At a young age, he served shukei (budget bureau) Yoshitada TODO (his haigo was Sengin), who was an heir of Yoshikiyo TODO, a Samurai-Daisho (commander of warriors) of Ueno in Iga Province, and studied under Kigin KITAMURA to start learning haikai with Yoshitada, who was two years older.
若くして伊賀国上野の侍大将・藤堂良清の嗣子・主計藤堂良忠（俳号は蝉吟）に仕え、2歳年上の良忠とともに北村季吟に師事して俳諧の道に入った。