In 1862, the prince was allowed to return to secular status and received the title "Nakagawa no miya." This was part of the amnesty declared in honor of the marriage of "Shōgun" Tokugawa Iemochi, to Kazu-no-miya, the Emperor Kōmei's half-sister. He returned to Kyoto, became a close advisor of the emperor, and became known by yet another title, "Kaya-no-miya" at this time. In September 1863, Kōmei bestowed on him the name "Asahiko" and the status of a prince of the blood ("shinnō"imperial prince of shinnōke), and named him "Danjō no in", a high ranking court position open only to princes of the blood. Prince Asahiko continued in this post following the death of Kōmei and the ascension of the Meiji emperor.