1.
townsperson, merchant/artisan class
A member of the urban commoner class during the Edo period (1603-1868), comprising merchants (商人) and artisans (職人). In the four-tier social hierarchy, 町人 ranked below samurai, farmers, and artisans in theory, but many accumulated great wealth and developed a vibrant urban culture.
Etymology
In the Edo-period social hierarchy (士農工商), 町人 formally occupied the lowest rung. In practice, however, wealthy merchants often wielded considerable economic power and influence. The 町人 class drove the development of many cultural forms that define the Edo period, including 歌舞伎, 浮世絵, 落語, and 俳句.
Usage
Primarily a historical term. In modern Japanese, it appears mainly in discussions of Edo-period history and culture. Not used to describe present-day city dwellers.