There is a theory which says that he had worked as shurishiki (a government officer responsible for the construction and repair of buildings in the Imperial Palace) in Kyoto for several years since 1040 on the recommendation of kokufu (a provincial office) and that he returned to his hometown accompanying Mutsu no Kami (the governor of Mutsu Province), FUJIWARA no Narito.
長久元年（1040年）より国府の推挙により数ヵ年修理職として在京し、陸奥国・藤原登任の下向に同行し帰省したとの説もある。