In his juvenile years, Takamori accompanied his father to the Mutsu Province where he excelled in archery and horsemanship but was enlightened by the saying of Emperor Saga and joined Daigakuryo (Bureau of Education under the ritsuryo system) thereby starting his bureaucratic career.
若年の頃、父に従って陸奥国へ赴き、弓馬をよくしたが、嵯峨天皇の言葉に触れて発奮し大学寮へ入り、官途についた。