Changes

*''Japanese'': 大番 ''(ooban)''

*''Japanese'': 大番 ''(ooban)''

The ''Ôban'', or "Great Guard," was one of the three chief shogunate guard forces in the [[Edo period]]. While the ''[[koshogumi|koshôgumi]]'' and ''[[shoinban]]'' oversaw the defense of [[Edo castle]] and of the shogun's person, the ''Ôban'' oversaw the defenses of [[Nijo castle|Nijô]] and [[Osaka castle]]s.

The ''Ôban'', or "Great Guard," was one of the three chief shogunate guard forces in the [[Edo period]]. While the ''[[koshogumi|koshôgumi]]'' and ''[[shoinban]]'' oversaw the defense of [[Edo castle]] and of the shogun's person, the ''Ôban'' oversaw the defenses of [[Nijo castle|Nijô]] and [[Osaka castle]]s, as well as patrolling the samurai districts of [[Edo]] (outside of the castle grounds proper).

The commander of the ''Ôban'' was typically among the highest-ranking ''[[hatamoto]]'', but possessed little political power.

The commander of the ''Ôban'' was typically among the highest-ranking ''[[hatamoto]]'', but possessed little political power.