曖あい昧まい宿やど

noun

brothel disguised as a legitimate business

Historical term for an establishment that operated as a brothel while pretending to be a tea house, inn, restaurant, or similar business. Used in discussions of Edo-period or pre-modern Japanese social history.

• 江え戸ど時じ代だいには、表おもて向むきは茶ちゃ屋やや料りょう理り屋やを装よそおった曖あい昧まい宿やどが存そん在ざいした。

  In the Edo period, there were brothels that fronted as tea houses or restaurants.