He was born as the third leader of Kanze theater following his grandfather, Kanami, and his father, Zeami, who made the art of sarugaku (form of theatre popular in Japan during the 11th to 14th centuries) sophisticated and perfected the art of Noh.
猿楽を洗練し、能を大成した祖父・観阿弥、父・世阿弥に続く観世座の三代目として生を受ける。