What was the profession 芸者 (female entertainer) called in Britain? [closed]
There is no British equivalent to geisha. 'Polite' social gatherings in the past would have been for gentlemen and ladies; they might have included performances by professional musicians etc, but these people would not have been expected also to entertain in other ways. All-male gatherings might have invited 'ladies of easy virtue', which is why many British people assume that geisha were equivalent to prostitutes.