In January 1184, as a substitute for Yoritomo, he was assigned as Daishogun and led a large force into Kyoto, and fought at the Battle of Uji-gawa River with Yoshitsune who moved ahead to the west.
寿永3年（1184年）1月、頼朝の代官として源義仲追討の大将軍となり、大軍を率いて上洛し、先に西上していた義経の軍勢と合流して宇治川の戦いに参戦。