court lady with her own chamber
Archaic term for a high-ranking court lady in the imperial palace who had her own private room or office. Used in historical contexts.
low-class prostitute (Edo period)
Historical term for a low-ranking prostitute during the Edo period. Not used in modern Japanese outside of historical descriptions.
Court ladies called otsubone were given their own rooms in the imperial palace.
In the Edo period, otsubone referred to the lowest class of prostitutes.
The term combines the honorific prefix 御 (お) with 局 (つぼね), which originally meant a room or chamber, later extended to refer to a person occupying such a room. The exact derivation is uncertain.