According to the ancient Kojidan" written narratives, Yorimichi had a strong desire to pass the position of Sessho and Kanpaku to his son, Morozane, and made his younger brother Norimichi, who had become Kanpaku promise to do; however, because Norimichi apparently did not actually do this at all, he said 'I have to see the job (as Sessho and Kanpaku) Morozane does with my own eyes,' to which Norimichi responded, 'This I can not allow for my own reasons' which is something Yorimichi is said to have bitterly resented.
『古事談』によると頼通は実子師実に摂関を伝えることを強く望み、関白となった弟の教通に約束させたが、教通は一向に実行しようとしなかったので「自分は師実が職（摂関）にあることを目にしなければ、冥することができない」と言ったが、これに対して教通は「私の勝手で、できることではない」と答え、頼通はひどく恨んだという。