also: とのもり
palace keeper; palace guard
Historical term for an official responsible for guarding or maintaining a palace, especially in the Heian period. The reading とのもり is older; とのも is a later contracted form.
The tonomo was a post in the Heian-period imperial court responsible for guarding and managing palace buildings.
The old records describe the duties of the palace keeper in detail.
Standard kanji form for the reading とのも.
Alternate kanji form associated with the reading とのもり.
Kana spelling for the reading とのもり; useful for clarity.
Derived from 殿 (tono, 'palace') + 守 (mori, 'guardian'), with the reading とのもり. The contracted form とのも is a later development. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.