high-ranking maid in the inner palace of a shogun or daimyo (Edo period)
Historical term for a senior female attendant serving in the private quarters (奥) of a shogun or daimyo during the Edo period. Rare in modern usage; encountered mainly in historical contexts or period dramas.
See also: 奥女中
In the Ōoku, the high-ranking maids attended to the shogun's personal needs.
Compound of 奥 (oku, 'inner part, private quarters') and 上臈 (jōrō, 'high-ranking court lady or noblewoman'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term reflects the hierarchical structure of the Ōoku.