In 1832, Shigeyoshi made his vassal Junzaemon HIRAYAMA become a disciple of Shuhan TAKASHIMA, Nagasaki machi toshiyori (an important local officer under the Tokugawa Shogunate of Nagasaki-machi Town), to learn Western gunnery.
そして、天保3年（1832年）、家臣の平山醇左衛門を長崎町年寄高島秋帆に入門させて、西洋式砲術を学ばせた。