He was an active patriot and supporter of sonnojoi (the doctrine of restoring the emperor and expelling the barbarians), and became good friends with feudal retainers of Satsuma Domain including Takamori SAIGO and patriots such as Izumi MAKI and Hachiro KIYOKAWA, spreading anti-shogunate sentiment.
尊王攘夷派志士として奔走し、西郷隆盛ら薩摩藩士や真木和泉、清河八郎ら志士と親交をもち、討幕論を広めた。