In the beginning of May, he was concerned about what the army should do first, the abolition of Shogitai in Ueno or the fierce battle of Ou-Shirakawa Castle, and he was depended upon to secure Edo for the other domain, and try to support Shirakawa with direct soldier of Satsuma, but he took attack Ueno first because of Masujiro OMORI's opposition.
5月上旬、上野の彰義隊の打破と東山軍の奥羽白河城攻防戦の救援のどちらを優先するかに悩み、江戸守備を他藩にまかせて、配下の薩摩兵を率いて白河応援に赴こうとしたが、大村益次郎の反対にあい、上野攻撃を優先することにした。