A compound of 紀行 (travel record) and 文 (writing/essay). A literary genre with a long tradition in Japanese literature, from classical works like 奥の細道 by 松尾芭蕉 to modern travel essays.
Common collocations
- 紀行文を書く: to write a travel essay
- 紀行文集: collection of travel essays
- 紀行文学: the study of travel writing
Similar words
- 旅行記: travel journal — more personal and record-like; less literary than 紀行文
- 紀行: travel record — shorter form, sometimes used interchangeably
- 旅日記: travel diary — day-by-day personal account of a journey