Historical term for a brothel or house of prostitution, primarily used in pre-modern contexts. In modern Japanese, terms like 売春宿 or ソープランド are more common.
In the Edo period, many brothels lined the streets of Yoshiwara.
Compound of 女郎 (じょろう, 'prostitute') and 屋 (や, 'shop' or 'establishment'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term is firmly associated with the Edo-period pleasure quarters.