In the Anglo-Satsuma War, he was shocked by the military forces of the powerful countries in Western Europe and started to learn about gunnery in the school of Hidetatsu EGAWA, a shogun's retainer.
薩英戦争では西欧列強の軍事力に衝撃を受け、幕臣江川英龍の塾にて砲術を学ぶ。