His father, Hosan KATSURAGAWA, was the third of the Katsuragawa family and friends with Ryotaku MAENO and Genpaku SUGITA whom presented their book Kaitai Shinsho (New Book of Anatomy) to Shogun by his recommendation.
父桂川家3代目桂川甫三は、前野良沢、杉田玄白と友人で、解体新書は、彼の推挙により将軍に内献した。