Nomura was born as the second son of a low-ranked ashigaru samurai in Hagi, Chōshū Domain, (currently Yamaguchi Prefecture).

As a youth, he studied at Yoshida Shōin's Shokansonjuku academy, where he joined the Sonnō jōi movement against the Tokugawa shogunate and the increasing foreign presence in Japan.

He participated in the unsuccessful assassination attempt against the rōjū Manabe Akikatsu and in the burning of the British legation in Edo in 1862.

[1] After his return to Japan, he was appointed governor of Kanagawa Prefecture, where he was praised for his efforts in reducing government spending.

Nomura returned to the cabinet as Minister of Communications in 1896 under the 2nd Matsukata administration, during which time he attempted to stem the influence of the Mitsubishi zaibatsu, which had been strongly favored by Maejima Hisoka, over control of Japanese shipping.