Shinmachi (新町) was a yūkaku (遊廓、遊郭, pleasure quarter, courtesan's district) in Osaka, built between 1615 and 1623, and operating until its destruction in World War II.
The Tokugawa shogunate attempted to control this by restricting prostitution to designated city districts, known as yūkaku.
These restrictions and controls did not derive from a moral opposition to prostitution, but out of a desire to compartmentalize certain types of activity within the cities.
Kabuki and jōruri theatres, and other related entertainment establishments were similarly controlled.
This Osaka Prefecture location article is a stub.