Kuki Yoshitaka was the 8th head of the Kuki Clan and Kuki Navy. He was born in Shimo Province as the second son of Kuki Sadataka and served both Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi in a brilliant career encompassing many campaigns, including the siege of the Ikkou Sect at Ishiyama Hongan Temple, during which he built armored ships to rebel fire from the Mouri Navy.

Yoshitaka also participated in the Subjugation of Kyuushuu in 1587 and the Siege of Odawara in 1590. He retired in 1597 in favor of his second son, Kuki Moritaka. However in the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, he fought on the Toyotomi side while his son fought for Tokugawa Ieyasu. Moritaka begged Ieyasu for his father's life, which Ieyasu granted, but Yoshitaka committed suicide before the message reached him.