Naito became a professor in 1909 and a Doctor of Literature in 1910 at the recommendation of the president of Kyoto University; Konan taught East Asian History for twenty years, established 'Study on Chinese history by Kyoto University,' together with his colleagues, Naoki KANO and Jitsuzo KUWABARA, and was called a treasure of the university.
1909年に教授、1910年に時の総長の推薦を受けて文学博士となり、二十年を東洋史担当として勤め、同僚の狩野直喜・桑原隲蔵とともに「京都中国学」を創設、京大の学宝とまで呼ばれた。