He was born at the Nakayama residence in Togawa near the Shibata-jo Castle as the first son to Yajiemon NAKAYAMA (200 koku), a retainer of the Mizoguchi clan in the Shibata Domain, Echigo Province.
越後国新発田藩溝口家家臣の中山弥次右衛門（200石）の長男として新発田城下外ヶ輪中山邸にて誕生した。