三さん助すけ

noun

male bathhouse attendant

Historical term for a male attendant in a public bathhouse (sento), who would scrub customers' backs, wash hair, and sometimes provide other services. Now largely obsolete.

• 江え戸ど時じ代だいの銭せん湯とうには、三さん助すけと呼よばれる男だん性せいの湯ゆ浴あみ係がかりがいた。

  In Edo-period public bathhouses, there were male attendants called sansuke.