Matsutani first presents his work at the 8th Nishinomiya Art Exhibition in June 1957, attracting the attention of a judge from the Nihonga section, Shôsaku Arao, who offers to become his teacher.
From 1959, Matsutani attends the drawing class of the Nishinomiya Civic Art Class, where he makes the acquaintance of Sadamasa Motonaga (1922-2011), one of the members of the Gutai association.