second-rank prostitute (Edo period)
Historical term for a courtesan ranked just below the tayū (太夫) in the Yoshiwara pleasure quarters during the Edo period. Not used in modern contexts.
See also: 太夫
In the Yoshiwara district of the Edo period, the kōshi jorō was a courtesan of the rank just below the tayū.
太夫 (tayū) was the highest-ranking courtesan, while 格子女郎 (kōshi jorō) was the second rank. Both are historical terms from the Edo period.
Compound of 格子 (kōshi, 'lattice') and 女郎 (jorō, 'prostitute'), referring to the latticed rooms where such courtesans were displayed. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.