In 1153, he was appointed to Jugoinoge (Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade) as well as his brother in law, MINAMOTO no Yoshitomo, and he further promoted to Sakon no shogen (Lieutenant the Left Division of Inner Palace Guards), and takumi-no-kami (the head of Bureau of Skilled Artisans) in 1161.
仁平3年（1153年）に、義兄弟の源義朝とともに従五位下に叙せられ、応保元年（1161年）に左近将監、内匠頭と進んでいる。