Different from his older brothers who settled themselves in Settsu Province like their ancestors, Kuninao resided in Yamagata district (Gifu Prefecture) based in Mino Province, therefore he became the founder of the Yamagata clan of Mino-Genji (Minamoto clan).
兄たちが累代の本拠地である摂津国を地盤としたのに対し、国直は美濃国を地盤として同国山県郡(岐阜県)に居住したことから美濃源氏山県氏族の祖となった。