However, after Masatoshi HOTTA was stabbed to death by Masayasu INABA, a junior councilor, in 1684, Tsunayoshi no longer had a tairo, instead relying on sobayonin (lord chamberlains) such as Narisada MAKINO and Yoshiyasu YANAGISAWA, and kept his distance from the roju (member of shogun's council of elders).
しかしながら、貞享元年（1684年）堀田正俊が若年寄稲葉正休に刺殺されると、綱吉は以後大老を置かず側用人の牧野成貞、柳沢吉保らを重用して老中などを遠ざけるようになった。