 After his brother Minamoto no Yoshitomo was killed (1160), and the defeat of the Seiwa Genji, he went North to ask Fujiwara no Hidehira of Mutsu province to give him shelter, but stopped at Shibuya (Sagami province) and remained at that place for 20 years.When his nephew Minamoto no Yoritomo rose in revolt against the Taira, he with his four sons sided with him (1180).He was killed during the Genpei war (1180-1185) at the battle of Ōhara (1184) in Ōmi province fighting against the Taira clan.