His grandfather Komakitsu OGAWA was originally a samurai (warrior) of the Kishu Domain with a great store of knowledge of Sinology, who studied Western studies after the Meiji period, and continued to subscribe to the London Times until his later years.
祖父・駒橘は元紀州藩の武士であり、漢学の素養は豊富で、明治以後は洋学を学び晩年までずっとロンドンタイムスを購読し続けた人物であるという。