wandering life of a gambler
Historical term referring to the itinerant lifestyle of Edo-period gamblers (bakuto) who traveled from town to town. Often associated with yakuza lore and period dramas.
彼は股旅物の映画が好きだ。
He likes films about wandering gamblers.
股旅姿の男が宿場町
A man dressed like a wandering gambler was walking through the post town.
Compound of 股 (mata, 'crotch; fork in the road') and 旅 (tabi, 'journey'), literally 'fork-in-the-road journey', referring to the wandering lifestyle of gamblers who traveled from place to place.