When her adopted child, Prince Mochihito raised his army against the Taira clan in 1180 (the Rising of Prince Mochihito), it was said Hachijoin secretly supported Prince Mochihito, in fact, it was apparent that Prince Mochihito's child (the birth mother was the court-lady for Hachijoin) was sheltered in Hachijoin's Palace, however Kiyomori had to overlook her act since he was worried about social criticism, instead, he let Prince Mochihito's son entered the priesthood.
治承4年（1180年）、猶子である以仁王が反平氏の兵を挙げた（「以仁王の乱」）時にも八条院が密かに支援していたのではと言われ、また現実に以仁王の子女（生母は八条院女房）が八条院の御所に匿われているのは明らかであったが、清盛も社会的な反響を恐れて結局は以仁王の男子を出家させることを条件に女院の行為を不問にせざるを得なかった。