 His childhood name was Kisaburō (嘉三郎) and his youth name was Maeda Toshichika (利見).In 1748, during the height of the "O-Ie Sōdō" known as the “Kaga Sōdō” he was brought to Edo together with his elder brother Maeda Toshikazu, and was adopted as provisional heir to the young Maeda Shigehiro.He was presented in formal audience to "Shōgun" Tokugawa Ieshige in 1751.