He participated in tea ceremonies by Mitsuhide AKECHI, but when he won trust from Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI who later seized real power, he was counted among one of Chanoyusha Hachinin-shu (eight tea persons), and along with Sokyu IMAI and SEN no Rikyu, he was given a chigyo (salary paid by land) of 3,000 koku.
明智光秀の茶会にも顔を出していたが、後に実権を握った豊臣秀吉にも信頼を得て茶湯者八人衆の一人として数えられ、今井宗久、千利休とともに3,000石の知行を与えられた。