While the Shizoku-no-Hanran (rebellion of warrior class), Saga-no-ran War (turmoil of Saga), Shimpuren-no-ran War (turmoil of Shimpuren, a dissatisfied warrior group), Akizuki-no-ran War (turmoil of Akizuki), and Hagi-no-ran War (turmoil of dissatisfied warriors at Hagi) were going on, he became a leader in the Seinan War, which started due to students of Shigakko in 1877, but he lost at Shiroyama and committed suicide.
佐賀の乱、神風連の乱、秋月の乱、萩の乱など士族の反乱が続く中で、明治10年（1877年）に私学校生徒の暴動から起こった西南戦争の指導者となるが、敗れて城山で自刃した。