He trained in Kito-ryu jujutsu under Noda Kensaburo (野田 権三郎) in Okayama before moving to Tokyo in 1892.

He was considered a "child prodigy" due to his fast rising, being compared to the legendary Shiro Saigo.

Tanabe was famous for submitting judokas thanks to his skill at ne-waza, but Nagaoka was able to resist his groundwork.

At one point, Mataemon attempted and almost locked a juji-gatame, but Nagaoka's defense and their position near the bounds of the tatami impeded the technique.

[1] In 1902 as a fifth dan, Nagaoka moved to Kobe with the mission of the spreading judo in and taught at the "Hyogo constable Driving School".