Shigetsugu spouse was a daughter of Torii Tadayoshi, and his son was Honda Narishige who eventually became the lord of the Maruoka Domain of the Echizen Province.

Shigetsugu also distinguished himself at Battle of Azukizaka (1564) suppressing the uprising Ikko sect followers in Mikawa Province.

In 1565, he was named one of Mikawa's San-bugyô, or Three Commissioners (along with Amano Yasukage and Koriki Kiyonaga).

In 1569, during the Siege of Kakegawa Castle in Tōtōmi Province, Shigetsugu worked together with Watanabe Moritsuna, and other Tokugawa samurai fought in close combat, until they manage to breach the castle gate on the night of the 22nd.

At the Siege of Odawara (1590), he intercepted and beat back the naval warriors of Later Hōjō clan led by Kajiwara Kagemune.