Sonnō jōi
Mutsu Munemitsu was born in Wakayama domain, Kii Province as the sixth son of Date Munehiro, a "samurai" retainer of the Kii Tokugawa clan. His father was active in the "Sonnō jōi" movement, and Mutsu Munemitsu joined forces with Sakamoto Ryōma and Itō Hirobumi in the movement to overthrow the Tokugawa shogunate.