After the Naomasa's death, his descendants abandoned Sawayama-jo Castle and built Hikone-jo Castle, then after the Osaka no Eki (The Siege of Osaka) their koku crop yield was gradually increased from 180,000 to 350,000 including incremental 50,000 koku three times, and they became Daidaimyo (a feudal lord having a greater stipend) of Hikone Domain.
直政の死後、直政の子孫は、佐和山城を廃して彦根城を築き、彦根藩18万石から大坂の役の後に5万石ずつ加増されて彦根藩35万石の大大名となった。