Behind the Closed Doors of the Shogun’s Harem
男子禁制「大奥」の扉の向こうは？
男子禁制「大奥」の扉の向こうは？
Foreign Student (hereinafter FS): The Imperial Palace stands (1 on ) what was once Edo Castle, and I’ve heard that there was a harem (2 in ) that castle. Is that true?
留学生（以下、留）：皇居はかつての江戸城だった場所にあり、そこにハーレムがあったと聞きました。本当ですか。
Teacher (hereinafter T): Ah! You’re talking (3 about ) Ohoku, which was founded in the early 17th century.
先生（以下、先）：あぁ、17世紀の初めにつくられた大奥のことですね。
The Ohoku was established (4 in ) the era of the second shogun, Tokugawa Hidetada, and (5 during ) the reign of the third shogun, Iemitsu, the system was altered so that the only man who could enter was the shogun.
2代将軍徳川秀忠の時代に大奥ができ、3代家光の時代に大奥へ入れる男性は将軍のみとなりました。
The first shogun, Ieyasu, brought the long lasting Warring States period (6 to ) a close by subjugating all of Japan. In order to maintain stability, it was important to ensure there would be an heir (7 to ) the throne
初代将軍家康は、長く続いた戦国時代を終わらせるため全国を平定しました。 安定をはかる ためには世継ぎが大切でした。
FS: How was the shogun’s harem organized?
留：大奥はどのような仕組みだったんですか。
T: It was a pyramid system, (8 in ) which only the women in the top five ranking classes were able to see the shogun. These women were selected (9 from ) high class families
先：ピラミッド型の組織で、上位5 段階までの女性のみが将軍に会うことができました。女性達は身分の高い家柄から選ばれました。
It is said that the maids serving these women were distributed between six workplaces. These maids could be chosen (10 from ) among ordinary citizens, and the number of maids was (11 at ) one time as many as 1,000.
彼女達を支える女中は6つの職場に配属されました。女中は町民から選ばれ、多いときで千人はいたといわれます。
(12 As ) it was a great honor to join the Ohoku, an entrance exam was conducted.
大奥に入るのはたいへんな名誉で、試験が行われました。
Official wives were chosen (13 for ) political reasons. Women whose status rose as managers (14 of ) the Ohoku, or concubines that gave birth to boys – that might one day be heirs (15 to ) the throne – wielded more political power than daimyou (lords).
正室は政略結婚で選ばれました。大奥をしきる地位についたり、世継ぎの可能性のある男子を生んだ側室は、大名よりも大きな権力を持ちました。
FS: How were they treated?
留： 待遇 は どう だった ん です か。
T: The highest ranked women received the equivalent of over 20 million yen a year. (16 In ) addition, there were many benefits, such as being awarded a house.
先：トップクラスだと、現在の2 千万円以上の年収がありました。また、屋敷を与えられる など、さまざまなはからいがありました。
An event was held (17 every ) month at which the women could sample regional specialties. Furthermore, they lived extravagantly. Official wives never wore the same kimono twice.
毎月イベントがあり、各地の名物料理を食べることができました。また、暮らしぶりはぜいたくでした。正室は同じ着物を2度着ることはありませんでした。
(18 On ) the other hand, many scandals regarding love affairs occurred.
その一方で、恋愛に関するスキャンダルが数多く起きました。
A well-known incident is that of a senior woman who was accused of committing adultery (19 with ) a popular kabuki actor. Another one is group (20 of ) women who committed adultery with monks while visiting a temple (21 under ) the pretext of praying for a safe childbirth.
有名なのは人気歌舞伎役者と密通したとされるトップクラスの女性の事件。もう一つは集団で安産祈願の名目で寺を訪れ僧侶と密通していた事件です。
FS: Weren’t the women at the Ohoku involved (22 in ) politics?
留：大奥の女性が政治に関わることはなかったのですか。
T: The Tokugawa period lasted (23 for ) 260 years, and two Ohoku women played historically important roles (24 during ) the reign of the 15th and last shogun, Yoshinobu.
先：徳川時代は260年続きましたが、最後の15代将軍慶喜のとき、大奥にいた二人の女性が歴史的に大きな役割を果たしました。
In March 1868, an army intent (25 on ) overthrowing the shogun and restoring the Emperor to power was about to launch an all-out attack (26 on ) Edo with the intention of completely destroying the Tokugawa regime.
1868年3月、将軍に代わって天皇を復活させたい勢力が、徳川の壊滅をはかるために江戸を総攻撃しようとしていました。
Edo was one of the largest cities (27 in ) the world at that time and if that had happened, would have been consumed (28 in ) flames.
江戸は当時世界最大級の都市で、総攻撃が起これば火の海となります。
Kazunomiya, Emperor Komei’s sister and the official wife (29 of ) the 14th shogun, Iemochi sent a letter to the new government’s military commander Tomosada Iwakura – a childhood friend – pleading (30 with ) him to stop the attack.
孝明天皇の妹で14代将軍家茂の正室、和宮は幼なじみであり新政府の総督、岩倉具貞に、攻撃をやめるように哀願した手紙を送りました。
In addition, Tenshouin, the legal wife of the 13th shogun, Iesada, and daughter (31 of ) the lord of Satsuma – who was (32 at ) the heart of the anti-Tokugawa movement – wrote a letter to the commander (33 of ) the new government’s force Takamori Saigo, who was formerly her retainer.
また、反徳川の中心であった薩摩領主の娘で、13代将軍家定の妻の天璋院は、かつての臣下で新政府軍の指揮官、西郷隆盛に手紙を出しました。
Their heartfelt appeal had a huge influence (34 on ) the anti-Tokugawa army; the attack was halted and Edo castle surrendered to the new government (35 without ) bloodshed.
切々と心情を訴える二人の手紙は反徳川勢力に大きな影響を与え、攻撃は中止され、江戸城は無血で新政府にあけわたされました。
This is where the history (36 of ) the shogun’s harem ends; the women left the castle and each went their separate ways.
大奥の歴史はこれをもって終わります。女性たちは城を出て、それぞれの道を歩んでいきました。
留学生（以下、留）：皇居はかつての江戸城だった場所にあり、そこにハーレムがあったと聞きました。本当ですか。
Teacher (hereinafter T): Ah! You’re talking (3 about ) Ohoku, which was founded in the early 17th century.
先生（以下、先）：あぁ、17世紀の初めにつくられた大奥のことですね。
The Ohoku was established (4 in ) the era of the second shogun, Tokugawa Hidetada, and (5 during ) the reign of the third shogun, Iemitsu, the system was altered so that the only man who could enter was the shogun.
2代将軍徳川秀忠の時代に大奥ができ、3代家光の時代に大奥へ入れる男性は将軍のみとなりました。
The first shogun, Ieyasu, brought the long lasting Warring States period (6 to ) a close by subjugating all of Japan. In order to maintain stability, it was important to ensure there would be an heir (7 to ) the throne
初代将軍家康は、長く続いた戦国時代を終わらせるため全国を平定しました。 安定をはかる ためには世継ぎが大切でした。
FS: How was the shogun’s harem organized?
留：大奥はどのような仕組みだったんですか。
T: It was a pyramid system, (8 in ) which only the women in the top five ranking classes were able to see the shogun. These women were selected (9 from ) high class families
先：ピラミッド型の組織で、上位5 段階までの女性のみが将軍に会うことができました。女性達は身分の高い家柄から選ばれました。
It is said that the maids serving these women were distributed between six workplaces. These maids could be chosen (10 from ) among ordinary citizens, and the number of maids was (11 at ) one time as many as 1,000.
彼女達を支える女中は6つの職場に配属されました。女中は町民から選ばれ、多いときで千人はいたといわれます。
(12 As ) it was a great honor to join the Ohoku, an entrance exam was conducted.
大奥に入るのはたいへんな名誉で、試験が行われました。
Official wives were chosen (13 for ) political reasons. Women whose status rose as managers (14 of ) the Ohoku, or concubines that gave birth to boys – that might one day be heirs (15 to ) the throne – wielded more political power than daimyou (lords).
正室は政略結婚で選ばれました。大奥をしきる地位についたり、世継ぎの可能性のある男子を生んだ側室は、大名よりも大きな権力を持ちました。
FS: How were they treated?
留： 待遇 は どう だった ん です か。
T: The highest ranked women received the equivalent of over 20 million yen a year. (16 In ) addition, there were many benefits, such as being awarded a house.
先：トップクラスだと、現在の2 千万円以上の年収がありました。また、屋敷を与えられる など、さまざまなはからいがありました。
An event was held (17 every ) month at which the women could sample regional specialties. Furthermore, they lived extravagantly. Official wives never wore the same kimono twice.
毎月イベントがあり、各地の名物料理を食べることができました。また、暮らしぶりはぜいたくでした。正室は同じ着物を2度着ることはありませんでした。
(18 On ) the other hand, many scandals regarding love affairs occurred.
その一方で、恋愛に関するスキャンダルが数多く起きました。
A well-known incident is that of a senior woman who was accused of committing adultery (19 with ) a popular kabuki actor. Another one is group (20 of ) women who committed adultery with monks while visiting a temple (21 under ) the pretext of praying for a safe childbirth.
有名なのは人気歌舞伎役者と密通したとされるトップクラスの女性の事件。もう一つは集団で安産祈願の名目で寺を訪れ僧侶と密通していた事件です。
FS: Weren’t the women at the Ohoku involved (22 in ) politics?
留：大奥の女性が政治に関わることはなかったのですか。
T: The Tokugawa period lasted (23 for ) 260 years, and two Ohoku women played historically important roles (24 during ) the reign of the 15th and last shogun, Yoshinobu.
先：徳川時代は260年続きましたが、最後の15代将軍慶喜のとき、大奥にいた二人の女性が歴史的に大きな役割を果たしました。
In March 1868, an army intent (25 on ) overthrowing the shogun and restoring the Emperor to power was about to launch an all-out attack (26 on ) Edo with the intention of completely destroying the Tokugawa regime.
1868年3月、将軍に代わって天皇を復活させたい勢力が、徳川の壊滅をはかるために江戸を総攻撃しようとしていました。
Edo was one of the largest cities (27 in ) the world at that time and if that had happened, would have been consumed (28 in ) flames.
江戸は当時世界最大級の都市で、総攻撃が起これば火の海となります。
Kazunomiya, Emperor Komei’s sister and the official wife (29 of ) the 14th shogun, Iemochi sent a letter to the new government’s military commander Tomosada Iwakura – a childhood friend – pleading (30 with ) him to stop the attack.
孝明天皇の妹で14代将軍家茂の正室、和宮は幼なじみであり新政府の総督、岩倉具貞に、攻撃をやめるように哀願した手紙を送りました。
In addition, Tenshouin, the legal wife of the 13th shogun, Iesada, and daughter (31 of ) the lord of Satsuma – who was (32 at ) the heart of the anti-Tokugawa movement – wrote a letter to the commander (33 of ) the new government’s force Takamori Saigo, who was formerly her retainer.
また、反徳川の中心であった薩摩領主の娘で、13代将軍家定の妻の天璋院は、かつての臣下で新政府軍の指揮官、西郷隆盛に手紙を出しました。
Their heartfelt appeal had a huge influence (34 on ) the anti-Tokugawa army; the attack was halted and Edo castle surrendered to the new government (35 without ) bloodshed.
切々と心情を訴える二人の手紙は反徳川勢力に大きな影響を与え、攻撃は中止され、江戸城は無血で新政府にあけわたされました。
This is where the history (36 of ) the shogun’s harem ends; the women left the castle and each went their separate ways.
大奥の歴史はこれをもって終わります。女性たちは城を出て、それぞれの道を歩んでいきました。
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