In 1595, his father, Tadatora, died abroad during Japan's Invasion of Korea, and he took over as the head of the family at the age of five, but since he was a young child, his grandfather, Tokihisa HONGO, acted as guardian for government affairs, and his uncle, Mitsuhisa HONGO, for military affairs.
文禄4年（1595年）、父・忠虎が朝鮮出兵で客死したため5歳で家督を相続したが、幼児のため、政務は祖父の北郷時久が、軍務は叔父の北郷三久に後見されていた。