However, when the power of the Imperial Court was transferred from the supporters of Sonno Joi to the supporters of Kobu Gattai (integration of the imperial court and the shogunate), owing to the Coup of August 18 that took place in 1863, he escaped to the Choshu Domain by ship protected by the army of Choshu Domain together with Sanetomi SANJO, Suetomo SANJO, Nobuyoshi SAWA, Motoosa MIBU, Takauta SHIJO, and Yorinori NISHIKINOKOJI.
しかし文久3年（1863年）、八月十八日の政変によって、朝廷の実権が尊皇攘夷派から公武合体派に移ると、長州藩兵に守られ、三条実美、三条西季知、澤宣嘉、壬生基修、四条隆謌、錦小路頼徳とともに船で長州へ逃れた。