He became an adopted child of Tomoai IWAKURA, Kugyo and Shonii (Senior Second Rank) Gon Dainagon (provisional chief councilor of state) and became the head of the Iwakura family, following the death at an early age of both Tomoai's son Tomomitsu IWAKURA, and Tomokata IWAKURA, Tomoai's adopted child.
公卿岩倉具集（正二位権大納言）の子・岩倉具満、養子の岩倉具賢がともに早世したため、具集の養子となり岩倉家を継いだ。