Born in Kyoto into a family of court nobles, he was later adopted by the Iwakura family.
He came to serve close to Emperor Kōmei.
He opposed imperial sanction for the shogunate's commercial treaty, petitioning with other nobles.
For court–shogunate cooperation he promoted Princess Kazunomiya's marriage into the shogunal house.
Attacked as pro-shogunate, he lived in seclusion for about five years at Iwakura village north of Kyoto.
Allied with Ōkubo Toshimichi and others, he brought about the proclamation restoring imperial rule.
Made Minister of the Right, he led the mission to America and Europe as ambassador plenipotentiary.
At Akasaka in Tokyo he was attacked and wounded by former samurai angry over the Korea dispute.
He encouraged the nobility to invest and helped found a private railway company.
He died of illness and received Japan's first state funeral.
Princess KazuYamauchi Yōdō (Toyoshige)Inoue KaoruInoue KowashiŌkubo Toshimichi
Matsuura TakeshirōWilliam S. ClarkKanō HōgaiTakahashi YuichiSoejima TaneomiNishi AmaneYuri KimimasaŌkubo Toshimichi
People of the Meiji period ・ People by period
Based on facts found in textbooks and biographies. Uncertain points are marked as such.