Nohgaku
/ˈnoʊɡɑːku/noun
A Japanese traditional performing-arts tradition encompassing Noh drama and its comic counterpart, Kyōgen.
Did you know?Nohgaku developed from performance traditions associated with Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, and many Noh plays center on ghosts seeking release from worldly attachment.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Chinese
Classical Chinese
能樂
“A written compound combining 能, “ability or skill,” with 樂, “music, performance, or pleasure.””
8th–10th Century
Japanese
nō / 能
“The Japanese reading of 能, meaning ability, capacity, or accomplished skill; it later became the name of a major masked drama tradition.”
8th–10th Century
Japanese
gaku / 楽
“The Japanese reading of 楽 in compounds relating to music, performance, and enjoyment.”
14th–15th Century
Japanese
Nō
“The masked dramatic form was systematized by performers including Kan’ami and Zeami during the Muromachi period.”
Late 19th Century
Japanese
nōgaku / 能楽
“The modern umbrella term became established for Noh drama together with Kyōgen, its comic interlude tradition.”
Modern English
English
Nohgaku
“An English loanword referring to the broader Japanese Noh-theater tradition, often including both Noh and Kyōgen.”