Since childhood, he liked military arts, and learned the art of spearmanship and swordsmanship from Hyoemon MORI of the Kurume Domain and a grand master of Taneda Hozoin-ryu Sojutsu School of spearmanship.
幼時より武芸を好み、久留米藩の森兵右衛門や種田宝蔵院流槍術師範に槍術と剣術を学ぶ。