rear tenement; alley house
Historical term for a small tenement house located behind street-facing shops, common in Edo-period urban areas. Often contrasted with 表店 (おもてだな).
See also: 表店
In the Edo period, craftsmen and merchants lived in rear tenements.
Rent differed greatly between street-facing shops and rear tenements.
Compound of 裏 (back, rear) and 店 (shop, store), referring to a dwelling located behind the main street-facing shops.