He was born the eldest legitimate son of MINAMOTO no Yoshitada in Koroho castle in Tsuboi (present-day Tsuboi, Habikino City, Osaka Prefecture), Ishikawa County, Kawachi Province.
源義忠の嫡男として、河内国石川郡(大阪府)壷井（現大阪府羽曳野市壷井）の香炉峰の館で誕生。