Another legend states that he had been a cenacle along with KONDO since the years at the Shieikan training hall, and that he had gone to Kyoto with KONDO, but in any case SAITO's journey to Kyoto was separate from that of KONDO.
試衛館以来の近藤の同志で、近藤と一緒に上洛したという説もあるが、少なくとも、斎藤の上洛は近藤とは別行動だった。