Konoike Zen'emon

Konoike Zen'emon was a son of Yamanaka Shinroku, founder of the large Osaka family of merchants. Shinroku stared his carreer as saké brewer in the village of Kōnoike in Settsu province and then in 1619 moved his business to the residential quarter of Kyuhōji in Osaka.

Konoike Zen'emon continued the sake business established by his father, and eventually expanded his business activities acting as agent and banker for feudal lords. He opened the money-changing shop, which became the chief source of profits for the family for nearly two generations and generated additional capital for loans to the regional lords. His money lending business became so lucrative that by 1704 daimyo loans accounted for nearly three-quarters of the Kōnoike family's total house capital.