Ienari spent most of his time in O-oku and played virtually no part in the administration of the bakufu, instead leaving such duties to his cabinet members, including Sadanobu MATSUDAIRA and Nobuaki MATSUDAIRA.
幕政をほとんど主導せず、松平定信や松平信明らの幕閣に任せて自らは大奥に入り浸っていた。