The expedition was in retaliation for Chōshū's role in the attack on the Kyoto Imperial Palace during the Kinmon incident in August 1864.

The expedition ended in a nominal victory for the shogunate after a deal negotiated by Saigō Takamori allowed Chōshū to hand over the ringleaders of the Kinmon incident.

[1] The conflict finally led to a compromise brokered by the Satsuma Domain at the end of 1864.

For this reason, Saigō Takamori, who was one of the Commanders of the shogunate forces, proposed to avoid fighting and instead obtain the leaders responsible for the rebellion.

Thus ended the First Chōshū expedition without a fight, as a nominal victory for the Bakufu.