Shukuba
/ʃuːˈkuːbə/noun
A post station or officially designated stopping place along roads in Japan, especially during the Edo period.
Did you know?During the Edo period, shukuba stations formed part of a tightly controlled travel network, where official documents and checkpoints monitored movement across Japan.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Chinese
Chinese
宿
“Lodging, an overnight stay, or to lodge”
Ancient Japanese
Japanese
yado
“Lodging or an inn; the native Japanese term associated with places of stay”
Medieval Japanese
Japanese
shuku
“A lodging place or official station, borrowed from the Sino-Japanese reading of 宿”
Edo Period
Japanese
宿場 (shukuba)
“A designated post town or station providing accommodation and transport services”
Modern English
English
shukuba
“A Japanese post station, especially one belonging to the Edo-period road network”