Yoshimune TOKUGAWA had a deep connection to whaling, which was one of the core industries of the Kishu Domain, and twice had the kujira-gumi (a whaling group) of Kumano-nada Sea conduct large scale whaling expeditions combined with military exercises.
紀州藩の基幹産業の一つである捕鯨との関わりも深く、熊野灘の鯨組に軍事訓練を兼ねた大規模捕鯨を2度実施させている。