They were in the highest position among Tokugawa's relatives, and were privileged to refer to themselves as Tokugawa, along with Tokugawa Shogunate Family and Gosankyo (three other privileged branches of the Tokugawa family), and to use the family crest of Mitsuba-aoi (three leaves of hollyhock).
親藩（一門）のうち最高位にあり、将軍家や御三卿とともに徳川姓を名乗ることや三つ葉葵の家紋使用が許される。