Later, having served as Kachi-metsuke (a person in charge of night duty and inspection), Goyobeya-shoyaku (a clerical of the senior councilor's office) and so on, he took a leading role in the domain duties as a chief member of the Seichugumi organization including Takamori SAIGO and Toshimichi OKUBO, and promoted Sonno-tobaku (literally, reverence for the emperor and the overthrow of the shogunate) movement.
のち、徒目付や御用部屋書役などを務め、西郷隆盛・大久保らと始めとする精忠組の中心人物として藩政をリードし、尊皇討幕運動を推進した。