noun
maritime merchant; shipping agency
Historical term for a wholesaler or agent who arranged coastal shipping during the Edo and Meiji periods. Often handled cargo and logistics for daimyo domains or merchants.
江戸時代、廻船問屋は日本各地の港で物資の輸送を担っていた。
During the Edo period, maritime merchants handled the transport of goods at ports across Japan.
この資料館では、かつての廻船問屋の帳簿や船模型が展示されている。
This museum displays ledgers and ship models from a former shipping agency.
Compound of 廻船 (kaisen, 'coasting vessel') and 問屋 (ton'ya, 'wholesaler'). The term dates from the Edo period when such merchants played a key role in domestic coastal logistics.