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BASIC INFORMATION OF ÅŒOKU
ÅŒoku was located in the main enceinte of Edo castle Honmaru goden.[1] It shared space with the outer quarters which consisted of rooms for ceremonies and guard’s rooms for the daimyo class.[1] Moreover, the great interior also shared space with the middle interior which was a space where the shogun lived and dealt with political affairs.[1] Between these areas and the great interior was a gate called oÌ‚joÌ‚guchi which completely divided both spaces.[1] Additionally, the great interior was divided into more areas; elite women who got their own rooms, other servants who shared rooms, and finally a separate room just for the male officials who guarded the great interior and needed to do office work.[1] Generally, ÅŒoku did not allow men, therefore there was a room just for work and communication purposes.[1] The only men who were allowed in the great interior were the shogun, doctors, and painters.[1]
(See Figures 1 and 2 for a map of the Edo Castle and a map of the ÅŒoku.)
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[1] Hisako, “Servants of the Inner Quarters” (2008), pp173-176
Figure 1: “Map of Edo Castle” From Anna Beerens, “Interview with Two Ladies of the ÅŒoku: A Translation from KyÅ«ji Shimonroku,” Monumenta Nipponica 63:2 (2008), p. 279. doi:10.1353/mni.0.0035
Figure 2: “Map of Edo Castle” From Anna Beerens, “Interview with Two Ladies of the ÅŒoku: A Translation from KyÅ«ji Shimonroku,” Monumenta Nipponica 63:2 (2008), p. 280. doi:10.1353/mni.0.0035
The shogun’s principle wife which was officially called the Midaidokoro and children lived in ÅŒoku along with their servants.[2] The daughter of the shogun was considered a princess and had more than 50 servants by her side.[2] If the shogun’s mother was alive, she too lived in ÅŒoku.[2] Aside from the women who served directly for the elite women in ÅŒoku, there were other important positions that were established upon different titles and ranks.[3] One of the most important positions was called the ÅŒ-toshiyori; Elders in English, were the boss of all women in other positions.[4] They had the power to make the final decision that mattered in the great interior.[2] One important fact to note was that women who ended up entering ÅŒoku came from all different classes; Kyoto aristocrats through peasant women.[4]
[2] Yonemoto, “ÅŒoku: The Secret World of the Shogun’s Women” (2016), pp136
[3] See Figure 3, “Positions in the Great Interior”
[4] Hisako, “Servants of the Inner Quarters” (2008), pp180
Figure 3: “Positions in the Great Interior” From Hata Hisako, “Servants of the Inner Quarters,” in Servants of the Dynasty, ed. Anne Walthall, p. 176 (University of California Press, 2008).
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