Born as head of the Tennojiya, a wealthy merchant house in Sakai. He inherited a family tradition of tea cultivation from his father Sotatsu, and is believed to have studied under Takeno Joo. His detailed records of the many tea gatherings he hosted — known as the "Tennojiya Kaiki" — are indispensable primary sources for tea history research, preserving information about participants, utensils, and cuisine at gatherings of the Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods. He served as tea master to Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and actively assisted Nobunaga's policy of collecting famous utensils. Called one of the "Three Great Tea Masters" alongside Rikyu and Imai Sokyu, among the three he was known as the most mild-mannered and record-minded. His birth year is unknown; he died in 1591, the same year as Rikyu.

A scholarly tea master who valued record-keeping. A cultured man combining practical business ability as a Sakai merchant with deep knowledge of tea. Gentle and harmony-minded.

The "Tennojiya Kaiki" is among the most important records of Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama tea gatherings. Its detailed records of utensil provenance and tea meetings remain foundational to tea research.