Born in 1848 in Sado Province (present-day Sado City, Niigata). He learned English in Yokohama during the late Edo period and rapidly rose to prominence as a trader after the Meiji Restoration. In 1876 he founded Mitsui Bussan and as its first director-general (effectively its founder) built it into Japan's largest general trading company, leading Japan's modern foreign trade. After accumulating vast wealth, he devoted himself to tea with passionate dedication, taking the name "Donno" and becoming known as the greatest modern "sukisha" (tea connoisseur). Leveraging his connections in the Mitsui family and business world, he acquired famous tea utensils one after another, and at his expansive Odawara villa "Soundai" repeatedly hosted grand tea gatherings rivaling those of the daimyo era. He continued actively enjoying tea as a practitioner until his death at age 90 in 1938. His collected items are still exhibited today in museums across the country as nationally designated Important Cultural Properties.

Combined bold business temperament with delicate aesthetic sensitivity. His passion for tea utensils was fierce, sometimes unsparing in means to acquire desired pieces. He excelled at building connections through tea.

He sustained tea culture across the Meiji, Taishō, and Shōwa eras, greatly contributing to the revival and popularization of tea in modern times. Many utensils he collected are preserved in museums as Important Cultural Properties.