senior proprietress; head hostess
Refers to the senior female owner or manager of a traditional Japanese inn (ryokan) or restaurant, often the mother or mother-in-law of the current proprietress.
The senior proprietress of the inn came to the entrance to see us off.
The young proprietress is learning the spirit of hospitality from the senior proprietress.
若女将 is the young or junior proprietress, typically the daughter or daughter-in-law being groomed to take over. 大女将 is the senior counterpart.
Compound of 大 (おお, 'great, senior') and 女将 (おかみ, 'proprietress'). The reading おおおかみ follows standard rendaku avoidance.