He was born in a fishing village, Kanezakiura Munakata County, Chikuzen Province (the land of Fukuoka Domain, Oaza Kanezaki, Genkai-cho, Munakata County, Fukuoka Prefecture which was later merged into Munakata City) as the son of Kiroku, a merchant.
天保11年（6年説あり）、筑前国宗像郡鐘崎浦（福岡藩領、福岡県宗像郡玄海町(福岡県)大字鐘崎、のち合併により宗像市）の漁村に、町人喜六の息子として生まれる。