The Kogosho Conference Demands Yoshinobu’s Office and Lands

On January 3, 1868, the restoration proclamation accepted Yoshinobu’s return of governing authority and resignation as shogun, abolished the shogunate and regency, and established provisional governing offices. Iwakura Tomomi participated in defining the new structure under imperial authority and armed palace protection.

The Kogosho conference then addressed Yoshinobu’s remaining position. Yamauchi Yōdō favored his inclusion in deliberation. Iwakura and allies pressed for resignation from his court office and surrender of Tokugawa lands. Asano Nagakoto of Aki participated in mediating the discussion, which ended with those demands established as the government’s direction.

The proclamation itself had not transferred the Tokugawa house’s territories or soldiers. The conference’s demand therefore dealt with resources and status that remained after authority was returned. Yoshinobu’s departure to Osaka left these matters unresolved in practice, and confrontation followed at Toba–Fushimi. The meeting set a condition for political participation whose implementation became part of the dispute leading to war.