At the height of the Kanin-ryu (a Northern House faction of the Fujiwara clan), Kinyoshi assumed the positions of Gon Chunagon (provisional vice-councilor of state), Chunagon (vice-councilor of state), Uemon no Kami (Captain of the Right Division of Outer Palace Guards), and Kebiishi no Betto (Superintendent of the Imperial Police); however, his advancement to a higher position was hindered due to the abdication of Sutoku and Taikenmonin's (FUJIWARA no Shoshi's) entry into monkhood.
閑院流全盛の中で権中納言・中納言・右衛門督・検非違使別当を歴任するが、崇徳退位と藤原璋子出家の影響を受けて昇進は停滞する。