also: ちょうぐみ
machigumi; town-based self-governing organization
Historical term for a self-governing body formed by townspeople, active from the Muromachi period through the early Meiji era. Often translated as 'machigumi' in English historical literature.
During the Edo period, the machigumi was responsible for town self-governance.
The machigumi in this area was also involved in organizing festivals.
Standard kanji spelling; reading まちぐみ is more common than ちょうぐみ.
Alternate reading; less common but still encountered in historical contexts.
Compound of 町 (town) and 組 (group, association). The term reflects the historical organization of townspeople into self-governing units.