Born into the Mizuno family, lords of Karatsu in Hizen.
He became lord of Karatsu, eager to take part in shogunate government.
To qualify for high shogunate office, he asked to be transferred to Hamamatsu in Tōtōmi.
Through posts such as magistrate of temples and shrines, keeper of Osaka Castle and Kyoto deputy, he rose to just below senior councillor.
He became a senior councillor and later head of the council.
After the retired shogun Ienari died, he launched the Tenpō Reforms: sumptuary laws, the dissolution of merchant guilds and a law sending farmers in Edo back to their villages.
His order to bring land around Edo and Osaka under direct shogunate control met fierce opposition from lords and bannermen, and he was dismissed.
Briefly recalled as senior councillor, he resigned the next year and was later punished with a reduced domain.
He died.
Aizawa SeishisaiNinomiya SontokuŌshio HeihachirōWatanabe KazanMatthew C. PerryPhilipp Franz von SieboldUtagawa HiroshigeUtagawa Kuniyoshi
People of the Edo period ・ People by period
Based on facts found in textbooks and biographies. Uncertain points are marked as such.