Bugaku
/buːˈɡɑːkuː/noun
A Japanese court dance performed with traditional instrumental music and elaborate costumes, often in imperial or ceremonial settings.
Did you know?Bugaku developed alongside gagaku at the Japanese imperial court, preserving performance traditions transmitted from China, Korea, Central Asia, and other regions of medieval Asia.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient China
Middle Chinese
舞樂 (*mjuX ngak)
“Dance and music; the Chinese cultural source of the Japanese compound.”
7th–8th Century
Japanese
舞楽 (bugaku)
“Court dance accompanied by instrumental music, adopted and organized in Japan.”
8th Century
Old Japanese
舞楽 (bugaku)
“A formal performance tradition associated with the imperial court and ceremonial institutions.”
Heian Period, 794–1185
Classical Japanese
舞楽 (bugaku)
“An established repertory of court dances performed within the broader gagaku tradition.”
Modern English
English
bugaku
“A Japanese court dance or the traditional performance genre combining dance, music, masks, and ceremonial costume.”