Born in Kyoto into the Hon'ami family, hereditary sword appraisers and polishers.
Around this time he learned the family craft of appraising and caring for swords; his eye for blades is said to have informed his later art.
Around this time he grew famous as a calligrapher, later counted with Konoe Nobutada and Shōkadō Shōjō among the "Three Brushes of the Kan'ei era".
He reportedly took part, with Suminokura Soan and others, in the Saga-bon, editions of classics printed on beautiful paper in elegant script.
Around this time he wrote waka over designs of cranes and other motifs painted by Tawaraya Sōtatsu, creating celebrated scrolls.
Tokugawa Ieyasu granted him land at Takagamine in Kyoto, where he settled with relatives and craftsmen, creating an artists' village.
Around this time he made raku tea bowls and maki-e lacquerware; the tea bowl Fujisan and the Funabashi writing box are National Treasures.
He died at Takagamine, a leading artist of the early Edo period active in calligraphy, ceramics, lacquer and more.
Yagyū MunenoriTokugawa HidetadaKasuga no TsuboneKobori EnshūHayashi RazanMiyamoto MusashiIngenMatsudaira Nobutsuna
People of the Edo period ・ People by period
Based on facts found in textbooks and biographies. Uncertain points are marked as such.