Some of his episodes are included in 'Sangyoan Zasshi' (Journal of Sangyoan), in which Tangen KIMURA, who studied under Tanshin KANO, Tanyu's son, discussed painting; for instance the reason why Nakabashi family took over soke (the head family) was because of Tanyu's consideration to enable Yasunobu to earn his daily bread, which is ill-intended and differs from historical facts; and when a roju (senior councilor) told him and two big brothers to paint, Tanyu said to him, "Watch your expert brothers paint," which humiliated him.
探幽の息子の狩野探信に学んだ木村探元の画論書「三暁庵雑志」では、中橋家が宗家を継いだのは、安信が食いはぶれないようにするための探幽の配慮といった、史実と異なる悪意が込められた話や、ある時、三兄弟が老中から絵を描くよう言われた際、探幽に「兄たち妙手が描くのを見ておれ」と申しつけられ恥をかかされたといったエピソードが記されている。