Nakai (vocation)

A nakai is a woman who serves as a waitress at a ryokan or Japanese inn.
Originally written as nakai, which meant the anteroom in a mansion of a kuge or gomonzeki. Nowadays it refers to work in a butler's pantry, homemaking sector, or the managing division and its office staff.
At Kyuchu, such women were also named osue.
In ancient times, nakai meant a lady's maid ranking between kami-jochu and gejo. Now it means women who serve visitors in restaurants or inns. They are usually residential staff and work long hours.