In 1885, he founded 'Ito Sotoumi Gumi' in the form of associative organization along with his nephew Tetsujiro SOTOUMI; they set the office in Kobe and began a direct trade.
明治18年、甥の外海鉄治郎と組合組織で「伊藤外海組」をはじめ、神戸に事務所をおいて、直貿易を始める。