1.
town hall, municipal office
A local government office, typically for towns and villages (町村). Larger cities use 市役所 instead.
役場 is the local government office for towns (町) and villages (村). It handles administrative services like resident registration, taxes, and public services.
Scale distinction
- 村役場: village office
- 町役場: town office
- 市役所: city hall (for cities — uses 役所, not 役場)
- 区役所: ward office (in large cities like Tokyo)
Common collocations
- 役場に届け出を出す: to submit a notification
- 役場で手続きをする: to complete procedures at the town hall
- 役場の窓口: the service counter at town hall
Usage
The key distinction is that 役場 is for smaller municipalities, while 役所 is used for cities and wards. Using the wrong term sounds unnatural.