Ooku: Women of Power in Edo Castle

I went to Tokyo for this fabulous, special exhibition at the Tokyo National Museum last Tuesday.

Information from the museum: 

The ōoku refers to the living quarters of the wives and ladies-in-waiting of the Tokugawa shoguns during the Edo period (1603–1868). It was sequestered within the shogunate’s fortress Edo Castle, which was historically located where the Imperial Palace now stands. The castle’s main compound was divided into sections called the omote and nakaoku. Beyond these, copper-plated walls marked the boundary of the strictly controlled ōoku, accessible via only two passageways known as the “bell corridors” (osuzu-rōka). As part of the shogun’s private quarters, the world of the ōoku was hidden from outsiders. Its secrecy made it an object of public curiosity until its dissolution in the late 19th century. Stories, rumors, and speculation gave rise to a wealth of narratives, dramatic works, Kabuki plays, and ukiyo-e prints set in the ōoku. Today, interest remains high in this secretive institution, and countless movies, TV shows, manga, and novels feature women of the ōoku as their main characters. Virtually all of these, however, are works of fiction and fail to portray the ōoku as it truly was.This exhibition attempts to uncover a more truthful picture of the ōoku through the stories told by some 180 objects. These range from historical records and architectural drawings to the personal belongings of the wives, daughters, and ladies-in-waiting of the ōoku, including principal wives and senior-ranking ladies-in-waiting known as elders. The exhibition balances discussions of the ōoku of popular imagination with academic insights from the latest research.

Photos are only allowed in the introductory open area of the exhibit. After that it was much too crowded and people taking pictures would make it much harder to see anything.

J

An English list of the items in the exhibit can be seen here.  The rest of the exhibit was great, but I don’t have any pictures to show. This is the first I’ve seen or read such an in depth history of the women during this time period. It was so interesting!

Some additional photos and information can be found on the Premium Japan site.