His grandfather Sanesuke had great expectations of Sukefusa and Sukefusa won Sanesuke's favor (for example, Sanesuke borrowed usai no ishiobi (a kimono belt with rhinoceros stones) from his political enemy FUJIWARA no Michinaga for the sake of Sukefusa who participated in Hakuba no sechi-e (a seasonal court banquet) held in that year) and eventually Sukefusa inherited Yusoku kojitsu (knowledge of court rules, ceremony, decorum and records of the past) of the Ononomiya Line.
祖父・実資の資房への期待は大きく、この年の白馬節会に参加する資房のために政敵である藤原道長に烏犀の石帯を借り受けるなど寵愛を受けるとともに小野宮流の有職故実を継承する事となる。