After he became Shosoige (the lowest court rank) around 759, he was admitted to be a talented scholar and promoted to Shogoinoge (Senior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade) until 783, during which period he held positions such as Tanba no inge no sakan (supernumerary official of Tanba Province), Dainaiki (Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Central Affairs), Tanba no suke (assistant governor of Tanba Province), Tanba no kami (the governor of Tanba Province), Zusho no kami (Director of the Bureau of Drawings and Books), Daigaku no kami (Director of the Bureau of Education), Togu gakushi (Teacher of the Classics of the Crown Prince), and Onmyo no kami (Director of Onmyoryo, or Bureau of Divination).
天平宝字3年ころに少初位下になり、学才を認められ、延暦2年までに正五位下に昇進、その間、丹波員外目・大内記・丹波介・丹波守・図書頭・大学頭・東宮学士・陰陽頭などを歴任した。