He was a great-grandchild of Kose no Tokuta, who was Daishu (the third grade of nineteen grades of cap rank, which corresponds to Shonii, Senior Second Rank of Taiho Ritsuryo, Taiho Code) and Sadaijin (minister of the left) of the Naniwa Court.
難波朝左大臣大繍巨勢徳多の曾孫。