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The ''chô'' was a standard physical and administrative division in early modern cities. Often translated as "town ward," "district," or "neighborhood," ''chô'' often consisted of one section of a street, defined by gates at either end, and incorporated just those buildings which faced one another along that section of street. Each ''chô'' was administered as a unit, and may have had a single headman, as well as certain other officials - such as a [[barber]] (''kamiyui'') - who served within that ''chô''.

The ''chô'' was a standard physical and administrative division in early modern cities. Often translated as "town ward," "district," or "neighborhood," ''chô'' often consisted of one section of a street, defined by gates at either end, and incorporated just those buildings which faced one another along that section of street. Each ''chô'' was administered as a unit, and may have had a single headman, as well as certain other officials - such as a [[barber]] (''kamiyui'') - who served within that ''chô''.

''Chô'' varied from one city to another, as well as within cities, in terms of their size, layout, organization, and administration, but were generally quite similar across the archipelago. The archetypal ''chô'' were those of central [[Kyoto]], a layout and administrative unit which emerged out of the violence and chaos of the [[Onin War|Ônin War]], and of the [[Sengoku period]] more broadly, when fighting in the streets led each neighborhood of Kyoto to begin to have to fend for itself, erecting gates and other defenses. In Kyoto, as well as in other cities, a typical ''chô'' consisted of two rows of ''[[machiya]]'' (townhouses), facing one another along the street. Each ''machiya'' typically served as both storefront and family residence, and extended deeply back from the street, covering a considerable area despite an unassuming frontage. Some ''machiya''-sized lots, however, were sub-divided into smaller residences, perhaps as small as four and a half [[tatami]] mats (approx. 7.3 square meters). These places, which some scholars have called "tenements," served as homes for the many lower-class people who could not afford a full house. These people, known variously as ''shimojimo'' ("lowers" or "under[class]es"), ''karoki mono'' ("people to be taken lightly"), or by a number of other terms, worked a variety of jobs, and represented a large swath of the urban population excluded by the stereotypical image of the ''[[chonin|chônin]]'' (townsperson) as a wealthy merchant or professional artisan, and as someone engaged in "high" cultural pursuits and social circles.

''Chô'' varied from one city to another, as well as within cities, in terms of their size, layout, organization, and administration, but were generally quite similar across the archipelago. The archetypal ''chô'' were those of central [[Kyoto]], a layout and administrative unit which emerged out of the violence and chaos of the [[Onin War|Ônin War]], and of the [[Sengoku period]] more broadly, when fighting in the streets led each neighborhood of Kyoto to begin to have to fend for itself, erecting gates and other defenses. In Kyoto, as well as in other cities, a typical ''chô'' consisted of two rows of ''[[machiya]]'' (townhouses), facing one another along the street. The streets themselves ranged from around three to eighteen meters wide.<ref name=kato49>Katô Takashi, "Governing Edo," in James McClain (ed.), ''Edo & Paris'', Cornell University Press (1994), 49.</ref> Each ''machiya'' typically served as both storefront and family residence, and extended deeply back from the street, covering a considerable area despite an unassuming frontage. Some ''machiya''-sized lots, however, were sub-divided into smaller residences, perhaps as small as four and a half [[tatami]] mats (approx. 7.3 square meters). These places, which some scholars have called "tenements," served as homes for the many lower-class people who could not afford a full house. These people, known variously as ''shimojimo'' ("lowers" or "under[class]es"), ''karoki mono'' ("people to be taken lightly"), or by a number of other terms, worked a variety of jobs, and represented a large swath of the urban population excluded by the stereotypical image of the ''[[chonin|chônin]]'' (townsperson) as a wealthy merchant or professional artisan, and as someone engaged in "high" cultural pursuits and social circles.

Communal areas in the lots behind the homes/shops housed wells, communal toilets, and garbage pits.<ref>Katô Takashi, "Governing Edo," in James McClain (ed.), ''Edo & Paris'', Cornell University Press (1994), 49.</ref>

Communal areas in the lots behind the homes/shops housed wells, communal toilets, and garbage pits.<ref name=kato49/>

While the residents of a ''chô'' were likely in many cases quite closely knit early in the [[Edo period]], by the end of the period, this had broken down considerably. Many people - particularly the middle- or upper-class merchants and artisans - enjoyed social lives which took them beyond their own ''chô'', and accordingly it gradually became more common for any given ''chô'' to more regularly see visitors, i.e. strangers, from other ''chô''.

While the residents of a ''chô'' were likely in many cases quite closely knit early in the [[Edo period]], by the end of the period, this had broken down considerably. Many people - particularly the middle- or upper-class merchants and artisans - enjoyed social lives which took them beyond their own ''chô'', and accordingly it gradually became more common for any given ''chô'' to more regularly see visitors, i.e. strangers, from other ''chô''.