Born to a merchant family in Sakai, he studied tea deeply under Sen no Rikyu and emerged as one of his leading disciples. He authored the "Yamanoue Soji Ki," meticulously recording Rikyu's teachings and the provenance and appraisal of famous tea utensils. This work became a foundational primary source for tea history research. His outspoken nature led him to confront even Toyotomi Hideyoshi without hesitation, but in 1590 during the Odawara campaign he fatally angered Hideyoshi, who had his ears and nose cut off before beheading him — a brutal end at around age 46. His refusal to compromise his convictions as a tea master even before the powerful became a spiritual model for later tea practitioners. The fact that his master Rikyu was also ordered to commit suicide the following year makes the shared fate of teacher and disciple all the more poignant.

An outspoken, uncompromising man of strong character. His love for tea and obsession with documenting it were extraordinary. He held firm to his views even before the powerful.

The "Yamanoue Soji Ki" is the most important historical record of Rikyu-era tea. His documentation of famous utensils became foundational for tea utensil research and remains indispensable.