Otomo Takuan was born the elder son of the Otomo Daimyo Taneji and Otomo Asami. He caused a scandal when he married into the Spider Clan and became Susumu Takuan, because his wife was the family's daimyo, Susumu Kuroko. This scandal even exceeded the one caused by his choosing the name of a ronin, Takuan, for himself after his gempukku.