brothel disguised as a high-quality sake shop
Historical term for an establishment that sold high-quality sake as a front for prostitution, common in the Meiji and Taishō periods.
In the Meiji era, many brothels called meishuya existed.
Compound of 銘酒 (meishu, 'high-quality sake') and 屋 (ya, 'shop'), referring to a shop that ostensibly sold fine sake but actually operated as a brothel.