At the end of the shogunate during the last half of the 19th century, Japan began opening its ports to foreign trade. With that change, the small fishing village of Yokohama grew almost overnight into an international city of trade with 3,000 foreigners.

The Meiji Restoration followed and Japan underwent drastic reform in all areas. The city of Yokohama soon became the center for trading where foreign trading houses emerged and dominated. In prospering Yokohama, Kinjiro Uyeno started a ship cargo-handling station and inn, "Maruiya," near Noge Bridge in Yoshida Machi in 1869. This was the beginning of the Uyeno Group.

Kinjiro Uyeno, the founder, was from Uyeno village in Iyo (Ehime Prefecture). At the end of the shogunate, the clan of Iyo-Matsuyama was assigned to guard the coast of Kanagawa Daiba (Yokohama). Perhaps Kinjiro heard the news of prospering Yokohama and he went to Kanagawa to participate in the battery construction project assigned to the clan. Through this involvement, Kinjiro directly felt the new breeze prevailing in Yokohama and decided to move there. This was a decision made through his foresight.

The businesses of Maruiya were handling of trading goods to and from Boso, in Chiba Prefecture, and management of an inn for ships' crews and passengers. In those days, commodities and food were transported from Boso by sailing ships called Godairikisen to feed the rapidly growing population of Yokohama. Although the early business of Maruiya was an inn for ships' crews and passengers, Kinjiro became aware of the growing volume of commodities transported, and he started his own ship business. With Yokohama as its homeport, his business expanded to Tokyo Bay, Shizuoka and northeastern areas of Japan.

Kinjiro's reputation as a reliable and honest businessman spread, and he gradually received more orders for cargo handling. Kinjiro was soon elected chairman of the Association of Inns, a group composed of representatives from 21 towns. His activities were not limited to the expansion of his business, but he also contributed to the development of Yokohama.