He was born in the Mikohidari family, the Fujiwara clan, known as the house of waka since the period of FUJIWARA no Toshinari and FUJIWARA no Teika and became the originator of the Kogoku family (Irie family), not of the head family, the Nijyo family.
藤原氏一門で、藤原俊成・藤原定家時代から歌道の家として知られた御子左家に生まれ、宗家の二条家に対し京極家（入江家）の祖となる。