Nonetheless, he enjoyed the backing of the powerful imperial princess Hachijoin Akiko (cloistered emperor Goshirakawa's younger sister by a different mother), who owned enormous shoen (manor in medieval Japan); he was adopted by her, and electing not to take religious vows and become a priest (which would have disqualified him from the imperial succession), he kept his hopes fixed on being raised to the imperial throne.
それでも、莫大な荘園をもつ八条院暲子内親王（後白河法皇の異母妹）を後ろ盾に、彼女の猶子となって、出家せずに皇位へ望みをつないでいた。