At the end of the Edo period, many local people including Chikara UEHIRA became pro-Imperial patriots, and Totsukawa was expected to dispatch more than 1,000 soldiers; with the expectations of radical nobles, Totsukawa was ordered to go to the Court to guard the Palace along with Satuma Domain, Choshu Domain, and Tosa Domain.
幕末になると、上平主税などを筆頭に勤皇の志士となるものも多く、また千名を超える兵動員力を期待され、過激派公家の思惑などから薩摩藩、長州藩、土佐藩等と並んで宮廷警護を命ぜられた。