He was born first son to Heizo IIJIMA, a goshi (country samurai) of Urasu Village in Niihari District, Hitachi Province (present-day Urasu in Ishioka City, Ibaraki Prefecture).
常陸国新治郡浦須村（現・茨城県石岡市浦須）の郷士・飯島平蔵の長男として生まれる｡