noun
town geisha; geisha not in a red-light district
Refers to a geisha who works in a regular town area, as opposed to one in a licensed pleasure quarter. The distinction is historical and cultural.
彼女は花街ではなく、町芸者として活動している。
She works as a town geisha, not in the red-light district.
江戸時代には、町芸者と廓芸者の区別
In the Edo period, there was a distinction between town geisha and quarter geisha.
Compound of 町 (town) and 芸者 (geisha). The term historically distinguished geisha working in ordinary towns from those in licensed pleasure quarters.