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
In the Edo period, ezōshi shops were a center of entertainment for common people.
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.
Standard kanji spelling for this historical term.
Alternate kanji spelling using 双紙 instead of 草紙.
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.