noun
lighter; small cargo boat (Edo period)
Historical term for a small boat used to unload goods from a larger anchored vessel, especially during the Edo period. Compare 瀬取り船.
See also: 瀬取り船
江戸時代、大型船から荷物を降ろすために上荷船が使われた。
During the Edo period, lighters were used to unload cargo from large ships.
Compound of 上荷 (uwani, 'cargo to be unloaded') + 船 (fune, 'boat'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term is associated with Edo-period logistics.