[1] Tomita was born in Sendai Domain (modern Miyagi Prefecture),[2] as the fourth son of a samurai retainer to the Date clan.

With the Boshin War, and the overthrow of the Tokugawa Shogunate, Tomita returned briefly to Japan, but was urged back to the United States by Katsu Kaishū.

Through the introduction of Fukuzawa Yukichi, he married the daughter of Sugiyama Gen, and drew up the first recorded formal marriage contract in Japan.

Resisting orders by Matsukata to change BOJ policies, he was relieved of his position on September 3, 1889, after 19 months as head of the bank.

During his tenure, the three Tama Districts were transferred from Kanagawa Prefecture to Tokyo, thus greatly expanding its hinterland.1891年7月21日 - 1893年10月26日 In 1893, he retired from politics and entered the business world, founding the Kangyo Bank (one of the predecessors of modern Mizuho Corporate Bank), the Yokohama Fire Insurance Company, later known as Yokohama Fire, Marine, Transit & Fidelity Insurance,[1] and Fujibo Holdings.