noun
hairdresser's room in a shogun's or noble's residence
Archaic term for a dedicated hairdressing chamber within the residence of a shogun or high-ranking noble during the Edo period. Not used in modern Japanese.
江戸時代、将軍の御殿には便所と呼ばれる理髪のための部屋があった。
In the Edo period, the shogun's palace had a room called a 便所 for hairdressing.
The exact derivation is uncertain. The kanji 便 (convenience) and 所 (place) suggest a functional room, while the alternate 鬢所 uses 鬢 (hair at the temples) to specify the hairdressing purpose. The reading びんしょ is archaic and not used in modern Japanese.