千秋楽

• (final day of performances): 千穐楽

Compound of 千秋 (せんしゅう) (senshū, “thousand years, millenium”, literally “thousand autumns”) + 楽 (らく) (raku, “comfort, ease”). The noun senses are derived from the gagaku work, which was originally played to mark the enthronement of Emperor Go-Sanjō in the mid-11th century.[1][2]

The alternative spelling 千穐楽 is mostly used in the context of theatre, due to superstitions based on the kanji 秋 (“autumn”) containing 火 (“fire”); therefore 亀 (“turtle”) was substituted with a more auspicious connotation.[1]

• On’yomi
  • (Tokyo) せんしゅ​うらく [sèńshúꜜùràkù] (Nakadaka – [3])[3]
  • IPA^(key): [sẽ̞ɰ̃ɕɨᵝːɾa̠kɯ̟ᵝ]

千秋楽 (shinjitai kanji, kyūjitai kanji 千秋樂, hiragana せんしゅうらく, rōmaji Senshūraku, historical hiragana せんしうらく)

1. a Tang-style 雅楽 (gagaku, “medieval Japanese court music”) written in 盤渉調 (banshiki-chō) with no dancing

   Synonym: 千歳楽 (Senzairaku)

2. the finale of 高砂 (Takasago, a noh play), depicting a traditional Japanese wedding ceremony

• 唐楽 (とうがく) (Tō-gaku, “Tang-style gagaku”)

千秋楽 (shinjitai kanji, kyūjitai kanji 千秋樂, hiragana せんしゅうらく, rōmaji senshūraku, historical hiragana せんしうらく)

1. (sumo, theater, etc.) the final day in a set of multi-day performances

   Synonyms: 千歳楽 (senzairaku), 楽 (raku), 楽日 (rakubi)

2. (by extension) a finale; the last or end of something

   Synonym: 終わり (owari)

• → English: senshuraku

• 最終 (さいしゅう)日 (び) (saishūbi, “final day (of an event)”)