According to Mikisaburo SUZUKI, his comrade in the Goryoeji, Todo was of a typical Edo-ite and a motivated worker and there are several records showing that he was familiar with economics and had also mastered kenjutsu (he excelled in both academics and martial arts).
藤堂の性格については、江戸っ子で有意の人材であり（御陵衛士同志鈴木三樹三郎談）、経済に達し戟剣をよくする（学問においても武術においても秀でていた）、等といった記録が垣間見られる。