With such a background, Kanenaga, who was the eldest son of Yorinaga, was promoted rapidly in the court, and ranked as Goi (Fifth Rank) Konoefu when he was only eleven years old.
その流れの中で頼長の嫡男たる兼長の官途も順調であり、久安4年（1148年）には11歳にして五位近衛府に進んでいる。