His place of birth is recorded as Fujiwara, Takaichi County, Yamato Province (present-day Kashihara City) according "Toshi Kaden", but there is also a theory holding that it was Ohara (present-day Asuka-mura) or Kashima, Hitachi Province (according to "Okagami").
出生地について、『藤氏家伝』は大和国高市郡藤原（現在の橿原市）としているが、大原（現在の明日香村）や常陸国鹿島とする説（『大鏡』）もある。