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The Ooku in Edo Castle was a forbidden space for men, with no one allowed to enter except the Shogun. More than 1,000 women worked in the Ooku, also known as the "women's garden," but how did the Ooku maids live? In this article, we'll introduce the real situation of the Ooku in the Edo period and the lives of the Ooku maids! ▼Table of Contents▼ 00:00 Video summary 00:49 The structure of the Ooku and Gotenmukae 04:57 Nagatsukasamu, where the Ooku maids live 10:09 Ooku maids' positions and career advancement circumstances 15:44 The lives of the Ooku maids as seen through the Ooku Laws ▼Recommended related videos▼ The life of the Tokugawa Shoguns was surprisingly cramped! A thorough explanation of life in Edo Castle, from living space to dining etiquette • The life of the Tokugawa Shoguns was surprisingly cramped! Life in Edo Castle, from living space to dining etiquette... ▼Main reference books▼ Fukuda Chizuru, Women and Men in the Ooku: Deciphering the Laws of the Ooku (Yoshikawa Kobunkan, 2021) https://amzn.to/3SLVaaV Rekishijin October 2021 Issue (The 15 Tokugawa Shoguns and the Ooku) (ABC Arc, 2021) https://amzn.to/46NcFND Nakae Katsumi, Illustrated Map of Edo Castle (Seishun Publishing, 2010) https://amzn.to/46MOZJs Fukai Masaumi, Edo Castle: The Honmaru Palace and Shogunate Politics (Chuokoron-Shinsha, 2008) https://amzn.to/3AoRLsl Hata Naoko, Tales of the Edo Oku Maids (Kodansha, 2001) https://amzn.to/4dlPrRc Mitamura Engyo's "Gotenjochu" (Chuokoron-Shinsha, 1998) https://amzn.to/3X1hXSt and many more ▼Image source▼ ColBase https://colbase.nich.go.jp/?locale=ja