Asakura Kagetaka served as a retainer of the Asakura clan and lord of Ago Castle in Echizen Province.  Kagetaka was the son of Asakura Kagemoto.  His mother, Kita-dono, was the eldest daughter of Asakura Sadakage, the ninth lineal head of the clan.  This attested to the high rank of his family in the clan.  Kagetaka was a first cousin of Asakura Yoshikage, the eleventh and last head of the clan.  

In the autumn of 1555, after Asakura Norikage (Sōteki) became ill, Kagetaka was assigned the role of commanding general in place of Norikage in battles against the Ikkō sect of Kaga Province. He continued the effort until the spring of the following year.  Kagetaka collaborated with Yamazaki Yoshiie to lead the forces, but neither Kagetaka nor Yoshiie possessed the military prowess of Norikage.  Under their command, attacks against Awazu and Ataka failed.  The warrior monks from Kaga launched an offensive by invading Echizen and burning down many areas.  The central authorities of the bakufu ultimately negotiated a cessation of hostilities and the Asakura army retreated to their home base of Ichijōdani in Echizen.

In 1564, Kagetaka and Asakura Kageakira jointly commanded forces on a deployment to Kaga and the army fought valiantly.  In 1570, Kagetaka, his eldest son, and his younger brother (舎弟), all perished, with his youngest son, Asakura Kagetake, the lone surviving son.