The sixth Shogun Ienobu TOKUGAWA had been formerly the feudal lord of Kofu Domain, and so, in order to carry out his reforms, he promoted Akifusa MANABE and a scholar Hakuseki ARAI, both of whom had had achievements in political reforms in the Kofu Domain, to his grand chamberlain and personal staff respectively.
6代将軍となった徳川家宣は、もと甲府藩主から将軍職となったが、甲府時代から政治改革に実績のあった側用人間部詮房や学者の新井白石を起用し、改革を行った。