His mother, FUJIWARA no Muneko, came from a family of personal attendants to FUJIWARA no Shoshi (Tamako), and she was also connected to FUJIWARA no Nariko through one of her cousins, FUJIWARA no Ienari, who was the favorite retainer of the Cloistered Emperor Toba.
母の藤原宗子は藤原璋子近臣家の出身だったが、従兄弟には鳥羽法皇第一の寵臣・藤原家成がいたことから藤原得子ともつながりがあった。