They said the family went to SAKANOUE no Karitamaro (father of SAKANOUE no Tamuramaro) and they were descendants of Kuro KIRINO, the third-ranked officer of the Left Division of Outer Palace Guard, who showed the way for Tsuyobei OSHIKAWA, the assassin of Masumune HIRATA, the chief retainer (karo) of Yoshihisa SHIMAZU.
家系は坂上苅田麻呂（坂上田村麻呂の父）に起こると称し、安土桃山時代、島津義久の家老平田増宗を暗殺した押川強兵衛の道案内をした桐野九郎左衛門尉の末裔という。