In January 1585 (December, 1584 in old calendar), he was appointed Sadaijin (Minister of the Left) and Toshi choja (head of the Fujiwara clan), and in 1585, he was appointed kanpaku (chief adviser) to Emperor Ogimachi, but he resigned as Sadaijin since Hideyoshi HASHIBA (later Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI) became Naidaijin.
天正12年（1584年）12月に左大臣・藤氏長者となり、翌13年に正親町天皇の関白となるが、羽柴秀吉（のち豊臣秀吉）が内大臣となるのに伴い、左大臣を辞した。