noun
parading a criminal through town before execution (Edo period)
Historical term for a public shaming and punishment ritual of the Edo period, where a condemned criminal was paraded through the streets before execution. Often referenced in historical dramas or literature.
See also: 引廻し
江戸時代には、重罪人は市中引き回しの上、処刑された。
In the Edo period, serious criminals were paraded through town and then executed.
時代劇で市中引き回しの場面を見たことがある。
I've seen a scene of a criminal being paraded through town in a period drama.
引廻し is a broader term meaning 'parading' or 'leading around', while 市中引き回し specifically refers to the Edo-period punishment ritual of parading a criminal through town before execution.
Compound of 市中 (shichū, 'in the city/town') and 引き回し (hikimawashi, 'parading around'). The term is historically associated with the Edo period penal system.