花か街がい

also: はなまち

か

が

い

Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

Refers to a district with geisha houses, teahouses, and sometimes brothels. Historically associated with licensed prostitution, but modern usage often focuses on geisha entertainment areas.

京きょう都との花か街がいには今いまでも多おおくの芸げい妓ぎがいる。
There are still many geisha in Kyoto's geisha quarters.
かつてこの辺あたりは花か街がいとして栄さかえていた。
This area once flourished as a red-light district.

Kanji

花flower
街boulevard, street, town
町town, village, block

Related words

花か柳りゅう
花街 is the common modern word for a geisha entertainment district, while 花柳 is a more literary term used in historical or compound contexts.
歓かん楽らく街がい
花街 traditionally refers to a geisha or entertainment quarter with historical, cultural connotations, while 歓楽街 is a broader modern term for nightlife districts.

Word family

柳りゅう巷こう花か街がい
red-light district; pleasure quarter

Written forms

花街Usage97%
- かがい
  Standard kanji spelling for the reading かがい. The most common written form.
- はなまち
  Rare reading of 花街; かがい is the standard reading.
花はな町まちUsage3%
Alternate kanji spelling, often read はなまち. Less common than 花街.
はなまち

Etymology

Compound of 花 (flower, beauty) and 街 (town, district), referring to the 'flower towns' where geisha and courtesans worked. The reading かがい is the on'yomi, while はなまち is the kun'yomi reading.