Studying under Mitsuhira TOMOBAYASHI to study Japanese literature and culture, he concentrated on the radical thought of Sonno Joi (the principle of advocating reverence for the Emperor and the expulsion of foreigners), and then joined Tenchu-gumi (royalist party to inflict punishment) with his teacher Tomobayashi once it arose but Tenchu-gumi was suppressed and Tomobayashi was executed.
伴林光平に師事して国学を学び、過激な尊王攘夷思想に傾倒、天誅組が起こると師の伴林に随伴してこれに参加するが、天誅組は鎮圧され、師である伴林も処刑される。