While the cause of Kiyomasa's death is understood to have been emaciation due to sexual overindulgence (venereal disease) according to "Todaiki" (a famous chronicle describing the Early Modern age), some say it was Togasa (syphilis) and some say it was murder by poisoning by Ieyasu or his followers.
清正の死因は『当代記』によれば腎虚（花柳病）とされているが、唐瘡（梅毒）説や家康またはその一派による毒殺説もある。