noun
street-performing priest; itinerant monk-entertainer
Historical term for a type of Buddhist priest in the Edo period who performed religious services, prayers, and street entertainment for alms. Not used in modern Japanese outside historical or cultural contexts.
願人坊主は、江戸時代に大道で芸を見せながら托鉢をした僧侶の一種である。
Gannin-bōzu were a type of monk in the Edo period who performed on the streets while begging for alms.
Compound of 願人 (gannin, 'petitioner', 'one who prays for others') and 坊主 (bōzu, 'Buddhist priest'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the term refers to a specific Edo-period occupation.