連歌(れんが)

れんが
noun
linked verse; collaborative poetry
culturehistory
See also: 煉瓦(れんが) (brick)
1. linked verse; collaborative poetry
A form of Japanese collaborative poetry where two or more poets take turns composing alternating verses of 5-7-5 and 7-7 syllables, building on each other's themes and imagery. Flourished from the Kamakura through Edo periods.
連歌(れんが)は複数(ふくすう)の歌人(かじん)が詠(よ)む。
Linked verse is composed by multiple poets.
室町時代(むろまちじだい)に連歌(れんが)は最(もっと)も盛(さか)んだった。
Linked verse was most popular during the Muromachi period.
連歌(れんが)は参加者(さんかしゃ)が交代(こうたい)で句(く)を詠(よ)み、前(まえ)の句(く)との関連(かんれん)を保(たも)ちながら展開(てんかい)していく。
In linked verse, participants take turns composing stanzas, developing the poem while maintaining a connection to the previous verse.

Cultural note

Linked verse originated from the upper and lower halves of the 和歌(わか) (waka) being composed by different people. Major practitioners include 宗祇(そうぎ) (Sōgi) in the Muromachi period. The more informal, humorous variant 俳諧(はいかい)連歌(れんが) eventually gave rise to 俳句(はいく) (haiku) through the work of 松尾芭蕉(まつおばしょう).

Common collocations

  • 連歌(れんが)を詠(よ)む (to compose linked verse)
  • 連歌(れんが)の会(かい) (a linked verse gathering)
  • 連歌(れんが)師(し) (linked verse master)

Similar words

  • 俳句(はいく): haiku — a standalone 5-7-5 verse, descended from the opening verse of 連歌(れんが)
  • 和歌(わか): waka — a 5-7-5-7-7 verse composed by a single poet

Related Words

Related: 俳句(はいく) (haiku (descended from renga))
Related: 和歌(わか) (waka (predecessor form))
general
Added 2026.3.13 12:51 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
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