He learned at a private school 'Sanyo juku' managed by Sanyo TSUCHIYA in Matsuzaki-cho, Izu, along with his older brother, then went to Tokyo at the age of 19 to learn at Eigaku juku (a private school of English language and literature) managed by Hugh WADDELL (1840-1901) who was a missionary and doctor from Scotland, at which school he met Jutaro SUZUKI and Masaru WATANABE, who were to become his fellow pioneers.
兄とともに伊豆の松崎町にある土屋三余の私塾「三余塾」に学び、19歳の時に上京しスコットランド出身の宣教師・医師ヒュー・ワデル（1840-1901）の英学塾に学び後に開拓の同志となる鈴木銃太郎・渡辺勝と知り合う。