drama about domestic life
A type of traditional Japanese narrative or dramatic piece focusing on everyday life and common people's affairs, as opposed to historical or military tales. Related to 世話物 (sewamono).
See also: 世話物 (せわもの)
Edo-period sewakōdan vividly depict the lives of townspeople.
世話物 is a broader term for domestic dramas in kabuki and jōruri, while 世話講談 specifically refers to the narrative storytelling (講談) genre dealing with similar themes.
Compound of 世話 (sewa, 'care, everyday life') and 講談 (kōdan, 'storytelling, narrative'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term likely emerged to distinguish domestic-themed narratives from military or historical ones in the kōdan tradition.