He was a descendant of Sanzaemon YOSHIKAWA who was one of Nagahama San-doshiyori (three influential families in Nagahama) and had played important roles in building Nagahama castle town by the order of Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI.
豊臣秀吉の命を受け長浜城下町作りに貢献した、長浜三年寄吉川三左衛門の子孫。