House Saotome - House Saotome

…Originally, it is thought to have referred to a specific woman who worships the rice field god during rice planting. In the past, it seems that the name was applied to young women in the family of the field master, who was called Ie Saotome or Uchi Saotome. There are also cases where only the women of the Yuigumi, a group that aims to support each other, are called Saotome. …

*Some of the terminology explanations that refer to "Ie Saotome" are listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…本来は，田植に際して田の神を祭る特定の女性を指したものと考えられる。かつては田主（たあるじ）の家族の若い女性を家早乙女，内早乙女などと呼びこれにあてたらしい。相互扶助を目的としたゆい組の女性だけを早乙女と呼ぶ例もある。…

※「家早乙女」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報