Mitsui Takatoshi
Encyclopedia
, founder of the Mitsui
conglomerate. The second son of Mitsui Sokubei, a grocer and pawnbroker of Matsusaka
(松阪市), in Mie
, he showed a remarkably precocious talent for business from an early age, and, moving to Edo
at 14 years of age, where he was later joined by his brothers Toshigutsu, and Shigetoshi, he managed to rapidly multiply his capital by developing a textile retail business after opening a clothes store gofukuya (呉服屋). A fall-out with his jealous brothers forced him to return to Matsusaka at the age of 28, where he remained for two decades, and only returned to Edo on his elder brother Toshigutsu’s death in 1673. He then established a gofukuya in Nihonbashi
(日本橋) the following year, which was to become, later, the head company of the famous Mitsukoshi
retail shopping chain. He subsequently started a money exchange, with a new system for inter-city loans, and died at the age of 73.
Mitsui
is one of the largest corporate conglomerates in Japan and one of the largest publicly traded companies in the world.-History:Founded by Mitsui Takatoshi , who was the fourth son of a shopkeeper in Matsusaka, in what is now today's Mie prefecture...
conglomerate. The second son of Mitsui Sokubei, a grocer and pawnbroker of Matsusaka
Matsusaka, Mie
, sometimes called Matsuzaka, is a city located in central Mie Prefecture, on the island of Honshū, Japan. The city is famous for its beef.-Founding:...
(松阪市), in Mie
Mie Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan which is part of the Kansai regions on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Tsu.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, Mie prefecture was known as Ise Province and Iga Province....
, he showed a remarkably precocious talent for business from an early age, and, moving to Edo
Edo
, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
at 14 years of age, where he was later joined by his brothers Toshigutsu, and Shigetoshi, he managed to rapidly multiply his capital by developing a textile retail business after opening a clothes store gofukuya (呉服屋). A fall-out with his jealous brothers forced him to return to Matsusaka at the age of 28, where he remained for two decades, and only returned to Edo on his elder brother Toshigutsu’s death in 1673. He then established a gofukuya in Nihonbashi
Nihonbashi
, or Nihombashi, is a business district of Chūō, Tokyo, Japan which grew up around the bridge of the same name which has linked two sides of the Nihonbashi River at this site since the 17th century. The first wooden bridge was completed in 1603, and the current bridge made of stone dates from 1911...
(日本橋) the following year, which was to become, later, the head company of the famous Mitsukoshi
Mitsukoshi
is an international department store chain with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. Mitsukoshi Ltd. has amalgamated with Isetan Co.,Ltd ,and changed company name to Isetan Mitsukoshi Ltd.- History :...
retail shopping chain. He subsequently started a money exchange, with a new system for inter-city loans, and died at the age of 73.