In his youth, prior to the [[Meiji Restoration|fall of the Tokugawa shogunate]], Itô was a follower or student of ''[[sonno|sonnô]] [[joi|jôi]]'' activist [[Yoshida Shoin|Yoshida Shôin]]. | In his youth, prior to the [[Meiji Restoration|fall of the Tokugawa shogunate]], Itô was a follower or student of ''[[sonno|sonnô]] [[joi|jôi]]'' activist [[Yoshida Shoin|Yoshida Shôin]]. |