Born in Mino (Gifu). His name was Shigeteru; he was called Oribe from his later court title.
Around this time he entered Oda Nobunaga's service, acting as an envoy and in other roles.
After the Honnō-ji Incident he served Toyotomi Hideyoshi. He studied tea under Sen no Rikyū and became one of his finest disciples.
Hideyoshi gave him the court title Oribe no Kami, and he became a daimyō with lands in Yamashiro.
His master Rikyū was ordered by Hideyoshi to commit seppuku and sent to Sakai. While most feared Hideyoshi, Oribe reportedly saw Rikyū off with Hosokawa Tadaoki at the Yodo landing.
Around this time he became renowned as Rikyū's successor in tea. He favoured bold, free beauty—such as deliberately distorted tea bowls—a taste that spread as Oribe ware.
He taught tea to the second shogun Tokugawa Hidetada, and many daimyō also studied tea with him.
During the Summer Siege of Osaka, a retainer was accused of plotting with the Toyotomi to set fire to Kyoto, and Oribe fell under suspicion. Ordered to commit seppuku, he took his own life without offering any defence.
Sen no RikyūOda NobunagaToyotomi HideyoshiHosokawa TadaokiTokugawa HidetadaKobori Enshū
Toyotomi HidenagaKuki YoshitakaTokugawa IeyasuKanō EitokuTakenaka Shigeharu (Hanbei)Azai NagamasaKuroda Yoshitaka (Kanbei)Takeda Katsuyori
People of the Sengoku/Azuchi-Momoyama period ・ People by period
Based on facts found in textbooks and biographies. Uncertain points are marked as such.