He was a grandchild of the first Uesugi clan Shigefusa UESUGI and a maternal uncle of the first seii taishogun (literally, "great general who subdues the barbarians") of Muromachi bakufu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun) Takauji ASHIKAGA and Tadayoshi ASHIKAGA.
上杉氏初代上杉重房の孫で、室町初代征夷大将軍足利尊氏や足利直義の母方の伯父にあたる。