Although his foster father, Tomosada (who was a member of the Kyoto Uesugi clan and a cousin of his father, Fujisada), was the shugo (provincial constable) of Tanba Province, Akisada left the capital for the Kanto region to serve Kamakura kubo (Governor-general of the Kanto region) Ujimitsu ASHIKAGA, resided in Ogigayatsu in Kamakura, and became the originator of the Ogigayatsu-Uesugi clan.
養父朝定（京都上杉氏で父藤定の従兄弟）は丹波国守護だったが、貞治年間頃（1360年代）に顕定は関東に下向して鎌倉公方足利氏満に仕え、鎌倉扇谷の地に居住し、扇谷上杉氏の祖となった。