His mother, FUJIWARA no Mitsuko, was the daughter of FUJIWARA no Takakata, the Governor of Tajima Province, and she was a wet nurse to Emperor Horikawa and Emperor Toba.
母は但馬守・藤原隆方の娘で、堀河天皇・鳥羽天皇両天皇の乳母・藤原光子。