In 1879 Kamesaburo NAKAGAWA planned to launch a study group named Hoensha, together with Honinbo Shuetsu, Sanei YASUI, Inseki INOUE and Shuei HAYASHI among others, so Shuho accepted their request and returned from Echigo to join them and he became the president.
明治12年(1879年)、中川亀三郎が本因坊秀悦、安井算英、井上因碩、林秀栄らとともに研究会方円社発足を計画し、秀甫はその要請に従って越後より帰京してこれに参加、社長となる。