He accompanied the seven nobles of decline (so called "Shichikyo-ochi") and went down to the domain of Choshu and then to Dazaifu; later he called himself Uta TODA and acted as a vehicle of communication for Sanjo with Takamori SAIGO and other members of Sonnno-joi-ha (a group of activists who admired the Emperor and hated foreigners, advocating the need for expelling them from Japan) in various regions of Japan.
三条の七卿落ちに随行して長州藩次いで大宰府に赴く、後に「戸田雅楽」という名前で三条の代わりとして西郷隆盛をはじめとして各地の尊皇攘夷派との連絡役となる。