He had Neo-Confucian training from Jichu TANI in the Tosa Nangaku school, and he became seriously involved in Neo-Confucianism from his association with Kenzan NONAKA and Sansei OGURA, and accomplished an exclaustration to become a New-Confucian in 1642.
土佐南学派の谷時中から朱子学の手ほどきを受け、また野中兼山や小倉三省らとの交わりのなかで、朱子学への傾倒を深め、1642年に還俗して儒者となった。