They are important records of evidences based on the real experiences, which you only get from the people concerned: for example, kinban zamurai (samurai being on duty in Edo) told the Sakuradamongai Incident; a person in charge of tools told the famous actor; the survivors of Shogitai (group of former Tokugawa retainers opposed to the Meiji government who fought in the Battle of Ueno) told how the defeated army ran away; osukiya bozu (a monk serving the feudal lord in Edo castle) told the tea pot journey.
勤番侍が桜田門外の変を語ったかと思うと歌舞伎の道具係が名優を語り、彰義隊残党が敗軍逃亡の有様を語り、御数寄屋坊主が御茶壺道中を語るなど、当事者ならでの実体験に基づく貴重な証言録となっている。