As he was opposed to 'Meiji' and 'Taisho' as era names, he launched a historical investigation and compilation on the Emperor's Okurina (a posthumous name) and era, in his position as Head of Books at the Kunaisho (Ministry of the Sovereign's Household).
元号の「明治」と「大正」に否定的であったため、宮内省図書頭として天皇の諡（おくりな）と元号の考証・編纂に着手した。