Thanks to his contribution to the Meiji Restoration, Tomomi IWAKURA, who headed the family during a transitional period from the end of the Edo period to the Meiji period, was appointed as Minister of the Right, the second highest position following Daijo-daijin (Grand Minister, today's equivalent of the prime minister) Sanetomi SANJO.
幕末から明治時代にかけての当主岩倉具視は、明治維新の功績によって太政大臣（首相）三条実美に次ぐ右大臣に任じられた。