Changes

*''Japanese:''江戸城''(Edo-jou)''

*''Japanese:''江戸城''(Edo-jou)''

Edo castle was the center of government for the [[Tokugawa shogunate]] during the accordingly-named [[Edo period]], and chief residence of the Tokugawa shoguns. Since the [[Meiji period]], the [[Tokyo Imperial Palace]] has been located on its grounds.

Edo castle was the center of government for the [[Tokugawa shogunate]] during the accordingly-named [[Edo period]], and chief residence of the Tokugawa shoguns. Since the [[Meiji period]], the [[Tokyo Imperial Palace]] has been located on its grounds. While a number of the Edo period gates, walls, and such have survived, along with a few guardhouses and other structures, very little survives of the Edo period castle. The ''Honmaru'' has been left empty, and the ''Nishi-no-maru'' is now home to the central structures of the Imperial Palace.

[[File:Edo-jo-fukeizu-byobu.jpg|center|thumb|700px|Edo castle as seen on the ''Edojô tôjô fûkei zu byôbu'', Ôsuga Kiyomitsu, 1847. [[National Museum of Japanese History]].]]

[[File:Edo-jo-fukeizu-byobu.jpg|center|thumb|700px|Edo castle as seen on the ''Edojô tôjô fûkei zu byôbu'', Ôsuga Kiyomitsu, 1847. [[National Museum of Japanese History]].]]

The Ôtemon 大手門 was the main gate leading into the ''honmaru'' (central bailey) of the castle, where the majority of administrative and residential spaces were located. The Honmaru Goten, or Honmaru Palace, was divided into three sections: the ''omote'' or ''omote-muke'', containing reception rooms, audience halls, and administrative spaces; the ''nakaoku'', which served as the shogun's residence & housed his own personal administrative spaces; and the ''[[ooku|ôoku]]'', which housed the womens' quarters.

The Ôtemon 大手門 was the main gate leading into the ''honmaru'' (central bailey) of the castle, where the majority of administrative and residential spaces were located. The Honmaru Goten, or Honmaru Palace, was divided into three sections: the ''omote'' or ''omote-muke'', containing reception rooms, audience halls, and administrative spaces; the ''nakaoku'', which served as the shogun's residence & housed his own personal administrative spaces; and the ''[[ooku|ôoku]]'', which housed the womens' quarters.

===Omote===

====Omote====

Low- to middle-ranking samurai were obliged to dismount from their horses or palanquins before passing over the bridge leading to the Ôtemon. Those granted an exception were known as ''jôyo ijô'' (乗輿以上, lit. "palanquin riders and up"), and included those over 500 ''koku'' in income, and those over fifty years of age. After passing through the Ôtemon, one would cross another bridge, then pass through another series of gates - the Ôtesan-no-mon, Chûnomon, and Chûjakumon - before coming to the entrance hall (''genkan'') of the ''honmaru'' palace. The highest-ranking visitors to the castle, including members of the ''[[Gosanke]]'' and the abbot of [[Nikko|Nikkô's]] [[Rinno-ji|Rinnô-ji]]<ref>A Buddhist temple associated with the Tokugawa's [[Nikko Toshogu|Nikkô Tôshôgû]] shrine, its head was typically an Imperial prince.</ref>, were permitted to remain in their palanquins up until the Chûnomon, where they too had to dismount. Beyond each of these two dismounting points, visitors were restricted in the size of entourage they could bring along with them. For example, a ''[[kunimochi]] daimyô'' such as the [[Shimazu clan]] lord of [[Satsuma han]] could only bring with him six samurai retainers, one sandal-bearer, two ''[[hasamibako]]'' (luggage) carriers, and four palanquin carriers past the Ôtemon, and then had to leave three of those samurai retainers, half the luggage carriers (along with the luggage itself), and all of the palanquin carriers (along with the palanquin) at the second dismounting point. Finally, upon reaching the entrance hall (''genkan''), even such a high-ranking ''daimyô'' as this would be forced to enter the castle alone. This was perhaps in part a security measure, but was also a great show of the shogun's power (to be able to require that of even such a powerful lord), and of the ''daimyô's'' acknowledgement of that power & authority, and willing submission to it. Lower-ranking ''daimyô'', as well as other official visitors to the castle, were restricted to even smaller entourages during this brief journey between the Ôtemon and the castle ''genkan''.<ref>Fukai Masaumi, ''Edo-jô wo yomu'', Harashobô (1997), 18-19.</ref>

Low- to middle-ranking samurai were obliged to dismount from their horses or palanquins before passing over the bridge leading to the Ôtemon. Those granted an exception were known as ''jôyo ijô'' (乗輿以上, lit. "palanquin riders and up"), and included those over 500 ''koku'' in income, and those over fifty years of age. After passing through the Ôtemon, one would cross another bridge, then pass through another series of gates - the Ôtesan-no-mon, Chûnomon, and Chûjakumon - before coming to the entrance hall (''genkan'') of the ''honmaru'' palace. The highest-ranking visitors to the castle, including members of the ''[[Gosanke]]'' and the abbot of [[Nikko|Nikkô's]] [[Rinno-ji|Rinnô-ji]]<ref>A Buddhist temple associated with the Tokugawa's [[Nikko Toshogu|Nikkô Tôshôgû]] shrine, its head was typically an Imperial prince.</ref>, were permitted to remain in their palanquins up until the Chûnomon, where they too had to dismount. Beyond each of these two dismounting points, visitors were restricted in the size of entourage they could bring along with them. For example, a ''[[kunimochi]] daimyô'' such as the [[Shimazu clan]] lord of [[Satsuma han]] could only bring with him six samurai retainers, one sandal-bearer, two ''[[hasamibako]]'' (luggage) carriers, and four palanquin carriers past the Ôtemon, and then had to leave three of those samurai retainers, half the luggage carriers (along with the luggage itself), and all of the palanquin carriers (along with the palanquin) at the second dismounting point. Finally, upon reaching the entrance hall (''genkan''), even such a high-ranking ''daimyô'' as this would be forced to enter the castle alone. This was perhaps in part a security measure, but was also a great show of the shogun's power (to be able to require that of even such a powerful lord), and of the ''daimyô's'' acknowledgement of that power & authority, and willing submission to it. Lower-ranking ''daimyô'', as well as other official visitors to the castle, were restricted to even smaller entourages during this brief journey between the Ôtemon and the castle ''genkan''.<ref>Fukai Masaumi, ''Edo-jô wo yomu'', Harashobô (1997), 18-19.</ref>

The castle was guarded chiefly by the [[Koshôgumi]] (Inner Guard) and [[Shoinban]] (Bodyguards), who also defended the shogun himself when outside of the castle. Along with the [[Oban|Ôban]] (Great Guard) who guarded [[Nijo castle|Nijô]] and [[Osaka castle]]s, they constituted the three chief shogunate guard units. The commanders of these three units were selected from the highest-ranking ''[[hatamoto]]'', but wielded little political power.<ref>Mitani Hiroshi, David Noble (trans.), ''Escape from Impasse'', International House of Japan (2006), xxx.</ref>

The castle was guarded chiefly by the [[Koshôgumi]] (Inner Guard) and [[Shoinban]] (Bodyguards), who also defended the shogun himself when outside of the castle. Along with the [[Oban|Ôban]] (Great Guard) who guarded [[Nijo castle|Nijô]] and [[Osaka castle]]s, they constituted the three chief shogunate guard units. The commanders of these three units were selected from the highest-ranking ''[[hatamoto]]'', but wielded little political power.<ref>Mitani Hiroshi, David Noble (trans.), ''Escape from Impasse'', International House of Japan (2006), xxx.</ref>

===Nakaoku===

====Nakaoku====

Beyond the various audience halls lay the shogun's personal quarters, along with the [[Ooku|Ôoku]].

Beyond the various audience halls lay the shogun's personal quarters, along with the [[Ooku|Ôoku]].

===Ôoku===

====Ôoku====

 

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