Ôoku: The Secret World of the Shogun's Women

It's clear reading this book that Seigle thoroughly researched the Ooku, of which there are very few historical records of due to the private nature of the Ooku itself. She is a meticulous historian who has drawn out a lot. Despite this being academic literature, I found her writing style to be incredibly approachable and I enjoyed reading it before bed.

The conclusions of her research are very interesting. The Ooku endured throughout the entire Tokugawa era for a reason–the institution of the Ooku and some women in it became quite powerful over time. Also, by providing many jobs, it was a way for women to have some power over their lives–gaining skills, money, and for a few, the ability to move up in rank to secure lifetime financial support and have some influence within the palace.

I think Seigle made a great contribution to scholarship of Japanese women's history with this book. If you are interested in Japanese history, women's experiences, or have read the Ooku manga series by Fumi Yoshinaga and want to learn about the real Ooku, I would recommend this book.