Edo geisha
Archaic term for a geisha who lived and worked inside Edo proper, as opposed to those in the outlying red-light districts. Now a historical reference.
Edo geisha worked in the city of Edo itself, not in the Yoshiwara or other red-light districts.
General term for geisha, without the specific Edo-era geographical distinction.
Standard modern spelling.
Old-style spelling using 藝 instead of 芸.
Compound of 江戸 (Edo, the old name for Tokyo) and 芸者 (geisha). The term distinguished geisha working within the city from those in the licensed pleasure quarters.