People / group
Chōnin
The chonin were the townspeople of Edo-period Japan, mainly merchants and artisans. Officially ranked below samurai and peasants in the Tokugawa Shogunate's social hierarchy, they grew wealthy through commerce in cities such as Edo and Osaka. Their prosperity sustained a vibrant urban culture, including kabuki and woodblock prints.
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See also
Cite this entry
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Chōnin. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/chonin
- MLA
- “Chōnin.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/chonin. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Chōnin.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/chonin.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Chōnin’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/chonin (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻