He had been promoted successively since conferring a peerage in 1183, and became Sangi (a councilor) and was raised to Kugyo in 1190 after experience as jiju (chamberlain), Bizen no suke (assistant governor of Bizen Province), Ukone no shosho (minor captain of the Right Division of Inner Palace Guards), Ukone no chujo (middle captain of the Right Division of Inner Palace Guards) and other positions.
寿永2年（1183年）に叙爵して以降累進して、侍従・備前介・右近衛少将・右近衛中将などをへて、建久元年（1190年）参議となり、公卿に列する。