bill collector for night's entertainment; hangers-on
Historical term from the Edo period. Refers to a person who followed customers from one entertainment establishment to another to collect payment for the night's expenses, or more broadly, followers or hangers-on in such contexts.
In the pleasure quarters of the Edo period, a bill collector (tsukiuma) would follow customers around.
'Tsukiuma' is a historical term that is rarely used today.
In Edo-period pleasure quarters, 付き馬 denoted a collector who followed a departing customer to obtain payment of an unpaid entertainment bill.