[a] At the age of 16, Saito started playing the cello under the tutelage of a musician in Imperial Household Ministry.

After attending the Gyosei Junior High School, Saito entered Sophia University.

On his way there, he was accompanied by then-famous composer and conductor Prince Hidemaro Konoye who was the younger brother of pre-war Japanese Prime Minister Fumimaro Konoe.

[2] After two years of intensive study, Saito returned to Japan and resumed his work as principal cellist of the New Symphony Orchestra.

Kasei Gakuin, which had always been cooperative with Saito and his fellow teachers until then, became unable to be as generous in assigning more space for their proposed music high school.

Their requests had been turned down one after the other until negotiations with Toho Girls' High School in Sengawa, Chōfu, Tokyo.

Despite this negative atmosphere, the enthusiasm of Saito and the other musicians were gradually gaining supporters until a co-ed music course finally opened at Toho Girls' High School in 1952.