Around that time, Ieyasu brought together his six chief vassals; Naomasa, Tadachika OKUBO, Masanobu HONDA, Yasumasa SAKAKIBARA, Tadakatsu HONDA and Chikayoshi HIRAIWA, to ask who he ought to make his successor, and Naomasa recommended his son-in-law Tadayoshi.
また、この頃家康が直政・大久保忠隣・本多正信・榊原康政・本多忠勝・平岩親吉ら六人の重臣を呼び集め、自分の世嗣を誰にするか尋ねているが、直政はこの時自分の娘婿である忠吉を推している。