There have been many names referring to yujo since ancient times; in old "Manyoshu" (Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves), it was called ukareme, and in the Heian period it became asobi instead.
古来より数多くの呼称があり、古く『万葉集』には、遊行女婦（うかれめ）の名で書かれており、平安時代になるとこれに代わって遊女（あそび）がでてくる。