宿場町(しゅくばまち)

しゅくばまち
noun
post town, post station town
geographyculture
1. post town, post station town
A town that developed around a post station on one of the Edo-period highway routes, providing lodging and services for travelers.
ここはかつての宿場町(しゅくばまち)だ。
This was once a post town.
旧(きゅう)宿場町(しゅくばまち)の町並(まちな)みが残(のこ)っている。
The old streetscape of the former post town remains.
江戸(えど)時代(じだい)には東海道(とうかいどう)に多(おお)くの宿場町(しゅくばまち)があった。
In the Edo period, there were many post towns along the Tokaido highway.

A historical term for towns that grew up around official resting stations (宿場(しゅくば)) on the major highways (街道(かいどう)) during the Edo period. These towns provided lodging (旅籠(はたご)), food, and other services to travelers.

Common collocations

Cultural note

Many former post towns survive as tourist destinations today, preserving Edo-period architecture and atmosphere. Famous examples include Tsumago and Magome on the Nakasendo highway. The term appears frequently in travel guides and historical documentaries.

Related Words

Related: 門前町(もんぜんまち) (temple town)
general
Added 2026.4.21 0:22 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
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