He launched a group of self-promoting plays 'Shichinin-no-kai' (a group of seven persons) together with Ganjiro NAKAMURA II and Enjaku MINOKAWA II, but ultimately the group failed.
中村鴈治郎(2代目)、實川延若(2代目)らとともに、自主公演の集まり「七人の会」をたちあげたが不調に終わる。