He was a descendant of ONO no Imoko's, who had been famous for having been a delegate during the Prince Shotoku Era on one of the official Japanese diplomatic missions to China during the Sui dynasty, and was born in what is present day Kasugai City, in Aichi Prefecture.
聖徳太子の時代に遣隋使を務めたことで有名な小野妹子の子孫であり、現在の愛知県春日井市出身。