Although ranking the highest among the women of O-oku, they are believed to have wielded little influence within Ooku, due to the lack of opportunity to influence the shogunate's policy on court nobility or due to the fact that the shogun's wife had little power.
奥女中の階級の中では最上位に位置する上臈御年寄だが、幕府の公家対策・あるいは御台所が権力を持つ機会が少なかったためか、大奥の中で実権を持つことはあまりなかったとされる。