He was the third (or second) son of MINAMOTO no Yoshimitsu (Shinra-Saburo Yoshimitsu) who was the ancestor of the Kai-Genji (Minamoto clan), one of the families of Kawachi-Genji (Minamoto clan).
河内源氏の一族で甲斐源氏の祖となる源義光（新羅三郎義光）の三男（次男とも）。