From early on, he took a leadership role in the movement to overthrow the Shogunate, including his participation in the unrestricted binge as a close aide of Emperor Godaigo ("Taiheiki" (The Record of the Great Peace)) and also led the overthrow of the Shogunate in the Genko War, and, thus, shortly after being captured by the Rokuhara Tandai (an administrative and judicial agency in Rokuhara, Kyoto) he was deprived of his government posts.
後醍醐天皇の側近として無礼講（破仏講）に参加する（『太平記』）など、早くから倒幕運動で指導的役割を務め、元弘の乱でも同じく倒幕を指揮したため六波羅探題に捕われ、まもなく官職を剥奪された。