Rakugo
/ˈrɑː.kʊˌɡoʊ/noun
A Japanese solo storytelling tradition in which a seated performer delivers comic or dramatic narratives, usually ending with a punchline.
Did you know?Rakugo grew from Edo-period Buddhist and secular storytelling traditions, and its performers traditionally remain seated throughout the entire tale while voicing every character.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Japonic
Proto-Japonic
*oto-
“To fall or drop; a reconstructed ancestor of Japanese otu/ochiru forms”
Old Japanese
Old Japanese
otu
“To fall, descend, or drop”
Old Japanese
Old Japanese
kataru
“To tell or narrate; the ancestor of modern Japanese narrative vocabulary”
17th–18th Century
Japanese
otoshibanashi (落し噺)
““Falling story,” a comic tale designed to end with a verbal落ち, or punchline”
19th Century
Japanese
rakugo (落語)
““Falling words”; the established name for the professional storytelling art”
20th Century
English
rakugo
“An English loanword for the Japanese solo comic storytelling tradition”
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