Merchants and Craftsmen

Merchants were part of the class of chonin (townspeople). According to ruling powers, the highest ranking people would live closest to the castle and the area around it. Usually, this included the samurai, but there were also rich merchants who obtained the privilege to live in these close quarters instead of the area near the outline of the castlegrounds.

Merchants and craftsmen were the people who supported Edo's prosperity. Craftsmen included carpenters, coopers, lumberers, and cutlers. These people were very important in making and providing goods for the castle town and not only for trade within the castle town, but outside as well. This brought in new things and let the people enjoy different goods. The merchants and craftsmen accounted for 3% of the population. 70% of them lived in nagayas. There was large difference between wealthy merchants and poor merchants. Wealthy merchants were even richer than samurai. Since the samurai had such high ranking status, it said a lot for the wealthy merchants.

Merchants and craftsmen usually lived in rows of houses called "Nagaya". Nagayas had sizes of about 9.8 cubic meters, and and there were ditches in the center of the lanes. Wells, restrooms, and dumps were used often and were common in most nagayas. Lanes were a common place for children to play, women to chat, and merchants to sell their goods.

Shops and Entertainment

Edo was a busy city full of working people and visitors from all over. Because there were a lot of single men who visited Edo for business, booths were made so they could eat meals and drink. This business for the Edo people was a good way to make money and both sides were happy. Entertainment was also essential in this great city. Theaters showing Kabuki or Ningyoujyoururi were made. Ninngyoujyoururi is like a puppet play. Public baths, barber's shops, book stores, and other stores were popular with visitors. Barber's shop were called Kamiyuidokoro, and it was a common place for people to chat.