haʊˈɛvɚ, fˈɑːloʊɪŋ ðə dᵻfˈiːt ʌvðə tˌoʊkjuːɡˈɑːwə fˈoːɹsᵻz æt ðə bˈæɾəl ʌv tˈoʊbə fˈʌʃɪmi ɪn fˈɛbɹuːˌɛɹi wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti ˈeɪt, hiː wʌz pɹˈɛʃɚd baɪ hɪz mˈoːɹ pˈaʊɚfəl nˈeɪbɚz ɪŋklˈuːdɪŋ ˌɪwɐkɪtˈeɪɹə dəmˈeɪn ænd sˈɛndaɪ dəmˈeɪn ˌɪntʊ dʒˈɔɪnɪŋ ðɪ aʊˈɛtsuː ɹˈɛpæn dˈoʊmaɪ.
However, following the defeat of the Tokugawa forces at the Battle of Toba–Fushimi in February 1868, he was pressured by his more powerful neighbors (including Iwakitaira Domain and Sendai Domain) into joining the Ōuetsu Reppan Dōmei.