He was of a branch of the Sakagami clan, which descended from toraijin (people from overseas) from China, and it is said that one of his forefathers was Emperor Ling (Han) of the Later Han Dynasty.
中国からの渡来人の流れを汲む坂上氏の分かれであり、遠祖には後漢の霊帝(漢)があるという。