A gatekeeper, traditionally known as Shirobei, guarded the Great Gate. He was part of a team of managers who collectively policed the quarter and issued permits for female residents to leave. These men worked under a council of ward leaders who conducted administrative affairs such as census taking, tax collection, and law enforcement, which the central Edo government more or less left to the Yoshiwara itself to handle. A notice board was set to the right of the gate. Looking down Nakanochô we can a mix of courtesans and potential clients, as well as rows of teahouses lining the street.