 He graduated first in his class at the "Tōkyō Bijutsu Gakkō" (the forerunner of the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music), and became a teacher at the same institution in 1894.When Okakura Tenshin left government service to establish the Japan Fine Arts Academy ("Nihon Bijutsuin"), Kanzan joined him, together with Yokoyama Taikan and Hishida Shunsō.However, Kanzan returned to his teaching post at the Tokyo Bijutsu Gakkō from 1901–1908, with a hiatus from 1903–1905, when he went to study in England.