1.
highest-ranking courtesan; oiran of the top rank
The most elite rank of courtesan in Edo-period pleasure quarters, distinguished by exceptional beauty, cultural refinement, and artistic accomplishments.
Tayuu of Yoshiwara received special treatment as the highest-ranking courtesans.
2.
lead performer; master narrator or puppeteer
A title for high-ranking performers in traditional Japanese arts, especially the lead chanter in bunraku puppet theater and certain Noh performers.
The performance of the narrator designated as a Living National Treasure was magnificent.
An important term in Japanese cultural history with two distinct but related meanings. Both senses share the idea of being at the top of a hierarchy.
Also written as 大夫. The alternate reading だゆう exists but たゆう is standard.
Etymology
The courtesan sense dates to the Edo period (1603-1868). 太夫 were the elite of the pleasure quarters, particularly 吉原 in Edo and 島原 in Kyoto. Unlike lower-ranking courtesans, they could refuse clients and were celebrated for their cultural accomplishments. The 太夫 rank gradually disappeared by the mid-Edo period as the 花魁 system replaced it.
The performer sense remains alive in 文楽 (bunraku puppet theater), where the 太夫 is the chanter who narrates the entire story.