Ochaya

In Japan, an ochaya (お茶屋?, literally "tea house") is an establishment where patrons are entertained by geisha. Ochaya are located in geisha districts (花街, hanamachi?), and are today most numerous in Kyoto, though they can be found in geisha districts in other cities, such as Tokyo.

Ochaya, where geisha entertain, should be distinguished from okiya (boarding house), where geisha live – these may both be loosely translated as "geisha house". Geisha are attached to a single boarding house (where they do not entertain), and entertain at various ochaya or other venues from night to night. As geisha replaced previous courtesans, ochaya (in geisha districts, where geisha entertained) replaced the previous ageya (in yūkaku "pleasure quarters", where tayū and oiran entertained).