His mother was a daughter of Takemitsu MUSHANOKOJI and Yoshizumi ASHIKAGA, who was the 11th Seii taishogun (literally, "great general who subdues the barbarians") of the Muromachi bakufu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun), was his cousin from mother side.
母は武者小路隆光の娘で、母方の従兄弟に室町幕府11代征夷大将軍・足利義澄がいる。