He fought with his nephew MINAMOTO no Yoshikuni (the ancestor of both the Ashikaga and Nitta clans), who had advanced into Hitachi well after Yoshimitsu, but was punished by imperial decree for fighting this battle.
後に遅れて常陸に進出してきた甥の源義国（足利氏や新田氏の祖）と争って合戦に及び勅勘を蒙る。