It is said that he served as a vassal of Hideyoshi HASHIBA (later Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI), around 1579, during the Nagahama Castle (Omi no Kuni) period alongside Mitsunari ISHIDA, who was born in same province of Omi.
天正7年（1579年）ごろ、同じ近江生まれの石田三成らと共に長浜城(近江国)時代の羽柴秀吉（豊臣秀吉）の家臣として仕えたといわれている。