He took part in the oshirogo, or Castle Games (a series of games played in the Shogun's castle) for the first time when he was 17, beating Doetsu HONINBO by kuroban four moku (four points as a black stone player).
そして万治2年（1659年）には17歳で御城碁に初出仕して、本因坊道悦に黒番4目勝ちした。