Gardener - Gardener

Japanese: 庭者 - にわのもの

One of the names for Kawaramono (people who lived along the riverside) who were active during the Muromachi period. In the Edo period, it also referred to the "Gokiyusokuoniwanono" (people who stayed in the gardens while resting) (usually called "niwaban" or "oniwaban") who served the Tokugawa Shogunate, wore white robes, cleaned the inner gardens of Edo Castle, and guarded the Shogun, while also collecting and providing secret information. It was also used as a derogatory term for "Sarugakushi (Noh actors)." It was also sometimes used synonymously with the term "Niwako," which referred to poor farmers who served as slaves to farmers in various regions for generations during the Edo period.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

室町時代に活躍した河原者（かわらもの）の別称の一つ。また，江戸時代には徳川将軍家に仕え，白衣で江戸城の奥庭の清掃や将軍の身の警備に従事するとともに，秘密情報の収集･提供を行った〈御休息御庭之者（ごきゆうそくおにわのもの）〉(ふつうには庭番（にわばん），御庭番（おにわばん）といった)のことをさし，さらには〈猿楽師(能役者)〉に対する軽侮の念のこもった言葉として使われた語。別にまた，江戸時代に各地の農家に代々隷従奉仕した貧農をさす〈庭子（にわこ）〉の語とも同義に用いられた場合がある。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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