Based on Nariaki's educational policy, "a boy should be educated in his home domain" Yoshinobu moved to Mito at the age of seven months and spent most of his time there until he succeeded to the Hitotsubashi Tokugawa Family, during which time he was educated and taught martial arts by Seishisai AIZAWA.
「男子は国許で養育する」という斉昭の教育方針に則り、生後7ヶ月にして水戸藩に移り、一橋徳川家を相続するまでの多くを同地で過ごす間、会沢正志斎らから学問・武術を教授されている。