茶屋

茶(ちゃ)屋(や) • (chaya) 

1. tea dealer, someone who produces and sells tea

   Synonym: 葉茶屋 (yōchaya)

2. teahouse, a shop along a road which sells tea and sweets
3. (historical, Kansai) a teahouse where customers would meet with prostitutes and geisha
4. (historical, Edo) a Yoshiwara teahouse, at which customers were informed about the various brothels and pleasure houses of the quarter
5. (theater) short for 芝居茶屋 (shibai chaya, “a teahouse associated with a theatre that provides refreshments for the audience, and through which theatre boxes were booked”)
6. (sumo) short for 相撲茶屋 (sumo chaya, “an organisation which provides refreshments during sumo matches and is entrusted with the sale of some of the seats”)

• 茶屋女(ちゃやおんな) (chaya-onna)
• 芝居茶屋(しばいちゃや) (shibai chaya)
• 相撲茶屋(すもうちゃや) (sumō chaya)