Born in Nishino Village, Atsumi District, Mino Province (present-day Nishino-cho, Gifu City). He served Toyotomi Hideyoshi from an early stage and, recognized for his military achievements, was chosen as one of the "Yellow Sashimono Guard." He is said to have renovated Ohora Castle (in present-day Tominoho, Seki City, Gifu Prefecture) on Oda Nobunaga's orders and renamed it Hitotsuyanagi Castle, as a defense against Endo Yoshitaka, lord of Gujo-Hachiman Castle. During the 1590 Siege of Odawara, he was killed in the opening engagement of the assault on Yamanaka Castle.

A hard-charging commander who rose to prominence early as one of Hideyoshi's own protégés, known for his bravery in always fighting on the front line — a trait that led him to lead the charge, and to his death, at Yamanaka Castle.

Hideyoshi is said to have deeply mourned Naosue's death. The Hitotsuyanagi clan continued as a daimyo house under both the Toyotomi and Tokugawa regimes, becoming the ruling family of Saijo Domain in Iyo and Ono Domain in Harima. The ruins of Hitotsuyanagi Castle (also called Tsubo Castle) in Tominoho, Seki City, Gifu Prefecture, survive as a mountain-castle site.