The place of his origin is unknown, but there is a theory that the MICHI clan is a powerful local clan in the Hokuriku region, and his name, Obitona came from the name of the branch family that entered into the central region taking advantage of the relationship with the Abe clan.
出自は不詳だが、道氏は北陸地方の地方豪族であり、首名はその枝族で阿倍氏との関係から中央に進出したとする説がある。