In 1552, he was promoted to Junior 5th Rank, Lower Grade, and Hyobu Dayu, and later he became the head of the Hosokawa family due to the death of his stepfather Mototsune in 1554.
天文21年（1552年）、従五位下兵部大輔に叙任され、天文23年（1554年）、養父・元常の死去により家督を継いだ。