However, in 1845, when Senzo suddenly died at the age of fourty-nine, Yoshijiro entered into conflict with senior apprentices including Minosuke NISHIKAWA (later Senzo NISHIKAWA the fifth), and he was slandered and kicked out from the Nishikawa school.
しかし1845年に扇藏が49歳で急死すると、西川巳之助（後の5代目西川扇蔵）ら兄弟子らとの間で争いとなり、讒言をされた芳次郎は西川流を破門されてしまう。