A descendant of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate, is due to step down as the head of the clan at the end of this year and hand the role to his son.

Sources close to the family say 82-year-old Tokugawa Tsunenari, the 18th and current head of the Tokugawa family, has decided to step down, citing his age. His eldest son, Iehiro, 57, will take over. Iehiro currently serves as the director of the Tokugawa Memorial Foundation.

Tsunenari, who became head of the family in 1963, established the foundation in 2003 to preserve and exhibit cultural property and documents associated with the clan, which ruled Japan during the Edo period, between the early 17th and late 19th centuries.

Iehiro plans to visit the Toshogu Shrine in Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture, north of Tokyo, and five other places related to the family starting next month to report the change to his ancestors.

He will officially become the 19th head of the family on January 1.