His father had the alias 'hokoku' and was in the business of making scenery and signs for theaters on Teramachi-dori street and Sanjo-dori Street in Kyoto, and monopolized the production of the scenery for the Miyako Odori (Dance of the Capital).
父は「芳圀」と号し、京都・寺町通三条通で劇場用の背景や看板の製作を業とし、「都をどり」の背景を独占的に製作していた。