Although the real reason for his exile is not clear because of many different theories, it is a fact that Kawaguchi had been exiled to Okinoerabu-jima Island for some reason before Saigo was sent there in 1862, and that he lived in Nishihara Village and taught reading and writing to the children of the island.
諸説紛々として判然としないが、文久2年つまり西郷の沖永良部遠島の前から何らかの事情で同じ島に流されて西原村に住み、島の子供たちに読み書きを教えていた。