Ōta Suketaka served as a bushō during the Sengoku period.

As descendants of the Settsu-Genji, the Ōta clan was founded by Minamoto no Hirotsuna, a bushō during the late Heian and early Kamakura periods.  Hirotsuna was the youngest child of Minamoto no Yorimasa, the great-great-grandchild of Minamoto no Yorimitsu.

In 1498, Suketaka was born as the second son of Ōta Sukeyasu.  Suketaka’s wife was the daughter of Hōjō Ujitsuna.

Initially, Suketaka served Uesugi Tomooki, the head of the Ōgigayatsu-Uesugi family.  Owing, however, to resentment at the murder of his grandfather, Ōta Dōkan, or dissatisfaction toward Tomooki, Suketaka colluded with his archenemy, Hōjō Ujitsuna, to capture Tomooki’s base at Edo Castle.  Thereafter, Tomooki was unable to re-capture the castle.  Tominaga Naokatsu, a retainer of the Hōjō, entered the main citadel while Tōyama Naokage resided in the outer citadel.  Suketaka was positioned at the Kagetsu pavilion.