Born in 1579 as the eldest son of the Kobori clan of Omi Province, given name Masakazu. He studied tea under Furuta Oribe from a young age, and after his master's death was called "the foremost tea master in the land," succeeding Rikyu and Oribe. He established a unique tea aesthetic called "kirei-sabi" — elegant refinement added to wabi simplicity — opening a new chapter in tea history. He demonstrated exceptional talent not only in tea but also in garden design and architecture, participating in the creation of numerous gardens including those at Edo Castle, Nijo Castle, Nanzen-ji Konchiin, and Katsura Imperial Villa. Though a daimyo who served as lord of Kakegawa and Bitchu-Matsuyama, he also served as a cultural administrator to the Tokugawa shogunate, acting as tea instructor to the second shogun Hidetada and third shogun Iemitsu. He died in 1647 at age 69.

A refined sensibility that inherited Rikyū's wabi while adding brightness and elegance. Politically astute, he skillfully bridged culture and power with strategic intelligence.

His "kirei-sabi" aesthetic became the foundation of daimyo tea and continues through Enshū-ryū. As a garden designer, he left an enduring mark on the history of Japanese gardens.