He was born as the third son of Tsuto-Saemon-Yoshinori KAWAKAMI (川上伝左衛門親徳), and joined the Battle of Toba-Fushimi and the Boshin Civil War as Kogashira (head of an organizational section) assigned to the 10th Squad of Satsuma Domain.
鹿児島藩士川上伝左衛門親徳の三男として生まれ、鳥羽伏見の戦い・戊辰戦争に薩摩藩10番隊小頭として従軍する。