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裏貸屋 (うらがしや) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

裏うら貸がし屋や

Meanings

1

noun

house in back for rent

Historical term for a small rental house located behind a main building, common in the Edo period. Not used in modern real estate contexts.

江え戸ど時じ代だいには、裏うら貸がし屋やに職しょく人にんが住すんでいた。
In the Edo period, craftsmen lived in back-alley rental houses.

Kanji

裏back, amidst, in
貸lend
屋roof, house, shop

Similar words

長なが屋や
長屋 refers to a row house or tenement, often with multiple units in a single building, while 裏貸屋 specifically denotes a small rental house tucked behind a main street-facing building.

Etymology

Compound of 裏 (back) + 貸 (lend/rent) + 屋 (house/shop). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term reflects the practice of renting out small dwellings behind main residences in pre-modern Japan.