[1] He faced much opposition in Satsuma since he spent most of his life in Edo (and compulsory requirement as the heir of daimyo, set by the Shogunate); as such he was considered a stranger in his own domain.

Shigehide also had a great interest in Dutch studies as well as scientific and industrial projects, which promptly led to the deterioration of the domain's financial position.

Having worked so hard to rehabilitate and strengthen the treasury of Satsuma, Zusho did not encourage Nariakira's ambitious and costly program for a military build-up.

[3] Another formidable and dangerous obstacle for Nariakira in not only his plans to bolster the defenses of all of Japan but also his ascendancy to daimyō of Satsuma was Yura, the mother of his half-brother, Hisamitsu.

Nariakira arrived in Satsuma to attempt to resolve the Ryūkyū crisis, as per the orders of shogunal high official Abe Masahiro, on June 25, 1846.

Nariakira and Abe Masahiro decided in the end that, despite the shogunate's policies of seclusion, such relations should be allowed in Ryūkyū, rather than risking violent conflict with the Western powers.

[3] At about the same time, Hisamitsu was given the highly respected post of han councilor, a rank which, according to the instructions accompanying the appointment, placed him at the top of the social scale.

[3] At ceremonial occasions, Hisamitsu was ordered by his father to sit at a place higher than that of the deputy in charge of the daimyō of Satsuma's castle.

This belief caused many of them to call for the assassination of Yura, her son Hisamitsu, and Zusho, who they felt also played a hand in the deaths of Nariakira's eldest children.

Abe, seeing that Nariakira was being hindered in his proceeding with the Ryūkyū crisis by his own father and family retainers, aided in getting Narioki to retire and removing Zusho.

The young Nariakira was fascinated by his grandfather's collection of western items, which included clocks, musical instruments, telescopes, microscopes, and weapons.

[9] Shigehide also introduced Nariakira to Philipp Franz von Siebold, a German physician serving as the director of the Dutch East India Company (Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie) in Nagasaki, making him one of the few Japanese to have actually met a Westerner.

[12] He would frequently visit schools and ask students to explain the meaning of the Confucian texts, to ensure that their Western learning did not corrupt their sense of nationalism.

[12] So strong was Nariakira's desire to raise well-educated youths that he set aside four koku annually to feed starving scholars, essentially a form of financial aid or scholarship.

Abe spoke on behalf of the Tokugawa shōgun in regards to Japan's national military defense and was the one who placed Nariakira in charge of Satsuma's dealing with the Ryūkyū Western Trade Treaty crisis.

[18] He instructed his associates Yamaguchi Sadayasu and Shimazu Hisataka to gather information in Satsuma for him as well as keep a close watch on Zusho's activities with special emphasis on goods and money being brought into the domain.

In a letter addressed to Date on August 27, 1848, Nariakira thanks him for obtaining Abe's assurance that he would overlook Nairoki and Zusho's transgressions and not take Satsuma to court as long as the Ryūkyū problem was resolved satisfactorily.