noun
ezōshi shop; Edo-period picture-book store
Historical term for a shop in the Edo period that sold illustrated books (ezōshi), woodblock prints, and similar popular literature.
See also: 絵草紙
江戸時代、絵草紙屋は庶民の娯楽の中心だった。
In the Edo period, ezōshi shops were a center of entertainment for common people.
この浮世絵は、かつて絵草紙屋で売られていた。
This ukiyo-e print was once sold at an ezōshi shop.
絵草紙 refers to the illustrated books themselves, while 絵草紙屋 is the shop that sells them.
Compound of 絵草紙 (ezōshi, 'illustrated book') and 屋 (ya, 'shop'). The exact historical derivation is straightforward; the term is specific to the Edo period.