In Kyoto, Tatewaki, who opposes the use of force, visits Saigo to make him change his plan to attack Edo. Saigo, however, refuses to meet him of fear of being talked into Tatewaki's idea and leads the Imperial army to fight the shogunate. To avoid the war, Ikushima, who lives in seclusion in Kyoto, sees Tenshoin and advises her to write a letter to Saigo to convince him to stop the attack.
