The nature of his father's business meant that he had a connection to Kyoto's theatre industry from a young age, and he was close friends with Shochiku founders Matsujiro SHIRAI and Takejiro OTANI.
その父の関係で、若いときから京都劇界につながりがあり、松竹創始者の白井松次郎、大谷竹次郎とは懇意であった。