Businessman and tea master. Tea master, born in 1847.
Born in 1847 (Koka 4), he was known as Ko. In addition to the name “Nao,” he also went by the names “Kantou” and “Ungao. He founded and became president of Mitsui & Co. and played an important role in the business world as one of the promoters of Japanese capitalism. He started his career in the tea ceremony from appreciating Buddhist art, and his collection of tea utensils was more famous than that of Enshu and Fumai, and the number of tea containers and bowls in the “Taisho Meikikan” alone numbered 17 and 15, respectively. As the leader of a group of tea masters in the business world at that time, he initiated the Daishi Kai in 1895, the Koetsu Kai in 1915, and the Kitano Grand Tea Party in 1936, and also collaborated with Takahashi Brooman and others in compiling “Taisho Meikikan” since 1921. Hekiundai at Gotenyama in Shinagawa, Tokyo, was the site where Enshu once offered tea to the Shogun. He died on December 28, 1938 at the age of 92. His younger brothers, Katsunori (née Mui-an) and Eisaku (née Beni-en), were both well known for their appreciation and collection of tea utensils.
