It is generally believed that he was a student at Chiba SHUSAKU's dojo, the Genbukan, but later his comrade in the Goryoeji, Washio KANO, said that he was a 'favored disciple of the Ito-dojo' operated by Kashitaro ITO in Fukagawa.
千葉道場玄武館の門弟とされているが、後の御陵衛士同志の加納鷲雄証言では、「（深川にあり、伊東甲子太郎のやっていた）伊東道場の寄り弟子」であったという。