Since he was also Retired Emperor Sutoku's tenjobito (a high-ranking courtier allowed into the Imperial Palace), he joined sides with the retired emperor and Yorinaga when the Hogen War broke out.
さらに崇徳上皇の殿上人でもあったことから、保元元年（1156年）の保元の乱に当たっては、兄弟達とともに上皇・頼長方に参加した。