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門前町 (もんぜんまち) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

門もん前ぜん町まち

also: もんぜんちょう

も

ん

ぜ

ん

ま

ち

Meanings

1

temple town; shrine town

A town that developed around a prominent temple or shrine, often with shops, inns, and restaurants catering to pilgrims and visitors.

成なり田た山さん新しん勝しょう寺じの門もん前ぜん町ちょうには、鰻うなぎ屋やがたくさん

並なら

ん

で

いる

。

In the temple town of Naritasan Shinshoji, many eel restaurants line the streets.

伊い勢せ神じん宮ぐうの門もん前ぜん町ちょう、おはらい町ちょうは観かん光こう客きゃくで賑にぎわっている。

Oharai-machi, the shrine town of Ise Jingu, is bustling with tourists.

Kanji

門gate, counter for cannons
前in front, before
町town, village, block

Related words

城じょう下か町まち
門前町 is a town that developed around a temple or shrine, similar in structure to a 城下町 but centered on a religious site rather than a castle.

Built from

門もん前ぜん+町まち

Written forms

門前町
- もんぜんちょう
  Standard kanji spelling; the reading もんぜんちょう is more common in modern usage.
- もんぜんまち
  Alternate reading; less common but still encountered, especially in historical contexts.
もんぜんちょう

Etymology

Compound of 門前 (monzen, 'in front of the gate') + 町 (machi/cho, 'town'). The reading ちょう is a common Sino-Japanese reading for 町 in place names, while まち is the native Japanese reading.