He was born on Kikuya Yokocho Street in Hagi-jo Castle Town, Nagato Province (now Hagi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture) as the first son of Kochuta TAKASUGI (an upper-class samurai with a stipend of 200 koku) and Michi.
長門国萩城菊屋横丁（現・山口県萩市）に萩藩・高杉小忠太（大組・200石）・みちの長男として生まれる。