noun
the whole of Edo; every corner of Edo
Historical term referring to the entire city of Edo (old Tokyo), often used in set phrases like 八百八町を股にかける (to be known throughout Edo).
江戸の八百八町に知らぬ者はいないと言われた。
It was said there was no one in the whole of Edo who didn't know him.
江戸 is the standard name for the city; 八百八町 is a poetic or emphatic expression for its vastness.
八百八 (はっぴゃくや, 'eight hundred and eight') is a traditional Japanese number for 'a great many', combined with 町 (ちょう, 'town' or 'district'), literally 'the 808 towns', referring to the many neighborhoods of Edo.