His father was Kanpaku (chief adviser to the Emperor) Tsunenori KUJO, and his mother was from Hongan-ji Temple of the Jodo Shinshu (the True Pure Land Sect of Buddhism) sect, from a family later known as the Otani family.
父は関白九条経教、母は浄土真宗本願寺（後の大谷家）の出身。