[Difficult to read place name] Bakurocho, a familiar name from period dramas, is not pronounced "Umakuimachi"

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During the Edo period, the shogunate had a riding stable here, and horse trading flourished. As a key transportation hub, the area was lined with inns, and the town was so lively that it was known as "Japan's largest inn town." In order to welcome merchants and travelers from all over the country, in addition to inns, the number of shops selling small items, cosmetics, tobacco, bags, and other items also increased, and the town gradually became more commercial.

Along with the neighboring Yokoyamacho, it developed into one of Japan's leading wholesale districts, focusing on clothing, and was bustling with merchants who came to purchase and sell goods. Bakurocho, with its intertwining history and traffic, is still known today as a town that vividly conveys the commercial culture of the Edo period, and is often depicted as a setting in period novels.

The town is also known as the setting for Makate Asai's novel "Nukemairu."

Bakurocho (Bakurocho)

Bakurocho is "Bakurocho"It is pronounced "Bakuro." The area was named after the many people known as "Bakuro," who appraised and bought and sold horses and cattle. It was originally written as "Bakuro-cho," but was later changed to the current "Bakuro-cho." Bakuro were not just middlemen, but also specialists who appraised and treated horses, and this area naturally became a gathering place for people involved with horses.

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Difficult to read place names are engraved with the local language, culture, and history of coexistence with nature. Knowing the origin of the name can make the scenery of your travel destination look a little different. That is the mysterious charm of difficult to read place names. Unraveling place names is like tracing the memories of the place. Learning the hidden meaning behind the characters leads to learning the depth of the story the place name tells.

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[Difficult to read place name] Bakurocho, a familiar name from period dramas, is not pronounced "Umakuimachi."

Bakurocho (Bakurocho)

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