post town; inn town
A town that developed around a post station (宿場) on major highways during the Edo period, providing lodging, transport, and services for travelers.
Tsumago-juku retains the atmosphere of an Edo-period post town well.
Many post towns flourished along this highway.
Compound of 宿場 (post station) + 町 (town). The term reflects the historical development of settlements around official post stations on Edo-period highways.