In July of the same year, Motohira was appointed to Gon Chunagon (provisional vice-councilor of state), and was promoted to Naidaijin (Inner Minister) in December 1258 and then to Udaijin (Minister of the Right) in April 1261; in the second month of 1263, he was awarded the Junior First Rank.
同年6月権中納言に任命され、累進して正嘉2年（1258年）11月内大臣になり、弘長元年（1261年）3月右大臣になり、弘長3年（1263年）正月従一位となる。