Although he belonged to the Ouchi clan, he opposed Yoshitaka OUCHI from the outset, and became a guest busho (Japanese military commander) with the Otomo clan which was hostile in spite of the blood relations between the two clans.
大内氏の一族であるが、大内義隆と対立していたため、早くから大内氏と敵対関係でもあり血縁関係でもあった大友氏を頼り、その客将となっている。