At the age of 16, he served as a Fushin bugyo (shogunate administrator of activities by a community, such as cleaning or fixing stone wall) of Honkoku-ji Temple which was a temporary accommodation for Shogun Yoshiaki ASHIKAGA at that time, then he experienced a variety of bugyoshoku (magistrate) positions and became one of promising close advisers.
十六歳で、将軍足利義昭の仮住まいの本圀寺の普請奉行を担うなど、各種の奉行職を務め、側近としての地位を確立する。