Since his twenties when he moved to Manabe Village, he had learned from and kept company with Toko FUJITA, Seishisai EIZAWA, Ourou KATO (Confucian scholar and feudal retainer of Kasama Domain), Kaname OKUBO (feudal retainer of Tsuchiura Domain joining a secret imperial decree called Bogo no micchoku), Minaka IROKAWA (Japanese classical scholar and soy sauce purveyor to the bakufu) and Koan FUJIMORI (Confucian scholar).
真鍋村に移った20代の頃から藤田東湖、会沢正志斎、加藤桜老（儒学者、笠間藩士）､大久保要（土浦藩士、戊午の密勅に参画）、色川三中（国学者、幕府の醤油御用商人）、藤森弘庵（儒学者）らに学び、交友した。