He was a samurai in the lower grade, but Nariakira SHIMAZU, who was the lord of the domain, found and selected him, and he stayed close to Nariakira SHIMAZU, who was the greatest Daimyo of the Kaimei Group still living, and he was strongly influenced by Nariakira.
薩摩藩の下級武士であったが、藩主の島津斉彬の目にとまり抜擢され、当代一の開明派大名であった斉彬の身近にあって、強い影響を受けた。