He was born as the first son of a feudal retainer of Karatsu Domain, Kansuke ONO, and he entered Shoheizaka Gakumonjo (Shoheizaka School) at the age of 21 in 1856.
唐津藩士大野勘助の長男に生まれ、安政3年(1856年)、21歳より昌平坂学問所で学ぶ。