Son of a samurai of the Kanazawa clan. He graduated from the Law Department of the Law College of the Imperial University in 1893. He joined the Home Ministry the same year. He served as manager of prefectural affairs of Prefectural Affairs Bureau, Executive Secretary of the Home Minister, and director of Local Affairs Bureau before assuming the position of the director-general of the Shrine Affairs Bureau in 1908 and concurrently the President of Meiji-jingu Shrine Construction Department in 1915. He was appointed the 21st governor of Tokyo Prefecture in July the same year. When the Kome-Sodo (Rice Riot) occurred in 1918, he made efforts to protect the economy through the establishment of public-funded bargain markets and economical lunchrooms. Jur. d.