Matsuyama Castle
Gotō Masanori, commonly called Teizō, was born in 1749 in Iyo now Matsuyama, and married into the Kurita family at the age of 17. The Kurita and Gotō family both owned prosperous sake brewery, they served Katō Kiyomasa, who built Matsuyama Castle. Chodō became the 7th owner of the brewery when he was 23. Around this time, under the encouragement of his wife and his father-in-law who were haiku poet, he began to compose his haiku. For his pen name, he took “Cho (樗). In Japan, Choboku (樗木) is commonly known as a useless tree. This is his expression of his determination to give up fame and wealth.