The history of the Mitsui as wealthy merchants began when Takatoshi, the eldest son of Takayasu MITSUI who was said to be the old retainer of the Rokkaku clan, abandoned his class as a samurai in the early Genna era and opened up a pawn shop and a sake brewery in Matsusaka, Ise Province.
豪商三井の歴史は六角氏の旧臣と言われている三井高安の長男・高俊が元和(日本)のはじめころ武士をすて伊勢国松坂で質屋と造り酒屋を開業したところから始まる。