He was obliged to have a hand in shogitai (group of former Tokugawa retainers opposed to the Meiji government who fought in the Battle of Ueno) and was involved in the Battle of Ueno; after that, he was put up by Ouetsu-reppan alliance and went to Sendai (and was enthroned as Tobu Emperor as report has it.)
彰義隊に担がれて上野戦争に巻き込まれ、その後奥羽列藩同盟に擁立され仙台に赴いた（東武皇帝として即位したとする説あり）。