Eldest son of Hoida Motokiyo, fourth son of Mori Motonari. He was for a time the adopted heir of Mori Terumoto, set up as a separate house once Terumoto's own son Hidenari was born. He won honors campaigning in Korea during the Bunroku-Keicho campaigns. At Sekigahara he positioned his troops on Mt. Nangu but was prevented from fighting by Kikkawa Hiroie. After the war he received 60,000 koku and became the first lord of the Chofu domain at Kushizaki Castle, which served as the domain's seat of government for about 250 years thereafter. He died in 1650 at age 72.

Having gone from adopted heir of the Mori main house to a separate branch lord, he was reluctantly kept from fighting at Sekigahara. He also demonstrated administrative skill in founding the Chofu domain.

He established Kushizaki Castle as the seat of the Chofu domain, laying the foundation for roughly 250 years of Chofu governance.