Bannerman, literally the guardian of the banner, is one of the samurai ranks of the Tokugawa shogunate. Throughout the text, the author frequently declares himself to be a bannerman, even though his status is slightly lower.

Chonmage is the samurai’s haircut with the hair shaved on top of the head and a bun at the back. The reason for shaving the top of the head was to avoid sweating and overheating. 

Edo is the old name of Tokyo. Edo Japan, or the Tokugawa period, lasted between 1603 and 1868. The events in this autobiography take place during the late Edo period.