In the Edo period, an employer supported the livelihood of geisha.
The mistress of that prostitute was a wealthy merchant.
Standard kanji spelling for this archaic term.
Variant spelling; less common than 抱え手.
Compound of 抱え (kakae, 'employing, keeping') + 手 (te, 'person'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term refers to one who 'keeps' a geisha or prostitute.