Born the third son of a kiln master in Tanba. After returning from war he entered the family kiln business at age 21. He was an early protagonist of the mingei movement, having close connections with Yanagi Soetsu and Bernard Leach. He spent time studying Momoyama period Tanba wares and reappraising wares of the present. He put great energy into making oversized plates and various works with overglaze enamels learning decorative techniques. In 1958 he participated in a World's Exposition in Bruges, Belgium winning the Gran Prix. The following year he won the Prefectural Culture award. In 1962, he established the Prefectural Craft Artists' Association. He won a number of awards over the rest of his life, and remained a backbone of the potter community in the Prefecture.