In 1051 he went down to Mutsu Province with his father, after following MINAMOTO no Yoriyoshi's order to fight the Abe clan (Oshu region), however after his father died in the Battle of Kuriyagawa-no-saku in 1062, he took control over his forces.
永承6年（1051年）、父とともに源頼義に従い陸奥に下向して安倍氏(奥州)と戦うが、康平5年（1062年）、厨川柵の戦いで父を失い兵の指揮を引き継いだ。