Although he was a leading figure of the Western House of the Fujiwara clan as a legitimate son of FUJIWARA no Maro, the founder of the Western House, it is undeniable that in getting promoted, he always fell behind the second generation of the other three families (the Southern House, the Northern House and the Ceremonial House of the Fujiwara clan) who were older than him by a generation in age.
藤原京家の祖・藤原麻呂の嫡男として、京家の中心的人物であったが、年齢的に一世代近く年上であった他の3家（藤原南家・藤原北家・藤原式家）の二世世代に比べてその昇進は常に一歩後れをとらざるをえなかった。