吉田松陰
Kanetake was the Satsuma han's astronomer and through his treatises he came to the notice of Shimazu Narioki and Nariakira. At the age of 26 in 1849, he journeyed to Edo to study military science and Confucianism under Ohashi Tostuan and Fujimori Kouan at their academy. Later he journeyed to the Tōhoku region in 1850 and when he returned to Edo, he became acquainted with Yoshida Shōin, who was very interested to hear from Kanetake the conditions of the north. Yoshida, accordingly armed with this knowledge, deceived Kanetake, and Kanetake thinking he would go back to the Tohoku with Yoshida, Yoshida, on December 14, 1850, left without telling Kanetake. The next day, Yoshida's associates, Toriyama, Miyabe, and Ebata, left for Tohoku as well. Kanetake was furious and allegedly thrashed about with his sword inside Sengaku-ji, but probably did not hurt anyone. Later he heard that Yoshida never made it over the strait to Ezo and never spoke to Yoshida again. He was friendly with Saito Shintaro of the Chōshū han who was renowned as a great swordsman.