Born in 1446 into the main line of the Shimosa Chiba clan. When his family stronghold, Ichikawa Castle, fell to Koga Kubo forces in 1456, he fled to Musashi Province with his elder brother Sanetane. In 1468, following Sanetane's retirement, he became clan head and made Akatsuka Castle his base. Under the protection of Ota Dokan, steward of the Ogigayatsu Uesugi clan, he took part in Dokan's campaigns, defending Edo Castle and fighting at the Battle of Egotahara during the 1476 Nagao Kageharu Rebellion. He continued to expand his holdings into the Wako, Omiya, and Adachi areas, establishing the Musashi Chiba clan as a regional power. He died on January 13, 1494.

A pragmatic warrior who, after his brother's retirement, shouldered the survival of his clan while young and steadily built power by securing the powerful backing of Ota Dokan.

As the effective founder of the "Musashi Chiba clan," a branch separated from the Shimosa Chiba, he laid the foundation for a lineage that endured roughly 120 years centered on Akatsuka Castle. The castle ruins are now preserved as Tokyo Metropolitan Akatsuka Park, retaining more medieval-castle remains than any other site within Tokyo's 23 wards.