ezōshi hawker; picture-book peddler
Historical term for a street vendor who sold 絵草紙 (ezōshi), inexpensive illustrated booklets popular in the Edo period.
See also: 絵草紙
In the Edo period, ezōshi hawkers walked through towns selling picture-booklets.
絵草紙 refers to the illustrated booklets themselves, while 絵草紙売り is the person who sold them.
Compound of 絵草紙 (ezōshi, 'illustrated booklet') and 売り (uri, 'seller'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term is associated with Edo-period street commerce.