Despite controlling Kyoto, he was unable to use it to form a strong base in Kinai region as Nobunaga ODA did because his Suo estate was too far away from Kyoto and because of structural problems relating to the Ouchi clan's position as leaders of kokujin (local samurai).
上洛を果たしていながら、後の織田信長のように畿内で確固たる地盤を築き上げなかった理由は、領国の周防が京都から遠隔地すぎたこと、大内氏自体が国人の盟主的存在という構造的問題などがあったためと思われる。