It is said that Arai, a heavy drinker, went to the site of the Sanjo-ohashi Bridge Noticeboard Incident dead drunk after having a lot of sake (rice wine) and took part in the battle in September, 1866.
大酒飲みだった新井は、慶応2年（1866年）9月の三条制札事件の際にも、大量の酒を飲んだ後で、泥酔状態のまま現場へ向かって戦闘に及んだと言う。