge of the remaining men, again dividing and weakening Hidenobu's forces.

To prepare for battle by placing the forces of Yamauchi Kazutoyo, Arima Toyōji (有馬豊氏), Togawa Tatsuyasu (戸川達安), and Horio Tadauji in villages to the southeast of Gifu Castle and the forces of Tanaka Yoshimasa (田中吉政), Tōdō Takatora, and Kuroda Nagamasa to the southwest.

Hidenobu was prepared to commit seppuku, but was persuaded by Ikeda Terumasa and others to surrender to the eastern forces.