Businessman and founder of Maruzen Co., Ltd. Born as the child of a doctor, he was adopted by a maternal relative and studied Dutch and English studies. He transferred to Keio Gijuku and studied under Fukuzawa Yukichi. In 1868, he founded Maruya Trading Company (later, Maruzen Co., Ltd.), selling imported goods in Yokohama in 1868. The following year, his company opened a store in Nihonbashi, importing foreign books and publishing translations.