spy for the Edo shogunate; oniwaban
Historical term for undercover agents who gathered intelligence for the Tokugawa shogunate during the Edo period.
The oniwaban operated as undercover agents for the Edo shogunate.
Oniwaban often appear in period dramas.
Standard kanji spelling for the historical term.
Variant spelling with the honorific prefix in kana.
Literally 'honorable garden guard,' referring to the agents' role as gardeners within the shogun's castle, which served as cover for their intelligence work.