Businessman, born in January 1873 in Nirasaki, Kitakoma-gun (Nirasaki City), Yamanashi Prefecture. After graduating from Keio University, he joined Mitsui Bank, and while working at the Nagoya branch, he became interested in the tea ceremony at the suggestion of Takahashi Brooman. In 1936, he established a new Western-style residence, “Gasokusan-so” (named by O. Masuda) at the foot of Mt. May in Ikeda City, Osaka, where he spent many hours in tea ceremonies, established a tea room “Fukujuso” in the Hankyu Department Store, opened an art street, and organized a beauty contest with antique art dealers in Osaka. He also organized the Bikai, a group of antique dealers in Osaka. He studied the Omotesenke school of tea ceremony and wrote a series of articles in the magazine “Nihon Bijutsu Kogei” (Japan Arts and Crafts) titled “Daijyo Chakai Ki” (The Record of Tea Ceremonies), in which he discussed the reform of the tea ceremony iemoto system and criticized unjust enrichment of art products. He wrote many essays and critiques, including four volumes of “Gazoku Sanso Manuscripts” and “Shin Chado Ron” (“New Essays on the Tea Ceremony”). The majority of his art collection consisted of calligraphy, paintings, and ceramics, and after his death, “Gasoku Sanso” was established as the Itsuo Art Museum Foundation with 5,000 pieces from his collection. He died in January 1957 at the age of 84. His funeral was held at the Takarazuka Grand Theater, and tea was served in his beloved Tenmoku tea bowl in front of his portrait.
