Apparently Zeami adopted his nephew, Saburo Motoshige (later Onami) before Motomasa was born, and Motomasa practiced the art together with his older brother under the guidance of their father; as potential successors to the father.
世阿弥は前に、甥に当たる三郎元重（後の音阿弥）を養子にしていたらしく、幼少期の元雅はこの義兄とともに、父の指導の下、将来の後継者候補として芸を磨いていたと思われる。