He was born in Chōshū (present-day Yamaguchi prefecture) as the second son of Wada Masakage (和田昌景), a clan doctor. Together with Saigo Takamori and Okubo Toshimichi, he is counted among what was known as the Ishin-no-Sanketsu (維新の三傑), which means, roughly, "three nobles of the restoration". His younger sister's grandson was Tokyo politician Kidoko Uichi (木戸幸一).
He was a representative of the Sonno joi movement in Chōshū. He represented Chōshū in the Satsuma-Chōshū alliance, or Satchōdōmei (薩長同盟).
He was a member of the Iwakura mission that toured America and Europe to study western forms of government.
During the height of the southwestern revolt of 1877 (led by Saigo Takamori), he died of natural causes. He was 45.
The second was Kido Koin,a samurai from the Choshu clan, who was an extraordinarily able diplomat, a master of the art of persuasion.
Kido's historical importance rests primarily upon his conviction that feudalism had to be abolished if the nation was to prosper together with his ability to convince the feudal lords that it was in their own interests, as well as their patriotic duty, to return the Emperor to power and to support the new central government.
Saigo was the impetuous man of action, Kido the diplomat, and Okubo the master planner of the new regime.
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