Ōoku
Ōoku (大奥) generally refers to the section of Edo Castle where the women connected to the reigning Shōgun resided; it sometimes refers to the quarters where the women related to a powerful Daimyō stayed.[1]
This included the shōgun's mother, wife, and concubines. Rumored to have had several thousands of women at one point, the Ōoku was, as much as any other part of Edo Castle, a focal point of political intrigue for the Tokugawa government.
There were no male adults admitted onto the floor of Ōoku without the Shōgun. The corridor through which the Shōgun entered was called Osuzu Rōka (御鈴廊下),[2] and it was the only route connected to Ōoku from rest of Edo Castle.[3]
A lady or madam posted as Otoshiyori (御年寄) or Jōrō Otoshiyori (上臈御年寄) held the reins of power of Ōoku, and she attained the power equivalent of Rōjū (老中) in Edo Castle.
A recent popular portrayal of the Ōoku was the Japanese television drama Ōoku: Hana no Ran and Atsuhime (NHK Taiga drama).
Notes
- ^ The Satsuma Domain employed this term
- ^ Deriving from ringing the temple bells before Shōgun had passed through.
- ^ Later another corridor was built as the escape route against disasters such as fire or earthquake.
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