大奥(おおおく)

おおおく
noun
women's quarters in Edo Castle
history
1. women's quarters in Edo Castle
The inner chambers of Edo Castle where the shogun's wife, concubines, and their female attendants lived during the Edo period. By extension, also used to refer to any secretive inner circle dominated by women.
大奥(おおおく)は男子禁制(だんしきんせい)だった。
The inner chambers were off-limits to men.
大奥(おおおく)を舞台(ぶたい)にしたドラマが話題(わだい)になった。
A drama set in the shogun's inner chambers became a hot topic.
大奥(おおおく)では数千人(すうせんにん)もの女性(じょせい)が働(はたら)いていたと言(い)われている。
It is said that several thousand women worked in the inner chambers.

Cultural note

The 大奥(おおおく) was the private living quarters within Edo Castle exclusively for women, including the shogun's wife (御台所(みだいどころ)), concubines (側室(そくしつ)), and numerous female attendants. It was strictly forbidden for men to enter. The 大奥(おおおく) is a popular subject in Japanese historical dramas, manga, and novels.

Common collocations

general
Added 2026.3.14 10:36 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
16500/16607_oooku