Kanji 里 ri, village, parent's home Related words 花か 街がい 花街 also refers to a red-light district but often emphasizes the presence of geisha and traditional entertainment, whereas 遊里 is a broader, more historical term for licensed quarters.
赤あか 線せん 赤線 is a post-war term for designated red-light districts, more specific to the 1946–1958 period, while 遊里 is a pre-modern term.
Etymology Compound of 遊 (play, amusement) and 里 (village, district), literally 'pleasure village'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term has been used since the Edo period to denote licensed quarters.
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