噺家(はなしか)

はなしか
noun
rakugo storyteller; professional raconteur
culturepersonart
1. rakugo storyteller; rakugo performer; professional raconteur
A professional performer of rakugo, a traditional Japanese art of comic storytelling where a single seated performer plays all characters using only a fan and a small cloth as props.
有名(ゆうめい)な噺家(はなしか)の公演(こうえん)を見(み)に行(い)った。
I went to see a performance by a famous rakugo storyteller.
噺家(はなしか)になるには、師匠(ししょう)に弟子入(でしい)りしなければならない。
To become a rakugo performer, you must become an apprentice to a master.
その噺家(はなしか)は一人(ひとり)で何役(なんやく)も演(えん)じ分(わ)けて、客席(きゃくせき)を大(おお)いに沸(わ)かせた。
The storyteller played multiple characters by himself and had the audience in stitches.

The character 噺(はなし) is a Japanese-coined kanji (国字(こくじ)) meaning "story" or "tale," composed of 口(くち) (mouth) + 新(しん) (new). Combined with 家(か) (professional, expert), it literally means "story professional."

Common collocations

  • 噺家(はなしか)になる: to become a rakugo performer
  • 噺家(はなしか)の高座(こうざ): a storyteller's stage performance
  • 若手(わかて)噺家(はなしか): young/up-and-coming rakugo performer
  • 真打(しんうち)の噺家(はなしか): a master-level rakugo performer

Cultural note

Rakugo performers follow a strict apprenticeship system with ranks: 前座(ぜんざ) (opener), 二(に)ツ目(め) (mid-rank), and 真打(しんうち) (master). The tradition has roots going back to the Edo period and continues to thrive today.

Similar words

  • 落語家(らくごか): rakugo performer — synonym using the more common word for the art form
  • 話家(はなしか): storyteller — alternate kanji spelling, less common

Related Words

Compare: 落語家(らくごか) (rakugo performer)
general
Added 2026.4.3 5:26 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
21500/21666_hanashika