長屋

• Reading: ながや
• Romaji: nagaya
• Kanji breakdown: 長 (naga) — long; 屋 (ya) — house, building
• Pronunciation: /na.ɡa.ja/

Meaning

Row house; traditional Japanese terraced housing; tenement. A single long building divided into multiple side-by-side units sharing walls.

A noun describing a type of traditional urban housing where multiple dwellings are attached in a row, sharing side walls. Common in Edo-period towns and still present in older urban areas. 長屋 life implies close proximity to neighbours and a strong sense of community — a recurring motif in rakugo and period dramas.

Examples

1. 江戸時代、庶民の多くは長屋に住み、助け合いながら暮らしていた。 In the Edo period, many ordinary people lived in row houses, supporting one another through daily life.
2. 下町に残る古い長屋が、若いアーティストたちのアトリエとして活用されている。 Old row houses remaining in the shitamachi district are being put to use as studios by young artists.
3. 長屋のとなりの住人とは壁一枚隔てただけで、笑い声まで聞こえてくる。 The neighbour in the row house next door was only a single wall away — you could even hear their laughter.

Usage Guide

Context: architecture, history, urban life, community

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 長 (naga, long) and 屋 (ya, house/building). Describes a long building subdivided into multiple dwellings — the standard housing form for urban commoners during the Edo period.

Cultural Context

Era: Edo–Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Working class / Historical