In 1833, he went to Edo and studied Shushigaku (Neo-Confucianism) under Issai SATO, the leading authority on Confucianism in those days, and became collectively to be known as 'Niketsu' (two masters) with Hokoku YAMADA.
天保4年（1833年）に江戸に出て、当時の儒学の第一人者・佐藤一斎に朱子学を学び、山田方谷と共に「二傑」と称されるに至る。