Emperor Kōnin
Kiyomaro continued his rise in the courts of both Empress Shōtoku and Emperor Kōnin. In 768 he was promoted to "chūnagon", and in 769 he changed his family name from Nakatomi no Ason to Ōnakatomi no Ason. In 771, Kiyomaro was appointed as a tutor to , but was dismissed from this role when the Crown Prince was disinherited the next year. In 773, he was re-appointed as tutor to the new Crown Prince Yamabe, the future Emperor Kanmu.