Because his two older brothers, Sonnyo and Kannyo, died early, he became the hoshi (a successor to an abbacy), and when Kyonyo died in 1614, he succeeded as the 13th Hoshu.
兄である尊如・観如の早世により法嗣（法主後継者）となり、1614年（慶長19年）、教如の逝去により、第13代法主を継承した。