His reputation was already high when he was young and, in 1234, he went down to Kamakura for the first time by the invitation of Yoritsune KUJO, who was seii taishogun (literally, great general who subdues the barbarians).
その名声は若い頃より聞え、天福(日本)2年（1234年）には征夷大将軍九条頼経の招きによって初めて鎌倉に下っている。