The oniwaban could get close to the shogun's palace due to their duty as the garden security guard and sometimes met the shogun in person to report the intelligence they collected even though they were just a Gokenin (retainers) which was the lower position than Omemie (the vassals with the privilege to have an audience with the shogun.)
御庭番は、庭の番の名目で御殿に近づくことができため、報告にあたっては御目見得以下の御家人身分であっても将軍に直接面会することもあった。