The Mitsui zaibatsu was the largest Japanese merchant house of the Tokugawa period (1603- 1867).

The original enterprise was formed in 1673 when Takatoshi Mitsui (1622- 1694) opened textile shops in Kyoto and Edo (Modern Tokyo).

The success of these and subsequent shops allowed him to expand his business, therefore allowing him to loan money to bigger business and get more money.

Other financial services were also able to develop.



The Mitsui zaibatsu is composed of several dozen companies,

Mitsui Zaibatsu

Takatoshi Mitsui

including cement, petrochemicals, commerce, construction, energy, engineering, finance and insurance, food, machinery, mining, nonferrous metals, real estate, and shipping industries.

In 1691, the Mitsui family was designated chartered merchants by the shogunate (Goyo Shonin) of Japan.