In 1867, Takamori SAIGO and Toshimichi OKUBO of Satsuma, who groped for the union of major domains to take the initiative in the political situation, urged Hisamitsu SHIMAZU, Shungaku MATSUDAIRA, Munee DATE and Yodo YAMANOUCH (the former lord of the Tosa domain) to come to Kyoto to discuss the port of Hyogo and the treatment of Choshu with Yoshinobu TOKUGAWA, but the four great members, lacking solidarity, were overwhelmed by Yoshinobu's political smartness, and could not make a respectable showing.
翌慶応3年（1867年）薩摩藩の西郷・大久保利通らは政局の主導権を握るため雄藩連合を模索し、島津久光・松平春嶽・伊達宗徳・山内容堂（前土佐藩主）の上京を促して、兵庫開港および長州処分問題について徳川慶喜と協議させたが、慶喜の政治力が上回り、団結を欠いた四侯会議は無力化した。