He was from the Northern House of the Fujiwara clan, FUJIWARA no Manatsu line (the Hino family line) and a son of Shikibu no taifu (Senior assistant Minister of the Ministry of Ceremonial) FUJIWARA no Sanetsuna.
藤原北家藤原真夏流（日野家流）の出身で、式部大輔・藤原実綱の子。