Because the Bakufu chose Shushigaku (Neo-Confucianism) as the academic subject to be studied, Sonnoron (Imperialism), which placed 'Mikado' (the Emperor) as the legitimate ruler rather than a hegemon of the Tokugawa clan, became popular among people such as the Mito-Tokugawa family (Mito Domain).
幕府が学問に儒学の朱子学を採用したことから、覇者である徳川家より「みかど」が正当な支配者であるという尊王論が水戸徳川家（水戸藩）を中心として盛んになった。