It is said that he liked reading "Rongo" (Analects of Confucius), "Chuyo" (Doctrine of the Mean), "Shiki" (the Chinese Historical Records), "Kanjo" (historical records of the Han Dynasty), "Rikuto" (an ancient Chinese strategy book), "Sanryaku" (an ancient Chinese strategy book), "Joganseiyo" (a book written about Taiso, the second Emperor of Tang Dynasty in China), "Engishiki" (an ancient book for codes and procedures on national rites and prayers), and "Azuma kagami."
家康の愛読書は、『論語』、『中庸』、『史記』、『漢書』、『六韜』、『三略』、『貞観政要』、『延喜式』、『吾妻鑑』などの書物だと伝えられている。