He was born in Yuda village, Suo Province as the second son of Mitsuyuki Saburo Goro INOUE (upper-class samurai, 100 koku), a feudal retainer of Choshu Domain.
長州藩士・井上五郎三郎光享（大組・100石）の次男として、周防国湯田村に生まれる。