Hijikata was a samurai in Tosa Domain (modern-day Kōchi Prefecture).

After the abortive coup against the Shogunate later that year, he was forced into exile with Sanjō to Chōshū.

Following the First Chōshū expedition, he fled to Fukuoka Domain together with Sanjō, where he later met with fellow Tosa countrymen Nakaoka Shintarō, and Sakamoto Ryōma whom he assisted in securing Sanjō’s support for the Satchō Alliance.

In 1885, with the establishment of the cabinet system, Hijikata was appointed Minister of Agriculture and Commerce under the 1st Itō Hirobumi administration in 1887, and Imperial Household Ministry from 1887-1898.

After his retirement from the Imperial Household Ministry, he served as president of Kokugakuin University.