Bakufu approached the authority of the Imperial Court and conducted Kobu-gattai (公武合体）policies targeting the re-establishment of their power, but the Sonno joi (尊王攘夷）faction, including the court nobles Tomomi IWAKURA, Takamori SAIGO (Kichinosuke), Toshimichi OKUBO, Tatewaki KOMATSU of the Satsuma clan, Kogoro KATSURA (Takayoshi KIDO) and Saneomi HIROSAWA of the Choshu clan, plotted the acceptance of restoration of imperial rule and tobaku by military power.
幕府は朝廷権威に接近して権力の再構築を図る公武合体政策を行うが、公家の岩倉具視や、薩摩藩の西郷隆盛(吉之助)、大久保利通、小松帯刀、長州藩の桂小五郎(木戸孝允)、広沢真臣などの尊皇攘夷派らは、王政復古、武力討幕路線を構想する。