町まち方かた

noun

town area; townspeople's district

Historical term from the Edo period referring to the commoner/town district, as opposed to samurai or temple areas. Not used for modern towns.

• 江え戸ど時じ代だい、町まち方かたは商しょう人にんや職しょく人にんが住すむ区く域いきだった。

  In the Edo period, the machikata was the district where merchants and artisans lived.