He referred himself as "Shinichi" in 1823, because of his own challenge to save all patients by making a tour of various provinces and visiting noted doctors in each place to ask for instruction in medical treatment and secret medicine, therefore it is said that he named himself "Shinichi (kindle a light for all patients)."
文政6年（1823年）の時点で「普一」と名乗っており、諸国を遍歴し、各地の名医を訪ね、療法や秘薬の教えを乞い、病人を普（あまね）く救う事を自分の課題として、「普一（病人に普く一灯をともす）」と号したとされる。